Surfing, footy and the didgeridoo: Naru celebrates NAIDOC Week Coffs Coast Coffs Coast - popup ad Coffs Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - July 18, 2024 A group shot with the NRL community team. Photo: Naru Indigenous Corporation. SCORES of young people gathered for the Naru Goori Groms NAIDOC Fun Day at Coffs Harbour’s Jetty Beach last Wednesday, participating in pursuits promoting healthy living and well-being. The day revolved around three core activities: learning to surf, touch football and playing the didgeridoo. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au The morning began with a Smoking Ceremony led by Uncle Troy Robinson, a Board Member of the Naru Indigenous Corporation which organises these community events four times a year. The Jalay Jalay dancers were on hand and added colour with movement and story, creating the right atmosphere for cultural celebration and fun. Naru’s marquee event, in addition to these community fun days, is a national Indigenous boardriders competition that draws competitors from all over Australia, acknowledging Coffs Harbour’s First Nations surfers as custodians of a proud heritage. The event will be held this year over the weekend of 8-10 November, at a Coffs Coast beach location yet to be disclosed. The organisation has been raising awareness of mental health issues and suicide prevention for the last seven years and has become a valuable asset in the local, regional and national cultural landscape. The organisation was founded by Amber and James Mercy in loving memory of their well-known and respected father, Eric Mercy, who was an excellent surfer and influential community worker for many years. They brought the idea to Uncle Rod and Aunty Julie Carey, who supported their vision and helped garner support from other people who saw the merit of such an organisation for local young people. “There is a thrill I get when I see young people experience the ocean, going from fear to excitement as they learn important lessons in the context of a safe and supportive instruction,” Amber told News Of The Area. This year’s NAIDOC fun day was also supported by the National Rugby League (NRL), who Naru have forged links with in recent months. The foreshore provided an excellent arena for touch footy with all ages running the ball back and forth through many hands to score some memorable tries. The strains of didgeridoo, from time to time melding with the music of the ocean, has resonance with the cultural significance this mob holds at the very heart of Gumbaynggirr country. By KIM SATCHELL The opening ceremony at the Naru Goori Groms NAIDOC Fun Day. Photo: Naru Indigenous Corporation. Hendrix Mercy all smiles during a recent Naru surfing session. Photo: Naru Indigenous Corporation. Ariana Yaya enjoying the waves. Photo: Naru Indigenous Corporation.
