Lithgow Council this week held a flag raising ceremony and morning tea with a number of Aboriginal people and agencies represented as part of National NAIDOC week celebrations.
It said the flag raising event was an opportunity for Council to learn about First Nations people, common history and to acknowledge the oldest continuous living cultures on earth.
‘For Our Elders’ is the theme of NAIDOC WEEK 2023. In First Nations’ culture, Elders play an important role. They are the foundation of Aboriginal community and they spread the ancient cultures.
In keeping with the theme, Ceane Towers, a Lithgow born and raised Wiradjuri woman, acknowledged the legacy of her mother Leslie Towers.
“Mum supported many in the Greater Lithgow area in her Aboriginal Mental Health role, supporting the first Aboriginal celebration event in town, and had an open door to community in our family home. She is well remembered. Mum’s spirit is in those who knew her still.”
Council says it wants to build respectful and equal relationships with all members of community especially the Wiradjuri people, Traditional Custodians of the land and waters of Lithgow, who have been living in the region for thousands of years.
The Council observed that First Nations Peoples should be able to proudly live their identity and culture, maintain the use of their language, kinship ties, their distinctive spiritual material and economic relationship with the land, waters, and other resources with which they have a connection under traditional laws and customs.
The Council said it is committed to working with community groups to foster social inclusion.