CULTURE CELEBRATION RETURNS TO PARK
LOCAL Aboriginal providers will feature in a market at Geelong’s Reconciliation in the Park on
Sunday.
Held at Johnstone Park, the event, in its 13th year, will take on this year’s Reconciliation theme Be Brave. Make Change, while showcasing local Indigenous artists, businesses and activity providers.
Co-ordinator Nikki McKenzie said the event’s objective was to bring
together First Nations people and the wider diverse community for a day of learning and celebrating Aboriginal culture.
“For me, Reconciliation Week is about the wider non-Aboriginal community making the change to want to learn about the true history of Australia, accepting that and then being the change,” Ms McKenzie said.
Last year’s Reconciliation in the Park was postponed because of Covid and held during NAIDOC Week.
“This year we have changed it up
a little bit, we are starting a community possum skin cloak project that we will take over three years to create and it will be available for the community to have at local events to showcase the inclusion of Aboriginal culture,” Ms McKenzie said.
For the first time, Reconciliation in the Park will also play host to local providers who will form a market.
“Last year we wanted to see an inclusion of more local Aboriginal providers because with Covid and loss of wages, small businesses really
struggled, so we wanted to highlight them and give them an opportunity,” Ms McKenzie said.
“We weren’t able to do it last year, but we are implementing it this year.
“It is a trial and hopefully it will go well with roughly 10 providers, all local Aboriginal people.
“We wanted to keep it local so the wider community could see how diverse our culture is and what is available.”
Reconciliation in the Park takes place from 10am-3pm.