National Reconciliation Week in the Illawarra and South Coast has united communities to be proactive in their approach to upholding this year’s theme of “Bridging Now to Next”.

As a show of solidarity, community leaders and members have gathered across the regions over the past week at events to commemorate the nationwide week of recognition of the importance of reconciliation in Australia.

Yuin man, Uncle Richard Campbell, is a familiar face around Kiama and sees the theme as “an ongoing journey”.

Part of this is sharing knowledge, which has transcended through the resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This echoes the former Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney MP, who said in her farewell speech last year: “healing in Australia is a profound, long-term incremental thing. It’s about people. It’s a tough road, but I think we will get there.”

When asked about sharing knowledge, Uncle Richard said “it’s about keeping our traditions, our song lines and our story lines and if we don’t pass them on to the next generation, it’s going to be gone and lost.”

After leading a dance at a community event held at Reddall Reserve during National Reconciliation Week, Uncle Richard spoke about ways for the entire community to engage.

“Keep coming to events like this and show your support to our people, unity is everything” he said.

Across 27 May to 3 June, community events were held across the Illawarra to commemorate two significant milestones for Indigenous Australians.

Firstly, the 1967 referendum, where the population voted on Aboriginal people to be counted in the national census and the right to vote which was voted on 27 May that year.

Much of the outcome of the referendum can be attributed to the “freedom ride” where a group of Sydney University students led by Charlie Perkins travelled around Australia on a bus.

The end of National Reconciliation Week falls on 3 June, Mabo Day in honour of the High Court ruling in 1992 when six of the seven High Court judges ruled in favour of Eddie Mabo.

This recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples had lived in Australia for thousands of years overturning the concept of Terra Nullius, which British settlers had used to claim sovereignty over the land in the late 1700s.

Twelve months later in 1993, the Native Title Act 1993 was passed.