Belgrave Survival Day

Hello to Survival friends and supports. We are pleased to report back on another successful Belgrave Survival Day with about 1000 people being entertained and educated. We again had the honour of being welcomed by elder Aunty Dot and the Wilkes Indigenous Dance troupe were a crowd favourite. Sparkleland again mesmorised the littlie’s with his puppet show and his magical commands for all of us to be “caretakers of the earth”. New performers this year included the Stray Blacks who gave an energetic performance and Joey Kangaroo who played didgeridoo and performed a didgeridoo “meditation” for many members of the crowd. Uncle Henry gave a passionate speech calling for the constitution reform to finally recognise the true place of the First Australians and Peter Lewis from ANTAR explained why we need a Treaty to rectify this land being taken illegally 222 years ago from its indigenous owners. The crowd were also able to explore a range of Indigenous art and crafts and food and other educational stalls. We will add images of the event to this site as they come to hand. Here a few to start with.

In exciting news for the Survival Day event, 3 CR has decided to do a live cross of the day between 11 AM and 3 PM. So if you can’t make it on the day, you can still listen in on 855 on the AM dial.

10.10am – Gnarnayarrahe Waitairie – Yidaki (didgeridoo)

10.30am – Welcome to ceremony – Aunty Dot Peters

10.45 am – Judith Durham (OAM) and Kutcha Edwards perform
- “Advance Australia Fair” with revised lyrics for a contemporary and inclusive Australia

11am – Kutcha Edwards and Band

12pm – Speech by Samantha Dunn, Shire Of Yarra Ranges councillor

12.15pm – Nigel Wilkes and the Healesville Indigenous Dance Troupe

1pm – Speakers – Prof Uncle Henry (and Susan) Atkinson
Dr. Peter Lewis – ANTAR (Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation)
- Followed by Q & A opportunity
-Didgeridoo meditation led by Gnarnayarrahe Waitairie.

1pm – Offstage – Sparkleland: Children’s indigenous performer

2 – 3.30pm – Stray Blacks

4pm – Screening of William Barak documentary at Belgrave Library

On Australia Day 2010 the Belgrave Community is coming together for an exciting Survival Day concert to celebrate survival of indigenous culture locally and nationally.

The third annual event will include Judith Durham OAM performing her version of the Australian National Anthem written in collaboration with Aboriginal of the Year 2001, Kutcha Edwards. Kutcha and his band will play a subsequent set and other indigenous artists on the day will include The Stray Blacks, Healesville Traditional Dance Troupe, Gnarnayarrahe Waitairie and Sparkleland an indigenous children’s entertainer. Indigenous Elders Aunty Dot Peters and Prof Uncle Henry Atkinson will also speak at the event. Stalls selling indigenous craft and bushfoods will be present.

Survival Day Belgrave welcomes and encourages indigenous representation on the committee to help shape the future direction of this annual event.