NAIDOC week in Australia
NAIDOC Week is held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It runs from the first Sunday in July to the following Sunday.
NAIDOC stands for the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Its roots go back to Aboriginal political organising in the 1920s and 1930s.
The History of NAIDOC Week
In 1924, Fred Maynard founded the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association in Sydney, one of the first organised Aboriginal political groups. It campaigned for land, an end to the removal of children, and the protection of Aboriginal culture.
1938, Day of Mourning
On 26 January 1938, the 150th anniversary of British colonisation, Aboriginal people held a Day of Mourning in Sydney. It was organised by William Cooper's Australian Aborigines' League and the Aborigines Progressive Association, led by Jack Patten and William Ferguson, and called for full citizenship and equal rights.
From 1940, Aborigines Day was observed each year on the Sunday before Australia Day. In 1955 it moved to the first Sunday in July. In 1957 the National Aborigines Day Observance Committee (NADOC) was formed, and in 1975 the observance became a week-long event. In 1991 the committee was renamed NAIDOC to include Torres Strait Islander people.
Themes, Posters and Awards
Each year NAIDOC Week has a national theme, chosen by the National NAIDOC Committee. Themes have focused on language, land, Elders, young people, truth-telling, and the fight for rights and recognition. The current theme is announced early in the year on the official NAIDOC website.
Each year also has an official poster, selected through a national competition open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. The poster responds to the theme and is displayed in schools, workplaces and public buildings across the country. Many winning artists come from community-run art centres.
The National NAIDOC Awards are presented at the start of the week. They recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for their contributions in areas such as community, education, art, sport and leadership, and include awards for Elders and young people.
What Happens During NAIDOC Week
Communities, schools, councils and workplaces hold events including flag raisings, marches, cultural performances, art exhibitions, sporting carnivals and family days. Schools often run assemblies and lessons on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture, many linked to that year's theme. NAIDOC Week is also a platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to raise issues such as land rights, health, justice and self-determination.
5 NAIDOC Week Questions for the Classroom
- What does NAIDOC stand for?
- What event in 1938 led to NAIDOC Week, and who organised it?
- How has NAIDOC Week changed since it began?
- What is this year's theme, and what does it mean?
- Who painted this year's NAIDOC poster, and what does the artwork show?
See our Education Resources for more materials.
