Mob and allies turned out in droves to mark the commencement of NAIDOC Week at Devonport's Tiagarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre on Monday.
The annual celebration saw hundreds gather atop the Bluff Coastal Reserve, a sacred site for Aboriginal people of the area, to observe and participate in flag raising and cultural ceremonies, as well as traditional song and dance.
The celebration was lead by Tiagarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre chair Dave Mangenner Gough, who paid tribute to increased attendance at Tiagarra's annual NAIDOC Week events in recent years.
"We've got a lot of people here and this is how it's been growing every year," the Trawlwoolway man said.
"We want the biggest, safest, [most] inclusive NAIDOC in our Lutruwita Country, our Trowunna Lutruwita."
This year's NAIDOC Week theme is "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy".
Mr Gough told the crowd young people are the future of a strong Aboriginal culture in Tasmania.
"This is about the next generation… This ain't about you and me, it's about these people, our young people growing into leaders," he said.
"Our young people have young people and their kids are here, and they're growing up with the ballawinne, the ochre on them.
"They're growing up in song and dance. And we do culture, that's what we do."
As young Aboriginal mob assisted in the raising of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags in front of Tiagarra, Mr Gough paid tribute to the Punnilerpanner people, the Traditional Owners of the Mersey Valley.
View this post on Instagram
The Punnilerpanner people did not survive the brutality of British colonisation.
"Our people have been caring for this Country, all over this Country, since millennia," Mr Gough said.
"Our responsibility is to sing and let everyone know and let the Punnilerpanner people know that we look after their Country.
"It's a big responsibility, and now everyone here carries that too.
"Walk lightly on this land, engage with us, learn with us and care for Country with us."
In addition to many of the next generation of Aboriginal people in Tasmania the event was also well attended by Aboriginal Elders from the region.
"[We] acknowledge our Elders with our ancestors that aren't with us, our Elders that aren't with us, our Elders that are with us, and there's plenty here," Mr Gough said.
"We are honoured to have this many Elders up here today, it's very very special. To acknowledge our community, our strongest mob, to acknowledge all of you that are with us."
Following the flag raising ceremony the crowd shifted to surround Tiagarra's firepit, known as a patrula, where crowds were invited to participate in the ceremony to promote positive energy.
The ceremony surrounding the patrula also saw Tasmanian hip hop artist DENNI, otherwise known as Madam Pakana perform some of her hits including Know My Worth, My Nita and Gumption.
