By JESSE GRAHAM
RESIDENTS from all over the hills are being invited to come together next week to celebrate the survival of Indigenous culture and heritage at the annual Belgrave Survival Day.
Held on Australia Day (Monday 26 January), Survival Day is a volunteer-organised event that will kick off at noon at Borthwick Park in Belgrave.
Organiser Bonnie Zuidland told the Mail that the event aims to commemorate the area’s Indigenous culture and its survival two centuries after European arrival in 1788.
With the event now in its eighth year, Ms Zuidland said Survival Day was looking bigger than ever, with 2004 Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan performing at the event.
“They just get bigger and better each year – I’d say they’re pretty successful events,” she said
“Considering it’s an event that’s been going for eight years, that’s a good sign.”
Ms Donovan joins Aboriginal hip-hop artist Miss Hood, Melbourne soul-pop performer Chachi, Joe Geia, and Gnarnayarrahe Waitiarie, who will all perform live.
Music is just one part of the afternoon event – a Welcome to Country and traditional smoking ceremony will be conducted by Wurundjeri Elder Uncle Bill Nicholson, followed by traditional dances that the audience will be invited to take part in.
Story-telling, arts and crafts and demonstrations of the origins of Australian football are other key attractions at Survival Day, and the event will be hosted again by MC Leila Gurruwiwi of the Marngrook Footy Show.
Author Jim Poulter will be one of the speakers at the event, and will run the football demonstration.
The theme for this year’s event is Caring for Country, and Ms Zuidland said attendees would be able to walk to the event from Belgrave station in a crowd, or make use of a shuttle bus that would be provided.
She said that the theme extended to issues around climate change, and she hoped visitors would be able to learn from the way Indigenous people cared for the land they lived on.
Belgrave Survival Day will run from noon-4.30pm on Monday 26 January at Borthwick Park in Belgrave.
For more information, visit www.Facebook.com/pages/Belgrave-Survival-Day/ or email survivalday@gmail.com.
