The annual event on May 3 at Prospect Hill, allows children to engage with local First Nations people and learn more about Aboriginal history and culture through activities including art, dance and storytelling.
Mayor Lisa Lake said that although May 3 did not have a place in our national calendar, “it is a defining moment in Cumberland’s history”.
It commemorated a meeting between First Nations people and European settlers in 1805, which took place between a group of Aboriginal women and Reverend Samuel Marsden and set off a chain of events which helped to create some acceptance and understanding between the two cultures and open the way towards reconciliation.
Mayor Lake said the council would continue to work with the Darug community “to deepen our understanding of this meeting and its impacts”.
“We all have a role to play in reconciliation as we look towards National Reconciliation Week,” she said.
The council will be celebrating National Reconciliation Week with Darug Elder, Chris Tobin, who will be presenting a talk at Merrylands Library on Wednesday, May 31, 11-noon.
National Reconciliation Week will be held from May 27 to June 3 and is an opportunity for everyone to learn about our shared histories, cultures and how to achieve reconciliation in Australia.
To reserve your spot at National Reconciliation Week or for more information about the council’s culturally significant Aboriginal sites or resources, visit cumberland.nsw.gov.au.
