Des’s NAIDOC Week march reflection
On Friday 11 July, members of CMY’s staff and Reconciliation Action Group attended the NAIDOC Week march in Naarm. Le Mana Pasifika Youth Support Worker Des attended the march for the first time and wrote a brief reflection.
I was very humbled last week to experience being part of the NAIDOC Week march and soaking in the atmosphere but also enlarging my knowledge of the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation, and the Wurundjeri land that I now call home, and only have been calling home since February having moved here from New Zealand.
As I approached the NAIDOC march in Naarm (Melbourne) with uncertainty and trepidation, I was humbled by the experience and confronted by the harsh realities faced by First Nations peoples. The march was a powerful display of community strength and resilience, with passionate voices and determined chants echoing through the streets of Melbourne.
The speeches delivered during the march were a stark reminder of the hurt, trauma, and ongoing injustices faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including the confiscation of land, language, and culture, as well as the alarming number of deaths in police custody. The call for self-determination and the ambition to establish their own governing bodies and society in Victoria was a testament to the community’s desire for change and their determination to stand in solidarity and demand justice.
As someone who identifies with Māori and Pasifika communities through Le Mana Pasifika, I felt a deep sense of solidarity with the First Nations peoples and was honoured to wave the flag in support. CMY’s acknowledgement to stand with and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is unwavering, and I believe that it is essential for us to continue to amplify their voices and advocate for their rights.
I would like to extend my gratitude to all who organised and participated in the march.
Nga mihi nui (many thanks).