NAIDOC Week is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, and a time to recognise the history, culture and achievements of Indigenous Australians.
This year’s NAIDOC Week theme is ‘Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!’, aimed at driving institutional, structural, collaborative and cooperative change.
Below Council has collated some of the fantastic initiatives local governments around Australia are doing for NAIDOC Week.
Shellharbour City Council
Shellharbour City Council celebrated the local Indigenous Australian community and recognised NAIDOC Week at the NAIDOC Community Day on Monday 4 July.
The community event featured live music from Kyarna-Rose, Matty Walker and Mervin Roberts, a performance from Gumaraa, a free sausage sizzle, family focused activities, local service providers, and an interactive art workshop with Hannah Jensen.
Shellharbour City Mayor, Chris Homer, said the event would be a wonderful opportunity for the entire community to get involved in the traditions, culture and talent of the city’s local Indigenous Australian Community.
“Council’s NAIDOC Community Day is an opportunity for celebration, but also a time for reflection,” Mayor Homer said.
“This is such an important event in Council’s cultural calendar. I am looking forward to seeing our local Aboriginal artists perform, celebrate and share their culture and skills with Shellharbour.”
City of Greater Geelong
The City of Greater Geelong celebrates NAIDOC Week with a myriad of Indigenous Australian focused events, to showcase First Nations culture and history.
As per Reconciliation Week, residents can catch the vibrant and colourful First Nations artwork on display nightly from 6pm to 11pm, until July 10.
In addition, a National Wool Museum visual art exhibition and a presence at Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative’s Community Day are both part of Greater Geelong celebrations for NAIDOC Week from July 3 to 10.
The National Wool Museum visual art exhibition will feature the Wadawurrung Dja Exhibition, comprising the work of proud Wadawurrung woman, emerging elder, cultural educator and award-winning visual artist Dr Deanne Gilson.
Dr Gilson works primarily in clay, painting, digital imagery and fabric design.
The City of Greater Geelong will have a stall at Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative’s Flag Raising and Community Day as part of NAIDOC Week.
Greater Geelong Mayor, Peter Murrihy, said he encourages all residents to take part in the events on offer.
“NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for people throughout the Geelong community to learn more about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth,” Mayor Murrihy said.
“More specifically, these local events will allow residents to better get to know our region’s First Nations communities and celebrate the rich contribution they make to our region.”
Deputy Chair of the Aboriginal Affairs portfolio, Cr Sarah Mansfield, said the events were cause for celebration as the Council and community embrace the NAIDOC Week celebration theme of ‘Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up’
“As a City we are committed to walking with our First Nations families and communities in Greater Geelong,” Cr Mansfield said.
“While support of these events will be both informative and educational, attendance will also tell our First Nations communities just how much we value their contribution to our region.”
Residents can also go online here.
The City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is celebrating NAIDOC Week with several historical events available to the community.
These cultural events include:
- A smoking ceremony and dream time spectacular to officially commence the week
- Creative workshops including boomerang painting, weaving and badge making
- Moving exhibitions including photography exhibit featuring works by leading First Nations photo-journalist, Aunty Barbara McGrady
- Themed movies at the laneway cinema; The Sapphires & The Final Quarter
- Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Tours
- National Indigenous Art Fair
In alignment with this year’s NAIDOC theme ‘Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!’, the City of Sydney is also offering the community an opportunity to explore the Royal Botanic Garden’s Cadi Jam Ora Garden, and learn about the perseverance and resistance of First Nations peoples in their journey and fight for sovereignty, justice and freedom.
Participants will discover through the Cadi Jam Ora garden important First Nations figures, Dreaming stories and dates, whilst creating their own Aboriginal flags, headbands, calico bags and much more.
Sunshine Coast Council
From flag raising to family fun days and art exhibitions, the Sunshine Coast is set to host a range of events to celebrate NAIDOC Week 2022.
Sunshine Coast Mayor, Mark Jamieson, said NAIDOC week continued to be a highlight of the annual calendar and the 2022 program was set to be a great success.
“Sunshine Coast Council remains committed to ensuring we have strengthened working relationships with First Nations peoples and continued to advance reconciliation,” Mayor Jamieson said.
