To celebrate NAIDOC week this year we wish to highlight trainee Raquel Cross.
Raquel is a Business Administration trainee at DM Roads, Perth, Metro. Recently we asked Raquel what NAIDOC means to her and discussed the ideas her workplace has planned for NAIDOC 2022.
“NAIDOC Week is a special time for our mob, with everyone joining together and celebrating – Its a powerful feeling of embracing our culture as a collective”, Raquel said.
Raquel shared – It has been extra special for me this year. I was asked to plan this year’s NAIDOC Week events for the workplace, which is a massive responsibility, alongside working with other Aboriginal crew members, Jayden and the Supervisor. We planned and organised three days of events over the week. To kick things off on Monday we held a Greeting/Welcome into NAIDOC week and shared what NAIDOC stands for and is about. We shared what the national theme is for the year (Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up) and arranged some deadly first nation-coloured cookies from Just Because Cookies and Cakes (A small Indigenous owned business). On Wednesday I cooked up a big pot of roo stew for the depot, served with rice and damper plus we also sizzled some crocodile sausages for people to try. To end the week on Friday, I have designed a big NAIDOC Week banner to paint and colour with the team and to hang in our office once it is completed.
Raquel designing the NADIOC banner.
“It has been awesome to share my knowledge of Aboriginal culture with the work crew and team at DM Roads. They have enjoyed sharing and celebrating NAIDOC Week which is what it’s all about”.
Well done Raquel – awesome work!
NAIDOC week celebrates the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and recognises their strong connection to country and contributions to community.