On Thursday, July 12, almost 30 women from the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and some visitors gathered at the Pejar Local Aboriginal Land Council (Pejar LALC) office for a NAIDOC Week luncheon.

Pejar Local Aboriginal Land Council CEO Delise Freeman said this year’s theme goes to the roots of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.

“It means that if it wasn’t for our mothers, grandmothers, aunties, sisters, or for that matter every Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander woman then we would not be here today,” Ms Freeman said. “The struggles that we overcame to make life better for us and still continue to do to this day, the fight for equal rights, employment, education, our culture, just to name a few. 

“There are also women within our community that need to be acknowledged today for all the hard work and dedication that they have put into making our community better.”

 “We would like to thank the people in the local community who assisted us in holding this luncheon and contributed to our special free raffle Knot just Clay, 12th Trend, Brows by T, Make up by Nic, Leave It to Me by Elle and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.”

 Ms Freeman said that the Pejar LALC traditionally celebrates NAIDOC week in September and aims to hold several social gatherings including a special kids function as the months warm up.

In a nationally released statement from the National NAIDOC co-chairs Dr Anne Martin and Mr Ben  Mitchell they said, “As Pillars of our society, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have played -and continue to play – active and significant roles at the community, local, state and national levels.

“As leaders, trailblazers, politicians, activists and social change advocates, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women fought and continue to fight, for justice, equal rights, our rights to country, for laws and justice, access to education, employment and to maintain and celebrate our culture, language, music and art.

“They continue to influence as; doctors, lawyers, teachers, electricians, chefs, nurses, architects, rangers, emergency and defence personnel, writers, volunteers, actors, singers, songwriters, academics, sporting icons, media personalities, entrepreneurs, journalists, directors and more. They enrich us as the oldest continuing culture on the planet.”