July 5, 2019 - Indigenous food and craft garden opening at NAIDOC picnic

Caption: Cassowary Coast master weaver Stuart Campbell-Lloyd conducts weaving workshops using palm fronds at the gardens.

This year’s NAIDOC Week celebrations kick off on Sunday (July 7) with the opening of the Mamu HSL Indigenous Dye, Fibre and Food Garden at the Johnstone River Community Gardens at Innisfail State College.

The garden is the first of its kind in the Cassowary Coast region to showcase traditional endemic plant specimens that were used in everyday life by Indigenous people.

Each plant is labelled with its Indigenous, common and scientific names and its traditional use.

Johnstone River Community Garden president Bernard Holden said the Indigenous garden was created as part of a collaboration between Mamu Aboriginal Corporation, Mamu Health Services Ltd, Cassowary Coast Regional Council and Johnstone River Community Gardens.

“It is fitting that we unveil the newly labelled garden during NAIDOC Week and the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Language,” Mr Holden said.

“The labels allow visitors to take a self-guided, interpretive journey through the gardens and gain an understanding of the historical use of native plants for food, craft and decorative colouring.

 “There is an increasing focus on preserving Indigenous languages and we are delighted that we can record words in the correct setting in which they would have been used.”

Mr Holden said the gardens were the result of a conversation with some local Indigenous weavers in 2014. A section of the gardens was put aside so the artists could harvest plant material for their cultural fibre weaving. 

“Several hundred trees and shrubs were planted over two consecutive National Tree Days in 2014 and 2015 with the support of the Council,” he said. 

“The NAIDOC Picnic opening event was first held here in 2015 and we are pleased to again host the picnic and have Mayor Kremastos and Indigenous representatives officially unveil the Mamu HSL Indigenous Dye, Fibre and Food Garden to the community.”

Mr Holden said the plants featured in the garden were native to the region and were primarily sourced from the Council’s Innisfail Nursery. 

The picnic begins at 9am and includes traditional dance, fibre weaving, garden tours, and Council’s composting workshop, conducted by Mr Holden, nature play and other activities.

A $5 garden harvest lunch will be available at midday.

Mayor John Kremastos said NAIDOC Week was an important opportunity for residents to come together to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

He said Council was proud to support the events hosted by Mamu Health Service Limited.

Other NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) events in Innisfail next week include a Children’s Day at Warrina Lakes on Monday, a NAIDOC lunchenon and awards on Tuesday, the NAIDOC march from the Corso through Cane Cutter Court then on to ANZAC Memorial Park on Wednesday and the Elders Lunch at Chjowai Hall on Thursday.

ENDS