THE very first NAIDOC in The North event last week saw a massive turnout, with over 1000 residents heading to the John McVeity Centre in Playford.
National NAIDOC week, which wrapped up last week, was an opportunity for residents to learn more about Australia’s history and to celebrate the community’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
I got the chance to visit the very first NAIDOC in The North event last week, and was blown away by the amount of love, celebration and respect in one building.
Having spoken to residents in the lead up to NAIDOC week, it was clear that locals in the north were desperate for an event closer to home, with many complaining of having to drive into the city.
Last week however saw hundreds of young people, Elders, non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal people alike joining together with their own community on local home soil.
NAIDOC week also saw the release of the new documentary ‘There I was, Here I Am’ featuring Gawler legend Uncle Mulla.
The documentary aims to keep the voices of Elders alive for generations to come as more First Nations people age into their ’50s than ever before.
Uncle Mulla is the leader of the locally based Black Death group, who spend every day fighting for Indigenous issues and raising awareness of deaths in custody.
Any Gawler local (or customer of Café nova) would be familiar with Uncle Mulla’s infectious smile and even more alluring outlook on life.
I feel privileged to have spoken to the man a number of times for different stories, and to chat in general about the issues facing his community the most.
With the release of ‘There I was, Here I Am’, Uncle Mulla said he hopes the “beautiful” people of Gawler can connect with the issues he shares on the big screen.
Uncle Mulla also addressed how Gawler was no stranger to racism, and that he hopes the documentary can further push local residents to take a stand in the face of prejudice.
