NAIDOC Week 2022 – Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!

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.

NAIDOC stands for the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee.

This year’s theme: Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!

First Nations peoples have a proud history of getting up, standing up, and showing up.

From the frontier wars and the earliest resistance fighters to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities fighting for change today—First Nations people continue to show up.

The momentum for change cannot be lost.

We all must continue to Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! for systemic change and keep rallying around our mob, our Elders, our communities.

Whether it’s seeking proper environmental, cultural and heritage protections, Constitutional change, a comprehensive process of truth-telling, working towards treaties, or calling out racism—we must do it together.

It must be a genuine commitment by all of us to Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! and support and secure institutional, structural, collaborative, and cooperative reforms.

It’s 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.

Getting Up, Standing Up, and Showing Up can take many forms.

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.

This NAIDOC Week teacher resource is structured around the 2022 theme of ‘Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!’. Explore key Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander perspectives, peoples, histories and stories in this in-depth guide, featuring;

• Discussion questions;
• NAIDOC-themed activities;
• Plentiful resource links and suggestions;
• Clips for classroom viewing;

There are quality, robust structures for exploring Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander perspectives year round not just for NAIDOC Week. These resources can be accessed here.

Download our NAIDOC Bunting to display in your service, school or organisation here 👇🏽👇🏾

In previous years, many schools have celebrated NAIDOC Week by having a guest speaker come in to talk about Indigenous history and culture, or to share a story. A number of schools host art exhibitions of work done by students in their art classes. These include traditional Aboriginal art styles as well as modern interpretations of First Nations history or culture.Learning traditional Indigenous games is another great way to both celebrate NAIDOC Week as well as foster teamwork and physical activity amongst students.

Here are some ideas on how to celebrate NAIDOC Week:

• Display the National NAIDOC Poster or other Indigenous posters around your classroom or workplace.
• Start your own hall of fame featuring Indigenous role models.
• Listen to Indigenous musicians or watch a movie about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history.
• Make your own Indigenous trivia quiz.
• Study a famous Indigenous Australian.
• Research the traditional Indigenous owners of your area.
• Study Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and crafts.
• Work with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artist to produce an artwork representing the theme.
• Run an art competition for your school or community.
• Research Indigenous history online or visit you library to find books about Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples.
• Visit local Indigenous sites of significance or interest.
• Learn the meanings of local or national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander place names and words.
• Invite local Indigenous Elders to speak or give a Welcome to Country at your school or workplace.
• Invite an Indigenous sportsperson or artist to visit you.
• Invite Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander dancers to perform.
• Host a community BBQ or luncheon.
• Hold a flag raising ceremony.
• Organise a smoking ceremony

NAIDOC Week is celebrated by local community events taking place across Australia. Search for an event here where you can share in the celebrations.

References:

https://www.naidoc.org.au/