Because of her we can
news June-Aug 2018
NAIDOC Victoria March 2018
So many women in Victoria have made a massive difference for our people. A quick look at the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll reads like a cast of Aboriginal stars, including Lady Gladys Nicholls, June Atkinson-Murray, Aunty Di Kerr, Muriel Bamblett and VACCHO’s own Jill Gallagher AO, just to name a few. These women have all worked to further the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people in Victoria. Then we have our young Aboriginal women who are continuing the wonderful work of the Aunties and other Elders who have gone before them. We are lucky to have some deadly sister-girls working with us at VACCHO, who are dedicated to ensuring our Mob is as strong and healthy as can be. Seeing their strength and pride in culture is inspiring, and ensures future generations will be brought up with this same sense of history, and of what it means to be Aboriginal. To honour all of our deadly women, this issue of VACCHO News is a pictorial keepsake jam packed with event highlights and full of our amazing women front and centre. We invite you to see how far we’ve come on our journey to heal and take back our lives with the help, support and guidance of the strong and resilient women in our lives. For more information on NAIDOC Victoria visit http://vicnaidoc.com Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Inc. VACCHO is the peak body for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people living in Victoria
Vibrant, healthy, selfdetermining Aboriginal communities
Vic NAIDOC 2018 Flagraising Ceremony
Photo credits • NAIDOC Victoria Ball - James Henry, permission by NAIDOC Vic • Museums Victoria - Ryan Wheatley, permission by NAIDOC Vic • Mungabareena - Shanice French • VACCHO Members meeting - Rod Jackson & Francisco Fisher • Metroplitan Fire Brigade graduation - Sam Laird • ICAP - Tiana Koehrer & Craig Holloway • BBV/STI Forum - Michael West • All other photos - Francisco Fisher
VACCHO newsletters are available to view online at
www.vaccho.org.au/news-media/nl
Contents 1 Victoria NAIDOC 2018 March 2 Flagraising Ceremony 4 March 6 Ball 12 Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation NAIDOC afternoon tea 12 Bendigo celebrates through art 13 VACCHO NAIDOC smoking ceremony and lunch
13 VACCHO Members meeting 14 Northern Health VIC NAIDOC 2018 exhibition 14 Metropolitan Fire Brigade graduation 15 VACCHO’s ICAP State-wide Forum 15 6th Annual Victorian BBV/STI Forum
Elders Aunty Alice Kolasa and Aunty Pam Pederson
Lajia Brown-Tamwoy
Hon Natalie Hutchins MP Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Elder Aunty Alice Kolasa
Elder Aunty Pam Pederson and Deputy Lord Mayor Arron Wood
Steven Glasby Ellis, Mr NAIDOC 2018
Isabella Atkinson, Miss NAIDOC 2018
Mandy Nicholson cultural mentor and lead for Djirri Djirri Dance Group
Djirri Djirri Dance Group
Hayley Boehm, Sportsperson of the year 2018
Elder Georgina Nicholson and Stacie Piper, Vic NAIDOC Acting Chairperson
Brett Lee
Commissioner Justin Mohamed, Aboriginal Children and Young People NEWS and VACCHO June - August 2018 3 Deputy Lord Mayor Arron Wood Commissioner Jill Gallagher AO, Victorian Treaty Advancement
Wathaurong health workers: their stories and journeys
Vic NAIDOC 2018 March
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Vic NAIDOC 2018 Ball
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BECAUSE OF
HER WE CAN
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Vic NAIDOC 2018 Ball, Awards & Bunjilaka exhibition
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Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation NAIDOC afternoon tea From left (CW) Aunty Pam Griffin and Aunty Rosie Shultz cutting the cake. Mungabareena staff, special performance by Racheal Butler, deadly Mungabareena crowd turnout, Mr Alan Eldridge
Bendigo celebrates through art For at least 65,000 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have carried our dreaming stories, songlines, languages and knowledge. This has kept our culture strong, and enriched us to be the oldest continuing culture on the planet. As part of NAIDOC Week, and in keeping with theme Because of her we can, the BDAC Women’s Group designed two large art pieces to share stories and capture thoughts and words from our Community and staff. In all, over 24 have contributed to the posters! As pillars of our society, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have played – and continue to play active and significant roles at Community, local, state and national levels. As leaders, trailblazers, politicians, activists and social change advocates, our women fought and continue to fight for justice, equal rights, our right to Country, access to education and employment, and to maintain and celebrate our culture, language, music and art. They are our mothers, our Elders, our grandmothers, our aunties, our sisters and our daughters. Sadly the role played by Indigenous women in our cultural, social and political survival, has often been invisible, unsung or diminished.
