MESSAGE: NAIDOC committee member Anne Cockburn, of Toronto.
ARRIVAL: The march down The Boulevarde.
ESCORT: Mounted police lead the street march. Pictures: David Stewart
CELEBRATION: John Paul Young performs in the rotunda.
THERE was a party atmosphere in Toronto on Tuesday for the Westlake NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) family fun day.
But NAIDOC committee member Anne Cockburn, of Toronto, said it was a day for reflection, too.
This year marked the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Aboriginal tent embassy in Canberra.
Ms Cockburn, a Torres Strait Islander, said she was a member of the stolen generation.
"Whenever I see that tent embassy it is a reminder of that dislocation," she said.
The Toronto foreshore hosted a concert featuring John Paul Young.
And the Wollombi Dancers added some indigenous fun by inviting children to join them in traditional dance. The event began with a march down The Boulevarde, featuring an escort by mounted police.