20+ ways to be loud and proud during NAIDOC Week 2024
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A reclamation of narratives, an amplification of voices, and an unwavering commitment to justice and equality. This NAIDOC Week is all about boosting the voices that have long been silenced.
Inviting all Australians to listen, learn, and engage in meaningful dialogue about the importance of the rich traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, this year’s NAIDOC Week theme is Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud.
Seeing celebrations held between Sunday 7 to Sunday 14 July to recognise the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, this theme is to honour the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture, while empowering them to stand tall in their heritage.
Here’s how you can celebrate, commemorate and recognise the accomplishments of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people this NAIDOC Week in Canberra – and help to forge a future where the stories, traditions, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are cherished in the process.
SPECIAL EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS
First Nations Experiences of Democracy Tour
On this special tour, you’ll hear stories of how First Nation Australians and their supporters have taken different pathways to fight injustice and bring about change.
From the Wiradjuri elders who travelled 150kms to attend the opening of Old Parliament House to the activists who campaigned for a voice in Federal Parliament, this tour will explore a hidden side of Australian democracy as you visit heritage spaces including the Prime Minister’s Office and the Senate Chamber.
First Nations people should be aware that this tour includes names and images of deceased people.
Sunday 7 until Sunday 14 July | Old Parliament House, King George Terrace, Parkes | Book here.
Mara Boomerang – Children’s Boomerang Workshop
This is a fun and engaging workshop designed for children aged seven to 12.
Blending hands-on learning with exciting outdoor activities, this interactive session will see kids learning the basics of boomerang mechanics, their unique flight patterns, and how to safely throw them. Memorable and fun, they’ll learn from an Indigenous educator all about the history of the tools and they’ll even get creative with decorating their own boomerang to take home.
Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 July | National Arboretum Canberra, Forest Drive, Molonglo Valley | More information here.
Aboriginal Plant Use Walks
Join Wiradjuri man Adam Shipp this NAIDOC Week for an educational walk through the Australian National Botanic Gardens, where you’ll learn about a range of important native plants found across Australia.
You’ll have an opportunity to smell, feel, and taste, inspiring a deeper understanding of native plants and plenty of opportunities to ask questions along the way!
Wednesday 10 July, 9.30 am – 1 pm | Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross Street, Acton | Book here.
NAIDOC In The North
This free, family friendly event is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture through story, song, art dance and ceremony.
Welcoming people of all ages and backgrounds to learn from the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community through workshops, performances, activities, and entertainment, head along to Belco Arts on the shores of Lake Ginninderra for a few hours of educational fun.
Saturday 13 July, 11 am – 2 pm | Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | More information here.
Making Bitjuru with Krystal Hurst
In this workshop, you’ll be guided on how to thread reed bead necklaces together with shells and other natural materials.
Coinciding with the Murrook exhibition at Belco Arts, the workshop is hosted by Krystal Hurst, a Worimi and queer woman from Taree and Forster. A multi-disciplinary artist exploring adornment, weaving and watercolour, Krystal’s practice derives from her Worimi culture, interwoven with her identity, memory and experiences.
Sunday 14 July, 1 pm – 2.30 pm | Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | Book here
STAGE AND SCREEN
Dig Deeper
This special NAIDOC Week Screening follows the lives and creative practices of four ground-breaking First Nations artists: Blak Douglas, Maree Clarke, Penny Evans, and Ben McKeown.
Exploring commonalities across their art and their Aboriginality, from personal struggles and relationship to Country, to both engaging with and critiquing the establishment, Dig Deeper doesn’t shy away from challenging questions. Don’t miss out.
Saturday 6 July, 2 pm – 3.15 pm | National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, McCoy Circuit, Acton | Book here.
The Australian Dream
When AFL star and Australian of the Year Adam Goodes called out the racism he experienced on and off the field, it became a lightning rod for the national conversation about racism and culture in Australia. From there, this critically acclaimed documentary was created.
Written by prominent journalist and author and Wiradjuri man Stan Grant, and developed in close consultation with Goodes, The Australian Dream offers a powerful portrait of a champion forced to confront the ugliness of racism and his desire to see a better Australia. Including archival footage and interviews with a range of politicians, sportspeople and media personalities, see it at the NFSA.
