Inverell Hosts Women's Gathering for NAIDOC Week
Because of Her, we Can!
The strength of women was front and centre during a NAIDOC gathering at the East Bowling Club on Thursday.
The booked out room celebrated women’s contribution to society, and focused on the 2018 NAIDOC theme ‘Because of her, we can’.
Organiser Beryl Hepi was proud to also carry her maiden name Connors.
“It’s because of our strong mothers we are where we are today,” she said. She pointed to the value of strong family connections among Aboriginal people.
“We know who all our relations are. They just mention their name and their totem,” Beryl said.
She said the day was about looking back at the achievements of Inverell’s mothers, aunties, grandmothers and great grandmothers, who paved the way for younger women.
“They were the ones that actually looked after us and nurtured us right through our growing up years,” she said.
Guest speaker Sandra Phillips spoke on the strength of women, and local Aboriginal poet Esther Gardiner read a piece inspired by the ‘Because of her, we can’ theme.
Attendees were encourage to share their own stories of positivity and strong women.
