NAIDOC Week celebrated at St John of God Health Care
5 Jul 2017
5 July 2017
Artworks, special lunches and a smoking ceremony are just some of the events underway at St John of God Health Care hospitals this week.
The events focus on celebrating the culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in line with this year’s NAIDOC Week theme – Our Languages Matter.
St John of God Health Care Group Coordinator Social Justice Advocacy Neal Murphy said the celebrations were a part of the organisation's commitment to promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
“In May this year we released a new Reconciliation Action Plan with a vision that each person who identifies as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander should be given the same respect and consideration as others in Australian society, with equal access to employment, health care and education,” he said.
“We will continue to promote and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and the contribution they make to our organisation and society.”
Events
Ballarat
- 4 July – Guest speakers, Welcome to Country, language mapping activities and information re local sites, didgeridoo playing, local aboriginal dancers and afternoon tea featuring indigenous cuisine in Ballarat Health Services new Gardiner-Pittard Foyer.
Bendigo
- 3-21 July- Aboriginal art exhibition in their Atrium featuring the work of two local artists.
- 7 July - NAIDOC lunch with guest speaker Tashara Roberts from the Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group.
Burwood
- 13 July – Lunch and presentation involving members of the Waminda team who will provide an update on their work at Burwood Hospital.
Hawkesbury
- 3 July - Smoking ceremony onsite performed by their Aboriginal Cultural Liaison Officer.
- 7 July - Aboriginal seniors/elders will be onsite for a morning tea and all caregivers are invited to come and meet them to ‘yarn’.
Midland
- 3 and 5 July – Cultural Conversations with members of the hospital’s Aboriginal health team which provides opportunities to gather to have yarn about Aboriginal culture, our engagement with the Aboriginal community as a hospital and to raise any cultural questions.