Thursday 11 July, 6 pm – 7.45 pm | National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, McCoy Circuit, Acton | Book here.
EXHIBITIONS
Bloodlines
Created by Wiradjuri woman, weaver, writer and activist Jessika Spencer, Bloodlines intends to represent a visual journal entry that pays homage to the past, present, and future.
Exploring life as a young blak woman – demonstrating how that is both heavy and light at the same time – the weaver, writer, and activist emphasises themes of decolonisation, feminism, matriarchy, and a deep refusal to settle into colonial ways.
Friday 12 July until Sunday 25 August | Belco Arts, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | More information here.
Reclamation: Stories of Thrvival
Reclamation: Stories of Thrivival is an eclectic, evocative, and unique collection of mixed media works by First Nations artist, Wallabindi Dickerson.
Drawing inspiration from her memories and her own lived experiences – as well as those of her ancestors – this collection of works are statements of reclamation, creating a multifaceted journey that oscillates dreamily between past, present, and future.
Friday 12 July until Sunday 25 August | Belco Arts, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | More information here.
Murrook
Created by multi-disciplinary artist and Worimi woman Krystal Hurst, Murrook features bush-dyed fabrics, basketry, and adornments, entwined into wearable art.
Created in response to the coastal land and seascapes of Worimi and Biripi Country, it’s a self-exploration of being in a state of happiness and the artist’s experiences of the “happy place” within self and Country.
Friday 12 July until Sunday 25 August | Belco Arts, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | More information here.
Respecting Country
William Walker is a Wahlubal artist of the Bundjalung nation whose work focuses on the deep and spiritual connection his people and ancestors have to the land.
Mostly painting landscapes that depict what life was like during the Dreamtime – from hunting and gathering to protecting the animals and the land – William hopes that his work will give people an understanding of the intricate systems that are in place and the importance of protecting and preserving them.
Friday 12 July until Sunday 25 August | Belco Arts, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | More information here.
Yurwang Bullarn
Strong Women’s is a community group held at West Belconnen Child & Family Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women living on Ngunnawal Country.
Collaborating to develop new work through a series of ceramic sessions, people are invited to see the exhibition and explore their ideas through clay and ceramics. Yurwang Bullarn is the culmination of their investigations exploring and celebrating their cultural identity and heritage.
Friday 12 July until Sunday 25 August | Belco Arts, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | More information here.
NYARU
This is an exhibition of new works in glass by Yankunytjatjara / Western Arrernte artist, Robert Fielding. Co-curated by Erin Vink and Aimee Frodsham, the works challenges the perception of Central Desert artwork in the medium of glass with the artist combining strong cultural roots with contemporary views on the tensions between community life and global concerns.
Until Sunday 21 July | 11 Wentworth Avenue Kingston | More information here.
Vincent Namatjira: Australia in Colour
This exhibition of acclaimed Western Aranda artist Vincent Namatjira, Vincent Namatjira: Australia in Colour, charts the artist’s career, revealing the power of his painting and the potency of his words. Showcasing Namatjira’s burgeoning artistic practice, this major exhibition brings together paintings, works on paper and moving image from public and private collections nationwide, the exhibition will also feature a selection of watercolours from the national collection by the artist’s great-grandfather and critically acclaimed Western Arranda artist, Albert Namatjira.
Until Sunday 21 July | National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes | More information here.
Sisters Interwoven
From Wiradjuri artist Rechelle Turner and Ngunnawal Wiradjuri artist Megan Daley comes Sisters Interwoven, a new exhibition exploring their culture and connection to Country.
Created using a variety of media, these works were produced during Megan Rechelle’s residency at Megalo Print Studios
Until Saturday 10 August | Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed Street, Greenway | More information here.
All Guns Blazing
All Guns Blazing is a body of work of artist Jamie-Lea Trindall, a Wiradjuri woman who explores the ancient traditions of carving and string making.
Described as “a voyage of discovery”, the exhibition uncovers the depths of intrinsic connections, where generations of brave trailblazers have carved winding paths through the outback country and how deeply connected her own bold life experiences are to the stories.