“The updated Reconciliation Action Plan highlights our continued commitment to promoting the self-determination of First Nations peoples focusing on providing equitable economic, employability and education opportunities within the organisation.”
Community Portfolio Councillor David Law said he was looking forward to the range of events held across the region for NAIDOC Week.
“The 2022 theme invites us to act decisively and shape a future based on justice, equity, and proper recognition of First Nations peoples,” Cr Law said.
“Council is committed to growing a strong community including long-term and meaningful engagement with Traditional Custodians and First Nations communities as part of the Sunshine Coast Community Strategy 2019-2041 and our Corporate Plan 2021-2025.”
NAIDOC Week celebrations began with a NAIDOC Week Flag Raising Ceremony held at Nambour Forecourt, on Monday, July 4.
Events for the rest of NAIDOC Week include:
- Djagan Yaman Exhibition: the first major solo exhibition of Lyndon Davis (Kabi Kabi)
- There we were all in one place Exhibition: an early career survey exhibition of cross-cultural artist Hayley Millar Baker (Gunditjmara)
- Veiled Histories Exhibition: Works by leading First Nations artists, Jennifer Herd (MBarbarum) and Joanne Currie Nalingu (Gungurri)
- Sunshine Coast Libraries celebrate NAIDOC Week 2022: Honouring two extraordinary visual storytellers
City of Monash
The City of Monash is situated on the traditional lands of Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong people, its events for NAIDOC Week include:
- TREATY Art Exhibition: presents the work of six First Nations artists for whom sovereignty is fundamental to their creative work and lives. With the lens of the here and now and the legacy of the history that has gone before, TREATY presents works to further the conversation and ask, what does this mean? Guest curated by Wemba-Wemba Gunditjmarra artist, curator and academic Dr Paola Balla
- Elders Movie Screening: the community welcomed a special screening of the award-winning short film Elders (2019), followed by a conversation with Wotjobaluk and Ngarrindjeri writer/director Tracey Rigney, Monash First Nations Guest Curator, Dr Paola Balla, and a Bunurong Elder
- Artist Talk: Dr Paola Balla in The Track Gallery as she shares her thoughts and knowledge of Treaty and First Nations’ ways of being, knowing and doing
- Valley Reserve guided tour: join Wurundjeri Elder, Uncle Ian Hunter, on a guided tour through Valley Reserve, as a way of acknowledging First Nations understanding of Country, respecting cultural knowledge and celebrating NAIDOC Week.
City of Perth
Perth Council said the NAIDOC Week theme is a call to action and aims to amplify Indigeous and First Nation Australians, and Torres Strait Islander voices, and narrow the gap between aspiration and reality, good intent and outcome.
The City of Perth Lord Mayor, Basil Zempilas said the City is proud to host a wide range of immersive experiences, music, dance, culture and art throughout July, celebrating and embracing the oldest living culture on Earth.
- The NAIDOC Opening Ceremony took place at Wellington Square on Sunday, 3 July:The free event was an opportunity for the people of Perth to come together to celebrate Indigenous achievements, history and rich culture
- From 4 – 31 July, Council House will be hosting Community Arts Network’s Ngaluk Waangkiny (Us Talking) exhibition. Ngaluk Waangkiny, meaning “us talking” in Noongar, is a landmark multimedia storytelling project designed to honour and preserve the legacy of the City’s Elders Advisory GroupThe City partnered with Community Arts Network, ABC Perth and the Aesop Foundation to produce a documentary, podcast and book that shines a light on how the Elders’ lived experiences have influenced their contribution to the City’s Reconciliation Action Plan
“The City of Perth is honoured to host the Ngaluk Waangkiny exhibition – a profound project that embodies this year’s NAIDOC theme to get up, stand up, show up,” Mayor Zempilas said.
“I encourage everyone to come down to Council House to better understand and appreciate the often-untold history of our City and the unique stories our Elders have to share.”
Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas acknowledged the contribution the Elders have made to the City of Perth as strong advocates for respect, recognition and reconciliation.
The City of Perth will be recognising NAIDOC Week by illuminating Council House in Aboriginal colours from 3 to 10 July. Trafalgar Bridge will also be lit up in red.
A full list of events occurring around the cities to celebrate NAIDOC can be found here:
NAIDOC Organisation
Perth
Sydney
Sunshine Coast
Monash
