A young Ngemba/Gamilaroi woman, Ms Karen Barker will be the guest speaker at this year’s Myall Creek Memorial commemoration.
The annual memorial commemoration ceremony for those who died in the Myall Creek massacre will be held at Myall Creek, on Saturday, 12 June. This public commemoration is held at Myall Creek, commencing at 9.30 a.m.
Ms Barker, was born in Brewarrina and raised in Moree. Karen is a Youth Entrepreneurial Project Officer, Plan It Youth – Mentor, and an Indigenous educationalist and facilitator within both Catholic and State systems. Karen is passionate about Indigenous education and socio/economic development for her people.
The Myall Creek Memorial was erected in June 2000 by a group of Aboriginal and non-aboriginal people working together in an act of reconciliation. It was awarded the Judith Wright Prize for innovative reconciliation work in 2005.
In June 2008 Peter Garrett announced Myall Creek Memorial as part of the national heritage register.
The memorial commemorates the unprovoked massacre of twenty-eight Wirrayaraay women, children and old men by a group of stockmen in 1838. The story of the massacre, of those who fought to bring it to justice, and of the remarkable ongoing and growing grassroots reconciliation are told through the annual memorial ceremony.
Following the ceremony, two highlights this year will be the schools competition with around 30 local schools invited to participate, and open discussion on a concept for an education/cultural centre at Myall Creek.
At 9.45 am, a short annual meeting will be held, with a focus on concept plans for the new educational/cultural centre.
The ceremony will start at 10.30. and will be followed at 12 noon by lunch which can be purchased.
Schools competition prize-giving, followed by cultural items, and brief contributions by invited guests will follow.
For further information or interviews please contact Ivan Roberts at (02) 6257 4600 or irobert@iinet.net.au; Sue Blacklock (02) 6723 3279, Lyall Munro (02) 6752 5792, Graeme Cordiner (02) 9817 0288
