Embracing NAIDOC Week

Traditional dances, music, food and artwork brought NAIDOC Week to life at Juniper Guwardi Ngadu in Fitzroy Crossing and Juniper Numbala Nunga in Derby this year, as both homes flew the Aboriginal flag throughout the week and residents and staff embraced the theme of 50 Years of Deadly.

A full week of activities were planned to celebrate the residents’ traditions, including making fresh boab juice, which quickly became a favourite across the home.

Found only in the Kimberley, the boab tree has provided food, medicine and shelter to the region’s people for generations. The boab tree and its nuts were woven throughout the week, appearing in painting activities and in the bush knowledge residents shared with one another.

Residents took time to yarn with Juniper staff and each other, sharing stories and memories of cultural traditions from their younger years, including eating boab nuts and burning specific tree bark to make ash.

Resident Frank Smiler recalled collecting boab nuts as a boy. “I like the boab nuts with yellow inside, I used to collect them when I was young and eat them,” he said. He went on to explain the process of creating ash to staff. “You need to burn it very slow. Jiffy is what the tray is called for the ashes. Some of it comes out grey, some of it comes out white, depending on how you burn it.”

Resident Marie Elsie shared her own memories of learning the process from the older people in her community. “We get the ashes from the white tree, we always know what tree. We let it burn then put it in the tin. I remember making ashes when I was younger, and the older people taught me how to make the ashes,” she said.

Residents across the homes enjoyed a barbeque, with some lending a hand to make the damper, alongside salt dough ornaments and arts and crafts activities.

In Kununurra, Home Care customers, their families and residential aged care residents from Juniper Gerdewoonem came together at Juniper’s Community Centre for a Community Family Open Day, filled with face painting and connection.

In Northam, residents from Juniper The Residency and Juniper Bethavon visited The Bilya Koort Boodja Centre for Nyoongar Culture and Environmental Knowledge. The centre offered an interactive experience celebrating the Aboriginal and environmental heritage of the Nyoongar Ballardong region, and the land management knowledge of its traditional custodians.

Many of Juniper’s residential homes got involved too, with residents taking part in NAIDOC-themed crafts and a special NAIDOC Week menu served in honour of the occasion.