NAIDOC Week is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and an acknowledgment of their history, culture and achievements. Historically celebrated in July from the 5th - 12th, this year the weeklong celebrations were postponed to the 8th - 15th of November. This decision was made in the interest of safety for communities due to the COVID 19 pandemic of 2020.
NAIDOC Week 2020
This year’s theme ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’ acknowledges the hundreds of nations and cultures that covered this land. It recognises and celebrates that our nation’s story didn’t begin with documented European contact – the very first footprints on this continent were those belonging to First Nations peoples. For these communities, the nation’s story began at the dawn of time and was marked by innovation in a variety of fields.
As stated by the NAIDOC Week committee:
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were Australia’s first explorers, first navigators, first engineers, first farmers, first botanists, first scientists, first diplomats, first astronomers and first artists.
The First Peoples engraved the world’s first maps, made the earliest paintings of ceremony and invented unique technologies. We built and engineered structures - structures on Earth - predating well-known sites such as the Egyptian Pyramids and Stonehenge.”
The theme also recognises the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contributions to managing the land so that it can sustainably provide for the future. As stated by the NAIDOC Week committee:
“Our adaptation and intimate knowledge of Country enabled us to endure climate change, catastrophic droughts and rising sea levels. Through ingenious land management systems like fire stick farming, we transformed the harshest habitable continent into a land of bounty”
NAIDOC Week welcomes and encourages Australians from all walks of life to embrace the true history of this country and recognise that Indigenous sovereignty was never ceded. The week will be celebrated via a range of activities organised by communities, government agencies, local councils, schools and workplaces.
NAIDOC Week 2020 is a reminder that we as a Foundation can make a significant difference to the lives of Indigenous people. We are passionate about supporting the Watarrka region and remain committed to creating thriving, independent and self-reliant Aboriginal communities living on ancestral land.
To learn more about NAIDOC Week and activities in your area, please visit the NAIDOC 2020 website or contact your nearest Regional Office.
Watarrka Foundation Limited