Until Saturday 10 August | Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed Street, Greenway | More information here.
First Australians
In this free exhibition, First Nations stories are powerfully honoured across two gallery floors, including the works from the ‘Talking Blak’ exhibition. As you make your way through the collection, audiences will be guided by the echoes of Indigenous voices that intimately confront their history and the open wounds left at the hands of colonisation. The visual artworks will continue this journey – giving a voice to land rights, sovereignty, the Stolen Generations and deaths in custody. A strikingly and deeply intimate lens that opens itself up to audiences, this exhibition is open seven days a week.
Open daily | Lawson Crescent, Acton | nma.gov.au
Mabo v Queensland (No. 2): 30th Anniversary
The Mabo v Queensland (No. 2) decision was handed down in the High Court of Australia on 3 June 1992. ‘Mabo’, as it has come to be known, altered the foundation of land law in Australia. It provided official recognition of the inherent rights of Indigenous Australians to their traditional lands. Open daily at the National Library of Australia, this exhibition is an extensive collection of material relating to the Mabo decision and its lead applicant, Eddie Koiki Mabo. Head along to learn more about this landmark moment in Australian legal history.
Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this display contains material which may be considered culturally sensitive, including the depictions of people who have passed away.
Open daily | Parkes Place West, Parkes | nla.gov.au
Statement: Jack Green’s Paintings
Head along to the Museum of Australian Democracy to see this powerful exhibition. Starting as a submission to the parliamentary inquiry into the destruction of 46,000-year-old caves at Juukan Gorge in 2020, Jack Green’s art tells stories of dispossession, destruction and the sadness of First Nations peoples prevented from protecting and caring for Country.
Open daily | 18 King George Terrace, Parkes | moadoph.gov.au
TALKS
Jim Moginie in Conversation with Catherine McGregor AM
Celebrate the commencement of NAIDOC Week 2024 for a Welcome to Country, followed by an unforgettable evening with Jim Moginie.
A founding member of the legendary band Midnight Oil, hear about Jim’s collaborations with First Nations Communities as he shares stories and songs related to his time with the band, reflecting on his personal journey detailed in his book The Silver River. Jim will be joined by Catherine McGregor AM, who will facilitate an audience Q&A, as they share their personal stories of searching for identity.
Sunday 7 July, 3 pm – 6 pm | National Archives of Australia, Kings Avenue, Parkes | Book here.
Mel Brown In Conversation with Dianne Collins
Visit the National Archives of Australia during NAIDOC week to celebrate with Ngunnawal Mel Brown, as she launches her new book, Shades of Me, through story and song, and conversation.
Growing up white, Mel always felt that there was another shade to her soul. Shades of Me follows Mel’s journey as she redefines who she is and how she sees her place in the world. The event will include a Q&A, book sale, and signing opportunity.
Saturday 13 July, 3 pm – 6 pm | National Archives of Australia, Kings Avenue, Parkes | Book here.
Maralinga Tjarutja + Q&A with Larissa Behrendt
Written and directed by Larissa Behrendt, this award-winning documentary celebrates the tenacity, strength and achievements of the Maralinga people, who fought for the clean-up of radioactive and other contamination, for compensation, and for the handback in 2009 of the Maralinga Village and test sites.
Screening as part of NAIDOC Week, stay for a Q&A with the film’s director, Euaheleyai/Gamullaroi woman Professor Larissa Behrendt AO, an award-winning filmmaker, author and legal academic.
Saturday 13 July, 1 pm – 2.30 pm | National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, McCoy Circuit, Acton | Book here.
Straight from the Strait – In Conversation about the Torres Strait Island Musical
What’s ‘Straight from the Strait’? It’s an upcoming musical set to premiere at the Brisbane Festival in August 2024, paying tribute to the occurrence on May 8, 1968, where a track-laying crew involving mostly Torres Strait Islander workers broke the world record for laying the greatest length of railway in a single day.
Join Aunty Ruth Ghee, Uncle Luke Captain, and Rhianna Patrick in a panel discussion about the details of this performance.
Wednesday 17 July, 6 pm – 7 pm | National Library of Australia, Parkes Place West, Parkes | Book here.
Feature image supplied by ACT Government.
