⚫️🟡🔴 MUSAC proudly supports and acknowledges NAIDOC Week 2021 ⚫️🟡🔴

NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Find out how you can get involved in your local event by clicking here.

The 2021 theme of NAIDOC Week is Heal Country

Healing Country means embracing First Nation’s cultural knowledge and understanding of Country as part of Australia's national heritage. That the culture and values of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders are respected equally to and the cultures and values of all Australians.

Healing Country means hearing the pleas to provide greater management, involvement, and empowerment by Indigenous peoples over country.

Healing Country calls for all of us to continue to seek greater protections for our lands, our waters, our sacred sites and our cultural heritage from exploitation, desecration, and destruction.

MUSAC are committed to supporting, acknowledging, and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

In January 2020 Campus Life, in collaboration with the Macquarie University Indigenous unit, Walanga Muru, started a journey to better understand the culture of the custodians of the land on which our campus stands.

We looked at the multiple programs, services, and facilities we operate, including the Sport and Aquatic Centre, to consider how we could acknowledge the traditional custodians of the Dharug Nation.

This journey resulted in many discussions, the commitment to and completion of Manawari Training and ultimately, the gifting and use of the Burrumering and its installation across three murals at MUSAC.

The Burrumering’s representation and meaning for the Darug people and other Aboriginal peoples and clans along the east coast of NSW aligned with Campus Life’s values and made its gifting even more special and fitting.

In 2021 MUSAC will continue its phased rollout of new staff and team uniforms, which incorporate the artwork and design of the Burrumering (view the Learn to Swim Instructor Rash Shirt here).

In celebration of NAIDOC Week, a colouring-in activity with the Burrumering design and Dreamtime symbol chart, created and designed by Yukul Art, is available to download and complete.