Author: Michelle
This week (3-10 July) is NAIDOC week!
What is NAIDOC Week?
NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islander Day Observance Committee) Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It’s origins can be traced to the emergence of Aboriginal groups in the 1920’s which sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
This year's theme - Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! - is a call for action to bring about "systemic change and keep rallying around our mob, our Elders, our communities" (yarn.com.au).
You can read more about NAIDOC history at naidoc.org.au
I am proud to say that I, Michelle Crain, am an Indigenous Australian.
My mother has told me many stories of her upbringing. She has told me of the struggles she had to endure just to go to school and to walk home safely. As well as the struggles of getting into the workforce as an indigenous woman. I am proud of what she has achieved and overcome, as I know she is of me and my siblings.
So this week, we must recognise those struggles in history, but most of all the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is also time to celebrate the many who have driven and led change in our communities over generations—they have been the heroes and champions of change, of equal rights and even basic human rights.
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Getting Up, Standing Up, and Showing Up can take many forms.
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We need to move beyond just acknowledgement, good intentions, empty words and promises, and hollow commitments. Enough is enough.
The relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non‑Indigenous Australians needs to be based on justice, equity, and the proper recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights.
Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! with us to amplify our voices and narrow the gap between aspiration and reality, good intent and outcome.
There are many platforms you can go through to educate and understand the Aboriginal culture of this land.
Here are some resources that I hope you will all put to good use.
Print and share. Colour and chat. Read and watch.
Let this be guide to understanding.
Some things you can do to celebrate NAIDOC week:
Display the National NAIDOC Poster (below) or other Indigenous posters
Support, listen and share First Nations musicÂ
Watch a movie about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) history, through:
Netflix has a full NAIDOC week collection available
NITV (National Indigenous Television)
SBS on Demand
Make your own Indigenous trivia quiz
Study a famous indigenous Australian
Research the traditional Indigenous owners of your area
Research Indigenous history online, or visit your local library to find books about ATSI peoples.
Visit local Indigenous sites of significance or interest
Find out whose land you are on: https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia
Support/purchase from Indigenous creators
Learn the meanings of local or national ATSI place names and words
Study ATSI arts and crafts
Download and print the following colouring pages!
Make sure to take photos and share with us what you got up to this week. I would love to see you celebrating and educating! 😊