NAIDOC
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
NAIDOC (the National Aboriginal Islander Day Observance Committee) is an awareness committee and the name of an Australian day of observance lasting from the first Sunday in July until the following Sunday.
After a time of seeking justice from the Australian government, Indigenous Australians held the first "Day of Mourning" in 1940 to highlight injustices put upon them. In 1955, it was suggested that this day become a National Day with the aim to change negative views and celebrate the richness of Indigenous culture and heritage.
In 1957, the first National Aborigines' Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) with the support of Federal and local governments was formed. To mark Aborigines' Day in Australia, on the first Sunday in July every year, NAIDOC celebrations and events happen within Indigenous Australia and invites the rest of the world to join in.
Many Torres Strait Islanders commemorate the Coming of the Light Festival the week before July 1, which is the day the London Missionary Society first arrived in the Torres Strait.
NAIDOC Activities that are held during the week long celebrations are cultural and educational activities in schools, public displays and the NAIDOC Ball is held in each city across the nation, which celebrates the end of the festivities with Indigenous food and bands.
NAIDOC is celebrated all over Australia, with the main attendances in major cities such as Adelaide, Darwin and Sydney. But also in areas where there are large Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, such as Alice Springs, Hermannsburg, Shepparton and Mildura to name a few.
