Liverpool’s NAIDOC Week celebrations echo community pride

Residents from Liverpool and beyond are invited to join in this year’s NAIDOC Week festivities, with Council hosting two events to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

“Council has proudly partnered with more than a dozen local organisations to bring two NAIDOC events to life,” Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller said.

“I encourage people from all cultural backgrounds to join us in recognising and celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”

On Tuesday 9 July there will be a community street march through Macquarie Mall to Bigge Park, with market stalls, rides, live entertainment and food. On Wednesday 10 July there will be a family celebration at Miller Square, including a NAIDOC Awards Ceremony, live entertainment, craft activities, stalls and food.

“In the lead up to our NAIDOC Week celebrations, residents will see spectacular works of art by local Aboriginal artist Danielle Mate Sullivan on display across Liverpool,” Mayor Waller said.

“Danielle’s artworks exemplify the traditional art practice of dot painting and are a striking visual reminder of the unique, long-standing customs and culture of Indigenous Australians.”

The two artworks chosen for Council’s NAIDOC Week celebrations are proudly featured on street banners and 28 Roads and Maritime Services utility cabinets across the Liverpool local government area.

“NAIDOC Week is such a significant time for Aboriginal people and I feel so proud to have had my artwork chosen for display across my own city, where family and friends will easily see them,” Ms Sullivan said.

“My artworks were primarily inspired by the word ‘celebration’. That is what NAIDOC is to me; a time to come together, have fun and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, peoples and their achievements.

“The colours I used were representative of land - reds, yellows and pinks - and water - blues and greens - with the shapes reflecting the celebratory bursts of fireworks in the night sky.”

Mayor Wendy Waller said NAIDOC Week served as a time to reflect on Indigenous history and ways Indigenous people can be supported in their efforts towards greater recognition.

“This year’s NAIDOC Week theme, ‘Voice, Treaty, Truth: Let’s work together for a shared future’, highlights the need for greater collaboration in ensuring Indigenous peoples are more greatly recognised and heard,” Mayor Waller said.

“Council stands by Indigenous peoples as they work towards greater recognition as custodians of this land and welcomes the sharing of Indigenous heritage, knowledge and culture, which dates back more than 65,000 years.”

NAIDOC Week event details

Community Celebration Tuesday 9 July, 12pm – 4pm Macquarie Mall to Bigge Park, Liverpool

NAIDOC Family Fun Day Wednesday 10 July, 10am – 2pm Miller Square, Woodward Cres, Miller

Visit www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/naidocweek for details about Council’s free NAIDOC Week events, to nominate an individual or organisation for this year’s NAIDOC Awards and to find out how you can get involved as a stallholder. Stallholder expressions of interest close 11.59pm, Sunday 23 June 2019.

Council thanks its community partners Bonnie Support Services, Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council, Rapid Relief Team and the 2168 NAIDOC Working Group for their support of this year’s NAIDOC Week events.

About artist Danielle Sullivan

Edmondson Park-based artist Danielle Mate Sullivan discovered her passion for art during high school and went on to study a Bachelor of Creative Arts, majoring in Textiles, at the University of Wollongong.

Danielle ended up using art throughout her working life and took up her husband’s suggestion to take the leap to artmaking full time roughly eight years ago.

In addition to her works for Council’s 2019 NAIDOC Week celebrations, Danielle painted the mural on the giant water tank in her local suburb, Edmondson Park.