NAIDOC; National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee, has a rich history and a strong importance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia.
Action for self-determination began in the early 1900’s, and towards the end of the 1920’s, a range of Aboriginal groups brought increasing awareness to the wider community about the treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The history of NAIDOC Week is explained in the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee; NAIDOC History Fact sheet from the National NAIDOC Committee.
A century later there are a range of celebrations in place to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and survival.
Some 2021 NAIDOC celebrations include:
- Saturday 3 July – NAIDOC Week Movie Night
- Saturday 3 July – Metro North Health 2021 NAIDOC Virtual Event
- Sunday 4 July – Heal Country, On Demand Webinar’ and celebrate NAIDOC Week with Evolve
- Tuesday 6 July – Talking Deadly: Tracing Ancestors
- Wednesday 7 July – Heal Country: Healing our Lands
- Thursday 8 July – Heal Country: Community Healing
- Thursday 8 July – Yarning Circle: Indigenous Knowledge, Environmental Science and Mining
- Friday 9 July – NAIDOC Week 2021 – Heal Country webinar from Engineers Australia
This year’s NAIDOC theme is Heal Country; Country that is more than a place and inherent to our identity. Country that we speak about like a person, sustaining our lives in every aspect – spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially, and culturally.
Further details can be found on the NAIDOC Website.