During NAIDOC Week these posters were shared at the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-operative and City of Greater Bendigo Flag Raising ceremonies and at the Children’s Day. The works will be framed to continue sharing their messages of respect and value for women. We would like to particularly acknowledge Aunty Iris Bysouth for her guidance in cultural matters, encouragement for so many to get involved and her generosity in explaining the key elements of our stories to community members, particularly at the flag raising event. Story provided by Joan Whitehead, Aunty Iris Bysouth & Rita Arnold. For more information go to http://www.bdac.com.au/
VACCHO NAIDOC smoking ceremony and lunch
VACCHO’s deadly NAIDOC Committee (L-R) Tiana Koehrer, Mikaela Egan, Rebecca Hunt and Sheena Watt
Yorta Yorta and Wurundjeri women Aunty Zeta Thomson and Simone Thomson smoked the VACCHO building
VACCHO Members meeting
Christine Couzens MP Member for Geelong (right) with VACCHO Member CEOs
Aunty Naomi Surtees and Kym Monohan and Michael Cussens (below) welcome Members and staff on to Country
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Northern Health VIC NAIDOC 2018 exhibition 11 July 2018 Margaret Clarke: VACCHO’s VCAACD Training & Support Officer is one of many deadly women honoured at Northern Health’s Because of Her We Can exhibition
Metropolitan Fire Brigade graduation
11 July 2018 Gordon Bamblett: former VACCHO SEWB Project Officer fulfills his lifelong dream to graduate as an Metropolitan Fire Brigade firefighter
VACCHO’s ICAP State-wide forum 13-15 June 2018 Novotel - St Kilda
6th Annual Victorian BBV/STI Forum Friday 29 June 2018 Janina De Silva: VACCHO Working Together for Health Coordinator Treasury Theatre, Melbourne
Out and about Follow us on
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VACCHO Board Members John Mitchell: Chairperson Karen Heap: Vice Chairperson John Gorton: Board Member Michael Graham: Board Member Rod Jackson: Board Member Jason Saunders: Board Member Suzie Squires: Board Member
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VACCHO Members • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Aboriginal Community Elders Services Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Service Ballarat & District Aboriginal Co-operative Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-operative Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Service Bubup Wilam for Early Learning Aboriginal Child and Family Centre Budja Budja Aboriginal Co-operative Cummeragunja Housing and Development Aboriginal Corporation (Viney Morgan AMS) Dandenong & District Aborigines Co-operative Dhauwurd Wurrung Elderly and Community Health Service Gippsland & East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-operative Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative Gunditjmara Aboriginal Co-operative Healesville Indigenous Community Services Association Kirrae Health Service Inc. Lake Tyers Health and Children’s Service Note »» Auspiced
• Lakes Entrance Aboriginal Health Association • Melbourne Aboriginal Youth Sport & Recreation Co-operative • Mallee District Aboriginal Services »» Kerang Aboriginal Community Centre »» Swan Hill and District Aboriginal Co-operative • Moogji Aboriginal Council East Gippsland Inc. • Mungabareena Aboriginal Corporation • Murray Valley Aboriginal Co-operative • Ngwala Willumbong Cooperative • Njernda Aboriginal Corporation • Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation »» Central Gippsland Aboriginal Health Services • Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd • Victorian Aboriginal Health Service • Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative • Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation • Weenthunga Health Network Inc VACCHO News Winter 2018
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