Blessings flow at Launceston Corps’ NAIDOC Week service
- simoneworthing
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Salvation Army corps and centres around the Australia Territory celebrated NAIDOC Week in a variety of ways. Salvos Online highlights three Salvo expressions – Launceston Corps, the Waterhole centre in Alice Springs and The Beacon centre in Perth – and how they honoured the week.
BY SIMONE WORTHING
NAIDOC Week celebrations at Launceston Corps, Tasmania, took on a national flavour this year, with the visit and involvement of Tahana Turner and Chris Waixel, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Coordinators for Queensland and Victoria, respectively.
Tahana and Chris were among the special guests for the 6 July service, invited by Aux-Lieutenant Roderick Brown, Launceston Corps Officer, and supported by Shirli Congoo, General Manager, Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander ministries.
After a smoking ceremony, Delia Summers, a local community leader, gave the Welcome to Country. The corps songsters also performed before Tahana joined the worship group as they led the congregation in song and praise.
Tahana shared some insights on The Salvation Army’s Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan, including resourcing corps and centres to connect and engage with First Nations peoples and facilitate the reconciliation journey.
Chris gave the message for the day, focusing on the need to raise the next generation from positions of strength, vision and legacy, reflecting this year’s NAIDOC Week theme.
Tahana continued her songs, with a unique Indigenous focus.
A ‘ceremonial exchange’ concluded the service – “They blessed us at the end of the service and we returned the exchange with a native plant as a gift for hosting us,” explained Tahana.
Many people, including corps and community members who had gathered for the special service, stayed on, yarning and sharing stories.
READ MORE: Reconciliation – the ongoing journey
Elders in Council then invited Chris and Tahana to visit the premises. “It was incredible to go,” said Tahana. “We saw the pictures of all their ancestors throughout the building, ancestors that give us all the strength to do what we do and keep on going. I felt that it was a special space to be and felt honoured to be invited.”
Chris agreed. “That they felt we were the sort of people that they could trust and were safe enough to go into that special space for them, was incredible.”
More photos from the event below:
Alice Springs Corps celebrates NAIDOC Week
More than 300 community members from The Salvation Army’s Waterhole Community Centre attended the NAIDOC Week celebration at Alice Springs Salvos on 10 July.
“This was a wonderful joint project by the Waterhole, Moneycare, Homelessness and Doorways teams,” said Major Tim Watson, Alice Springs Corps Officer.
“The celebrations began with a smoking ceremony by a local Arrente Elder. There was a barbeque, painting, earring making, a photo booth and cake.
To see photos from the day, click on the arrow below. Photos: Paula Kelly.
The Beacon puts NAIDOC Week on the map
Residents and staff at The Beacon, The Salvation Army’s largest residential homelessness facility in Perth, had the opportunity to pin the ‘place of their birth/what they call home’ on the Australian Indigenous map during their on-site NAIDOC week festivities.
Beacon resident and NAIDOC committee member Dale W came up with the idea, aiming to educate attendees about the First Nations Australia map.
“Australia is lost in translation. The modern-day Australian map is drawn along state lines. Australia, in essence, is like Europe – made up of different cultures, languages and dialects. Yet, people see Australia as one culture, which we are not. By pinning the place of our birth/our home, everyone could connect to the traditional land,” Dale said.
The on-site event, attended by about 50 residents and staff, also included a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony by Elder Nigel Wilkes, an educational session on the history of NAIDOC Week and speakers who focused on the 2025 theme – The Next Generation: Strength, Vision, Legacy.
“The event concluded with the viewing of current and past NAIDOC week artworks produced by Beacon residents, a cuppa and traditional bush tomato scones,” said Karen Coetzee, The Beacon centre manager.
