The Port Lincoln NAIDOC (National Aboriginal Islander Day Observance Committee) working group finalised its draft plan last week, with activities to also include a youth workshop and a blue light disco.

Celebrations will be held in August rather than July like the rest of Australia, as NAIDOC Week clashes with the South Australian school holidays.

The NAIDOC Week 2008 working group believes the involvement of the school is very important and so moved the local celebrations to enable school participation,” she said.

Port Lincoln’s celebrations will run from August 4 to 10, with the theme of “Advance Australia Fair”.

The week is held each year to celebrate and promote a better understanding of indigenous culture, and will start with an art and craft competition displayed in the Civic Hall Rotary Gallery from Friday, July 4 to Tuesday, July 15.

The activities will kick off with a foreshore community march on Monday, August 4, followed by a flag raising ceremony, guest speakers, entertainment and a sausage sizzle.

Later in the day a youth workshop and a dinner will be held at the Mallee Park clubrooms, with school workshops held during the week.

These workshops may include local traditional dancers running workshops on dancing, body painting, artefact making, storytelling and demonstrating boomerang and spear throwing.

The week will also include an elders’ lunch and a traditional cookout at Mallee Park, as well as a blue light disco and a NAIDOC Ball.