The 2022 NAIDOC Female Elder Award went to Ronda Sharpe (middle). She received her award from (L-R) Irene Ridgeway (MC), Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keith, Pam Oliver and Kim Oliver.
The Bushman’s Hill Indigenous Precinct came alive with music, dancing and lots of people on Saturday for this year’s NAIDOC celebrations.
The NAIDOC theme this year is Get Up! Show Up! Stand Up! and celebrates Australia’s Indigenous cultural history of fighting for systematic change.
In keeping with the theme, Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keith said in his opening address it was time for the terrible things that happened to First Nations people during colonisation to be taught in history lessons in school. “This will help us to move forward. The massacre of Aboriginal people is something we are not proud of.”
The program on Saturday included a smoking ceremony, dance performances by the Dyagang Koori Dance Group and Wiradjuri Guwals, music by the Parkes Shire Concert Band, stall holders, basket weaving, beading, face painting and a free barbeque.
The Mayor also helped to present the 2022 NAIDOC Week Awards. The award recipients are: Innovation Award- Neighbourhood Central; 2022 National NAIDOC Education – Geoff Anderson; Caring for Country and Culture Award – Tyrone Robinson; Creative Talent Award – Dyagang Koori Dance Group; Youth Award – Brock Charlton; Sportsperson – Reece James; NAIDOC Female Elder Award – Ronda Sharpe; NAIDOC Male Elder – Geoff Anderson; NAIDOC Person Award – Scott Sauce Towney; NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement – Irene Ridgeway.
Lebron Murray is part of the Dyagang Koori Dance Group who performed on the day. The group received the Creative Talent Award. Tyrone Robinson, who runs the Dyagang Koori Dance Group, won the Caring for Country and Culture Award.