10 May, 2016

More than babysitters and storytellers: Elders have their day to shine

More than 450 of the State’s Elders gathered at Nelson Bay for the annual Elders Olympics

This year’s event was hosted by Worimi Local Aboriginal Land Council whose Chief Executive Officer Andrew Smith was on hand to see the action.

Andrew says the Elders Olympics is a thank you to Elders.

“We don’t tuck our Elders away. We really want to honour them and respect them for who they are and what they have done to give us the opportunities we’ve got.”

Competition is serious but it’s also a day of fun and family pride, as well as an opportunity to keep healthy and active.

As Mavis Davis, representing Booroongen Djugun Elders says: “We’re not just grannies and baby-sitters or story-tellers. We’re doing something that we want to do.”

This year’s winners were Lake Macquarie, who will host the next year’s Elders Olympics.