Sydney‘s annual giant fuck-off New Year’s Eve fireworks display was kicked off last night with a special Welcome to Country ceremony honouring the three groups of First Nations Australians of Sydney Harbour – the Gadigal, Wangal and Gamaragal clans of the Eora Nation.
Uncle Allen Madden of the Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council (MLALC) led the Welcome to Country, while red cascading fireworks and yellow flares briefly turned the Sydney Harbour Bridge into a massive Aboriginal flag.
Thanks to Uncle Allen Madden for his welcome to country #SydNYE
— Clover Moore (@CloverMoore) December 31, 2015
Ahead of the $7 million fireworks show, which draws international attention and thousands of tourists every year, CEO of the MLALC, Nathan Moran, said that the Council were, “deeply honoured and overjoyed that the Sydney New Year’s Eve celebration will have a specific focus on respecting the First Nations Australians of Sydney Harbour.”
Respecting First Nations Australians of Sydney Harbour with a special Welcome to Country tonight at 8.40pm #SydNYE pic.twitter.com/rMClld8Ya0
— City of Sydney (@cityofsydney) December 31, 2015
Sydney Lord Mayor and general legend Clover Moore explained that the theme for this year’s event was ‘City of Colour’, “a recognition of the wonderful diversity of this city and with this powerful Welcome to Country we are celebrating the talent, culture and creativity of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”
Nice one, everyone.
Source: SBS.
Photo: Getty / Brendon Thorne/City of Sydney.
