NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week is an annual celebration in Australia dedicated to honoring the culture and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the original inhabitants of the country. Observed during the first full week of July, this event has its roots in activism and advocacy for Indigenous rights, evolving from protests in the 1930s into a week of celebration since its inception in 1957. Each year features different themes that guide various activities, including cultural performances, community events, and educational initiatives aimed at raising awareness about Indigenous heritage.
The week serves as both a celebration of Indigenous culture—encompassing music, dance, art, and language—and a platform for promoting the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. NAIDOC Week also includes award ceremonies that recognize significant contributions from Indigenous individuals in various fields, such as sports, education, and the arts. While primarily focused on Indigenous peoples, the celebrations encourage participation from schools, businesses, and the broader community to foster understanding and appreciation of Australia's first peoples. Overall, NAIDOC Week presents an important opportunity for cultural exchange and reflection on the ongoing journey of reconciliation in Australia.
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Subject Terms
NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week is an annual celebration held in Australia to recognize the culture and contributions of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. They are the original residents of Australia; there are multiple subgroups of people among the Aboriginals, each with their own history and heritage.
NAIDOC is an acronym that originally stood for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. The celebration is held annually during the first full week of July and includes a wide range of activities, celebrations, and awards ceremonies at the local, regional, and national level. This event has been held since 1957. Each year's activities focus on a different theme chosen by the organizing committee.
Background
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the Indigenous inhabitants of Australia. They were there before the first settlers from other lands arrived in Australia. Aboriginal peoples, who may belong to many subgroups, mostly originated on mainland Australia, while the Torres Strait Islanders originated on the islands with which they share their name. Being of Melanesian origin, the Torres Strait Islanders are separate from the Aboriginal people, though all are considered Indigenous.
Around 1606, a Dutch ship captained by Willem Janszoon landed on what Europeans then called Terra Australis Incognita ("unknown southern land"), and the crew encountered the Aboriginal people. On August 22, 1770, the British ship Endeavor, commanded by Lieutenant James Cook, sailed along the east coast of mainland Australia. Cook called it New South Wales and claimed it for the British Crown.
Eighteen years later, on January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip led a fleet of eleven ships carrying about 1,350 people, many of whom were exiled convicts from Britain. They settled in Australia at Botany Bay. This day is observed throughout the country as Australia Day.
During the early part of the twentieth century, Aboriginal rights groups began boycotting Australia Day because they felt the country did not treat Indigenous people fairly. Community groups and churches supported many of their efforts. These relatively quiet demonstrations grew in intensity over time as the groups seeking better treatment for the country's original residents moved from boycotts to protests. In 1938, a large protest known as the Day of Mourning was held along with a congressional gathering with more than one thousand participants. This was one of the world's earliest civil rights events.
The civil rights groups—led by the founder of the Australian Aborigines League (AAL), William Cooper—petitioned for the government to establish a policy for fair treatment of Australia's original residents, but this was rejected. Through 1955, Aboriginal rights groups continued to hold annual Day of Mourning events, which occurred right before Australia Day. The day was eventually renamed Aboriginal Day. In 1957, activists decided to move from protesting and lobbying for rights to celebrating the contributions of Aboriginal people. The first step in making this change was shifting the Day of Mourning/Aboriginal Day celebration from late January to the first Sunday in July. This was eventually moved to the second Sunday with the formation of the National Aborigines Day Observance Committee (NADOC).
Throughout the following decades, a number of changes were made to the way Aboriginal people were treated in Australia. While a national Aboriginal Day was never sanctioned by the government, many groups continued to celebrate it. In 1991, the Torre Strait Islanders were added to the NADOC, and the group name changed to NAIDOC. The newly reformulated group established a weekly celebration of the culture and contributions made by all the country's first people.
Overview
NAIDOC Week is most often celebrated by the Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders. During that week, the first people of Australia hold events that provide opportunities to enjoy and share their culture, including their music, dance, art, and language. The week is also an opportunity to remember all they have contributed to Australian life and history.
The event is primarily for Indigenous people. However, many schools and universities, churches, businesses, and other organizations from outside these communities hold special events to help educate and spread awareness about the heritage and contributions of the Indigenous people. It is often a time for activist groups to lobby for and promote the rights of the country's first people as well.
During NAIDOC Week, many awards ceremonies are held. Schools, towns and cities, and various civic organizations recognize members of the Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander population who have made significant contributions to their communities. Ten national awards are also given out at the National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony held during the week. These awards include Sportsperson of the Year, Youth of the Year, Scholar of the Year, Apprentice of the Year, Artist of the Year, Elder of the Year, and Person of the Year. An Indigenous artist is also recognized as part of a competition held each year to design a poster that is featured during the week's celebrations.
Individuals, families, and other groups are also urged to celebrate the week by learning more about the Aboriginal people and the Torre Strait Islanders. The public is urged to invite Indigenous people to share information about their culture and heritage. They are also encouraged to listen to the music of the country's first people or enjoy a meal featuring their foods. Many people also suggest that non-Indigenous people research the contributions of Aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders or visit sites associated with the history of the first people.
Bibliography
"NAIDOC History." National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Day Organization Committee, www.naidoc.org.au/about/history. Accessed 1 May 2024.
"National Reconciliation Week." Reconciliation Australia, www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/. Accessed 1 May 2024.
Pearson, Luke. "Explainer: What Is NAIDOC Week?" NITV, 29 June 2021, www.sbs.com.au/nitv/explainer/explainer-what-naidoc-week. Accessed 1 May 2024.
"The Story of Australia." National Australia Day Council, www.australiaday.org.au/. Accessed 1 May 2024.
"What Is NAIDOC Week?" Amnesty Australia, 30 Jan. 2017, www.amnesty.org.au/naidoc-week-wrap/. Accessed 1 May 2024.