NAIDOC Week 2025

We acknowledge the Tradtional Custodians of the land on which we work and gather - the Wangal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and extend that respect to the Traditional Custodians of the land where this artwork was created - the Gomeroi people of the Kamilaroi Nation, whose country includes Tamworth.

We would like to also honour the artist's cultural heritage as a proud Wambaya person from Barkly Tableland region in the Northern Territory. We acknowledge the strength and stories of her ancestors, and the continuing legacy of the Wambaya people, whose knowledge and culture continue to inspire and empower future generations.

The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy

NAIDOC week is a time to celebrate and honour the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, the theme "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy" invites us to recognise the power of young voices and the legacy they are creating for the future. By investing in and celebrating young Indigenous peoples, we help ensure that the knowledge and traditions of the past remain strong in the present and thrive long into the future. As part of our NAIDOC Week celebrations, we're proud to introduce Hailah Peters-Limerick, a 12 year old Indigenous artist from Tamworth, whose artwork captures her interpretation of what NAIDOC week means to her.

Meet Hailah Peters-Limerick

My name is Hailah, my name means halo around then moon and it is often said when there is a halo around the moon it will be a crazy wild night. My Mum says that suits me perfectly because I have always had trouble sleeping and even now I do all my art in the night time. I am 11 years old and was born on the 4th October 2013 in Tamworth NSW, my Mum was born in Maitland NSW and my Dad was born in Tennant creek in the Northern Territory. I live on Gomeroi country but my Aboriginal heritage is Wambaya tribe from the Barkly tablelands in the Northern Territory.
I have 3 little brothers, my mum and dad both come from big families so I have a lot of cousins, aunties and uncles.
I have always loved art but I feel connected to Aboriginal art and I love telling stories through pictures and paintings. I feel inspired by being on country, travelling and listening to stories of creation and the dream time.
In my art I enjoy using bright colours and often I will mix it with soft pastel colours. It is contemporary Aboriginal art. I enjoy painting native Australian animals, native plants and stories of the sky and sea. I'm so proud of my culture and I'm proud to continue sharing stories of the longest, continuing culture in the world.

Meaning Behind 'Steps to the future'

This artwork tells the story of travelling on country and connecting from the past into the future. A river runs between the communities with footprints guiding the way as a symbol of our connection to our country.

Earthy tones have been used to represent the circle of the past with colours of the Aboriginal flag. Many people can be seen sitting around the circle representing our ancestors and the achievements of the past. The meeting circle at the top represents the future generations and the bright future we have ahead. Bright colours mixed with pastels have been used to show them sitting around by the circle.

The top left hand corner shows the sun and how it radiates warmth and energy across the country. Many smaller meeting circles can be seen placed throughout the picture connected by white rivers which represents all the smaller tribes, mobs, communities and families placed far and wide across Australia.

I've chosen to do my handprint with the Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander flags to represent myself and my culture.

The background base colour reflects on the earthy tones but also all the bright colours of nature, bush flowers and the silhouettes as the sun sets on Gunii-ma (mother earth).
Symbols show travelling, communities, rain, connections, people, waterholes, stars, native plants and animals and is my interpretation of everyone's individual journey of moving towards the future together. A feather can be seen and is a symbol to remain grounded and guided by our ancestors.

The symbols along the bottom right hand side represent people. They are our past, current and future young leaders and who are the people who inspire and guide us to be the best we can to continue sharing stories of art and knowledge through our culture.

Kangaroo, Emu, Goanna and bird tracks can be seen throughout the picture showing our connection to country and how we all share the land. Native animals such as kangaroo, kookaburra, emu, Echidna, Goanna, snake, honey ants and witchety grubs can be seen throughout the picture to represent the many different areas on country and to show the respect we have with the land, animals, sky and sea.

Dotwork represents Aboriginal people past, present and emerging from the oldest longest continuing surviving culture in the world.

What NAIDOC Week means to Hailah

NAIDOC week is a very important celebration for me as it's a way to publicly recognise Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander achievements and show respect for our elders and culture.

What being Indigenous means to Hailah

Being indigenous means everything to me. it's who I am and how I'm connected to country and my people.
It means art, it means story telling, it means dancing, it means respecting the land and the animals, it means learning the dream time stories of the land and sky and connecting with guni-maa (mother earth)
I'm so proud to still be standing as part of the longest continuing surviving culture in the world.

Hopes for the future

I hope to improve my artistic and story telling skills and to become a well known Aboriginal artist. I want to stay connected to my country and my people through my art and I want to inspire young people to dream big and never give up on your dreams or hopes.
I would love to work with Australian native animals in the future and one day open my own art studio to teach Aboriginal art lessons.