Dance night supports NAIDOC Week at Uni

Everyone interested in having a fantastic night out and supporting a worthy cause is invited to come along to a night of music, dance and give-aways at Southern Cross University on Thursday, August 2.

The University’s Indigenous Events Committee is hosting the fun night as part of the NAIDOC Week calendar of events.

NAIDOC Week is being celebrated at the University from Monday, July 30 to Friday, August 3 to tie in with the return of students following the mid-year semester break. The national event celebrates the survival of Indigenous culture and the Indigenous contribution to modern Australia. This year’s theme is ‘Looking forward, looking blak’.

This year the organising committee has chosen to support the ‘Jimmy Little Foundation – Return to Country Program’. The Jimmy Little Foundation was established by Dr James Little OA – a legend of the Australian music scene who has been performing for over 50 years – to help improve kidney health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across regional and remote Australia.

After two years of himself undergoing dialysis treatment and a successful kidney transplant, Dr Little realised the importance of all Australians being able to access quality health care no matter where they lived, and wanted to make a concrete contribution to those communities most affected by kidney disease.

The Return to Country Program allows patients who have been forced to relocate from their remote communities to Alice Springs for kidney dialysis to take a short holiday home with their families for the festive season. The University’s fundraiser will contribute to making sure this valuable initiative continues.

Music will feature the talented local duo Monkey and the Fish (Gnibi lecturer Marcelle Townsend-Cross and partner Chris Fisher), local dance band Road Kill Bill, a seven-piece Ska/punk/party band (all but one of the members are SCU students), Sydney DJs Wax Motif and Charlie Chux as well as local DJ Lady K. Gnibi lecturers Bilyana Blomeley and Marcelle Townsend-Cross will act as MCs for the night.

There will be also a chance for ticket holders to win a $300 travel voucher donated by Plaza Travel, massage vouchers courtesy of SCU Natural Medicine Clinic, a CD from Music Bizarre, a Gnibi book pack, NORPA tickets, a fruit box from Farmer Charlies and much more.

Tickets are $8/$12 to help keep the Return to Country Program alive. Tickets go on sale on Monday July 16 at the SCU Unibar and will be available at the door on the night from 7pm.

Other NAIDOC Week events include: Monday – Welcome to Kuntri and performances by Widjabul Dancers and Dhinawan Dreaming, Goodman Plaza, 12noon – 1pm; Tuesday – Address by Professor Judy Atkinson, ‘Getting on with the job’, and launch of Indigenous scholarships, Whitebrook Theatre, Y Block, 12 noon; 2-day film-making workshop with Indigenous film maker Adrian Wills, D 105, 1-5pm, info and register gnibi@scu.edu.au; Indigenous film night, H101, 6-10pm. Wednesday – Film- making workshop day 2, D 105, 1-5pm; Elders lunch 12 – 2pm, Gnibi; Fort Knox lunchtime concert, Goodman Plaza. Thursday – Bush tucker/bush medicine workshop, medicinal garden, outside Z Block, 11am-3pm, info and register gnibi@scu.edu.au; Dance party, bands and DJs, Jimmy Little Fundraiser, 7pm til late, SCU Uni bar, tix $8/$12. Friday – Kids day in Goodman plaza, activities from 11am. For other workshops and events check out: scu.edu.au/scuiecc or email gnibi@scu.edu.au or phone 1800 816 676.