By Parker McKenzie
Belgrave Survival Day, an annual event celebrating Australian Indigenous People’s survival, culture and heritage, will be held on Sunday 12 March.
Burrinja Cultural Centre Creative Director Gareth Hart said Belgrave Survival Day marks a celebration of First Nations people and their knowledge.
“We’ve been able to confirm some wonderful artists, including Pirritu, a wonderful singer-songwriter coming straight from the Port Fairy Folk Festival to perform, Drmngnow, a spoken word hip-hop artist, and the Djirri Djirri dancers are returning, which is really exciting,” Hart said.
While the event has been held on 26 January for the past 15 years, the decision was made by the BSD committee to move the event to March after “reflection, consultation and conversation.”
Hart said Survival Day has always been a significant day on the calendar, with BSD being one of the longest running in the country.
“Every day is important to celebrate and recognise the ongoing impacts of colonisation and the impact that has had on First Nations communities,” they said.
“But to also find ways to constantly support the practices and knowledge of our First Nations communities and work towards reconciliation and minimising the impact of colonisation every day of the year.”
Burrinja Cultural Centre has partnered with BSD for the majority of its existence and provides assistance services to the committee and selects a representative.
Hart said it has been three years since the event has been able to run in-person, with a digital offering instead because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is a particularly public day where we are celebrating the strength and depth of creative and cultural practices that are still very much alive in our community,” they said.
“This should be a really powerful, energetic, positive but reflective day where we can come together.”
The first Belgrave Survival Day was held on 26 January 2008, put together by a small group of residents in the hills. Held behind the Cameo Cinema, it featured a dance troupe from Healesville as the only Indigenous Act.
Since 2011 it has been held at Borthwick Park Reserve in Belgrave and has become an annual fixture in the town, regularly attracting over 2000 people.
For more information closer to the event, visit the Belgrave Survival Day Facebook page.
