National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country.
NAIDOC Week is a time for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to celebrate their care of country, and their history of survival as a nation. This week is an opportunity for all Tasmanians to participate and celebrate with their local Aboriginal community.
The 2024 NAIDOC Week theme is Keep the Fires Burning! Black, Loud and Proud. This year’s theme celebrates the unyielding spirit of First Nations communities across the country and invites all to stand in solidarity, amplifying the voices that have long been silenced.
The fire represents the enduring strength and vitality of Indigenous cultures, passed down through generations despite the challenges faced. It is a symbol of connection to the land, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As we honour this flame, we kindle the sparks of pride and unity, igniting a renewed commitment to acknowledging, preserving, and sharing the cultural heritage that enriches our nation.
“Blak, Loud and Proud” encapsulates the unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity, empowering First Nations to keep standing tall in their heritage and assert their place in the modern world. This theme calls for a reclamation of narratives, an amplification of voices, and an unwavering commitment to justice and equality. It invites all Australians to listen, learn, and engage in meaningful dialogue, fostering a society where the wisdom and contributions of Indigenous peoples are fully valued and respected.
Through our collective efforts, we can forge a future where the stories, traditions, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are cherished and celebrated, enriching the fabric of the nation with the oldest living culture in the world.
In 2023 our NAIDOC Week Film Showcase, our second ever, went completely regional hitting Bicheno, Scottsdale, Smithton and New Norfolk.
We took the film Ablaze on the road. The film follows Yorta Yorta man, opera singer and Senior Lecturer in and Indigenous Arts and Culture at the Victorian College of the Arts Tiriki Onus on a journey to discover if his grandfather Bill Onus was the first Aboriginal film maker. Bill was an entrepreneur, performer and activist, being particularly active during the 1967 Referendum.
We covered 880km bringing the film to the regions including holding Referendum Conversation Tables at each film plus set ups in Swansea, St Helens and the Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation (CHAC) NAIDOC Community Day at trawmanna in Smithton. This was one of the highlights of the trip with all manner of cultural activities going on from making ochre, a smoking ceremony, cooking mutton bird and white bait fritters and more.
Many thanks go to the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) for our NAIDOC Week grant and Woolworths New Norfolk for the snacks.
NAIDOC Week 2022
In 2022 during NAIDOC Week Reconciliation Tasmania toured the state with with the first NAIDOC Week Film Showcase featuring the incredible, haunting and breathtakingly beautiful film Wash My Soul in the River’s Flow.
The film, which took 17 years to film, is described as a: A love story, a legendary concert, a personal tale of trauma and transcendence Kura Tungar-Songs from the River was a collaboration between two of Australia’s greatest artists—singer-songwriters Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter—working with Paul Grabowsky and the 22-piece Australian Art Orchestra.
Using footage combining conversations, rehearsals, and the opening night, with breathtaking images of Hunter’s Ngarrindjeri country in South Australia, the film is a portrait of artists at the peak of their powers and a profoundly moving story of loss, love and what it means to truly come ‘home’.
We took the film to the major cities, Hobart and Launceston, and also regionally, to Queenstown and Burnie.