By Robert Hiini
Students, teachers and Archbishop Hickey refused to let a vocal disruption dampen their celebration of Indigenous peoples and culture at a special NAIDOC week liturgy convened at St Mary’s Cathedral on Wednesday, 6 July.
A local, homeless woman, known to Archbishop Hickey, entered the Cathedral shortly after the liturgy commenced, shouting obscenities while walking down the middle aisle towards the altar.
The Archbishop had just begun his opening address but stopped midway, leaving the sanctuary to speak with the woman before she left the Cathedral of her own volition.
The celebration resumed calmly with the Archbishop reminding several hundred students from Chisholm, Clontarf, La Salle, Trinity, Santa Clara and St Munchin’s of the reason for their gathering.
“Today we join with others across Australia who this week celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“This will be a celebration of the work being done by Indigenous people across Australia who are taking responsibility for their own future and shaping the changes they want to see in their communities,” Archbishop Hickey said, speaking to this year’s NAIDOC theme ‘Change: the next step is ours.’
The event kicked off with a procession in which Archbishop Hickey and the Dean of the Cathedral, Mgr Michael Keating, were led to the altar by Indigenous Elder, Richard Walley and his young dancers.
From a sanctuary adorned with students sitting around figurative campfires, Mr Walley officially welcomed those gathered to Nyoongar country.
The ensuing ceremony featured Scripture readings and personal accounts from Indigenous students of their own ancestral histories.
Wayne Bull, from the Catholic Education Office (CEOWA), thanked the committee who organised the event, including Archdiocesan Directory of Liturgy Sr Kerry Willison RSM and the CEO’s Robyn Collard and Diana Alteri.
Mr Bull noted that NAIDOC week (this year, 3-10 July) usually falls during the school holidays, precluding schools from marking the occasion.
The NAIDOC week liturgy was the first time such an event could be held during term.
NAIDOC stands for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee,’ the body that used to organise celebrations which are now organised locally.