National Reconciliation Week may have just wrapped up but Indigenous awareness-raising remains in full flight in Gold Coast City.

Robina’s Bond University Indigenous Awareness Society (BIAS) have been working hard for over 4 years now to promote reconciliation and celebrate Indigenous culture and this year these busy bees are really buzzing.

BIAS was established in 2010 by a group of non-Indigenous and Indigenous Bond students with a passion about Indigenous issues. The aim was to spark healthy discussion of and involvement in Indigenous affairs at Bond University and beyond. The current committee is made up of six undergraduate students who continue this tradition.

BIAS mission includes broadening cultural awareness within Bond and the wider community as well as working to reconcile differences in Indigenous and non-Indigenous quality of life. BIAS is embodying these initiatives through community engagement and this year alone, the group already have three big projects under their belt.

2014 has marked the 5 year anniversary of the ‘Abergowrie School Visit’, an initiative developed by the founding committee and arguably BIAS’ greatest achievement.

Each year, BIAS invites Bond University students to spend a week at St Theresa’s College, an all boys Indigenous boarding school in remote Abergowrie, Far North Queensland, with students hailing from the Torres Strait, Gulf of Carpenteria, Cape York and Papua New Guinea.

According to St Theresa’s Geography teacher Paul Davies, Abergowrie’s very remote location makes it very difficult for students to imagine life outside of their small, home communities and therefore, they lose hope of tertiary education.

That’s where BIAS comes in. Under the BIAS program, Bond University students visiting St Theresa’s Abergowrie adopt the role of mentor, teacher’s aide and sporting coach, with the ultimate goal of reminding the ‘gowrie boys’ of the opportunities they will have once they graduate from St Theresa’s.

A little closer to home in our Gold Coast City Community, BIAS has recently formed a partnership with Varsity College, with Vice President Emily MacDonald and Secretary Jessica Howe recently presenting a 30 minute Reconciliation slideshow to Year 3, 4 and 5 students as part of National Reconciliation Week. Group workshops with Year 4 students are set to take off at Varsity College in school term three.

This year also sees BIAS celebrate NAIDOC week, which marks the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

For the very first time in Bond and BIAS history, three massive events will celebrate, engage and involve students and the wider community in NAIDOC week, right here in our Robina.

On Tuesday 10 June, you’ll have the chance to view ‘Grounded’, the contemporary Indigenous art exhibition by renowned Indigenous Filmmaker Richard Jameson OAM. With a long list of highly acclaimed short and feature films, as well as a remarkable career with the Department of Foreign Affairs spanning decades, Wuthathi man Jameson is sure to impress. ‘Grounded’ is an exhibition of images representing a modern ethnographic study of Indigenous Australians and presents a unique opportunity to take a visual journey with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people.

Thursday 12 June 2014 sees Bond host a movie night, showcasing musical-comedy-drama The Sapphires, which features exciting Indigenous performers Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy and Sharri Sebbens.

There’ll be no gloom and doom on Friday the 13th this year as BIAS wraps up NAIDOC week celebrations with a huge comedy show, featuring internationally renowned comedian Sean Choolburra. Described as deadly, dynamic and culturally captivating, Choolburra is arguably Australia’s number 1 Indigenous entertainer. Blending pop culture with dance, comedy, hip hop didge and uniquely Australian comedy, Sean Choolburra is not to be missed.

Get involved this NAIDOC week and honour the exceptional work of BIAS and Bond University in promoting cultural awareness, education and reconciliation for our Indigenous people.

Tickets for all the NAIDOC events are for sale at http://goldcoasttickets.com.au