Community members in the Shire of KOJONUP celebrated a successful NAIDOC family day at the Kodja Place Precinct earlier this year.
In July The Kodja Place Cultural Centre and Museum in partnership with the Kojonup Aboriginal Corporation celebrated NAIDOC week by encouraging visitors and the wider community to join together, have a yarn, eat some bush tucker and have a go at a few other fun activities in and around the grassed courtyard and Yoodi’s Mia Mia (stick shelter).
Children of all ages took part in the colouring competition to see who could create the best karda (goanna), yonger (kangaroo) or waitch (emu).
They also had the opportunity to decorate their own wooden boomerang and get their faces painted.
Aunty Deb led story time around the campfire where she read ‘How the Birds got their Colours’ and explained to the eager young listeners why traditional ancestors were wary of ‘willy wagtails’.
There was an impromptu dance performance by some of the younger participants of the ‘Deadly Brotha Boyz’ program, Elder Jack’s Storytelling tour, billy tea demonstrations and the opportunity to try out the newly installed listening post near the Noongar Seasons mural inside the museum gallery.
Lunch included a taste of kangaroo, freshly cooked damper, billy tea and Hot Johnnies.
In the tradition of damper and bush bread Hot Johnnies are a delicious piece of fried damper served hot with jam and butter.
They proved so popular during NAIDOC week that the Black Cockatoo Café will be keeping them on the menu.
The Kodja Place expressed thanks to the Kojonup Noongar community for sharing their culture and St Bernard’s Primary School for displaying students’ beautiful indigenous inspired artworks.
The event received positive feedback from visitors all over Australia as well as international tourists.
