Happy NAIDOC! This year's theme is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! It is a time to celebrate and champion the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

For non Indigenous people who have migrated to this place now called Australia recently or many generations ago, NAIDOC week is a great opportunity to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and celebrate the history of the oldest continuing culture in the world.

This year NAIDOC Week is being celebrated from 3 July - 10 July.

Here is a small list collated to get started on how you can get up, stand up and show up; do share your own suggestions with us to expand this list.

First things first, you could start by knowing whose Country you are on by using this map that can be found on the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies website (AIATSIS) better known as Maraga, based on ​​Ngunnawal country also known as Canberra.

You can support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses like the beautiful artistic pieces from Tjanpi Desert Weavers  a social enterprise of the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women’s Council, working with women in the remote Central and Western desert regions who earn an income from contemporary fibre art. There’s also beautiful and fun clothes, jewellery and accessories from businesses like Magpie Goose, Clothing the Gaps, Gammin Threads and many more to buy from for upcoming birthdays and anniversaries.

It’s school holidays these days, so here’s a great activity for some family time: you could visit the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Museums Victoria or the Koorie Heritage Trust at Federation Square in Narrm (Melbourne). There is also Black Dot Gallery which hosts some superb exhibitions and events, free of cost to visitors.

If you are homebound and not too keen on the outdoors then, you could do a virtual tour of the First Peoples exhibition at Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre. First Nations Radio broadcast from Larrakia Country (Darwin) is great to tune into if you’re out for a long drive, or at home in this cold rainy weather. Here is a list of other First Nations Radio channels.

You could also subscribe to the 100% Aboriginal owned and funded Koori Mail Newspaper that shares fortnightly news and read excellent articles on the IndigenousX website.

The NAIDOC website is a great resource to know of events in your local council, or your own local council website will have a host of events they are running for the community not only on NAIDOC week but throughout the year.

And lastly, if reading is your thing then there is no dearth of First Nations writers for kids right up to adults, all you need to do is ask at your local bookshop.

To know more about the history of NAIDOC Week, you could visit the website and read more.

But in saying that, let's not just wait for one week in the year to do this. Today may be the end of NAIDOC week but we don’t need a specific day to celebrate the rich culture of the oldest living communities in the world. Participate, listen and be agents of change to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ fight for justice and equity all year through.

Happy NAIDOC Week!

SAARI Collective acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands we now call Australia, on whose lands we live and work. We stand in solidarity knowing sovereignty was never ceded and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge the profound value in traditional people's knowledge and actively advocate for more equity and inclusion.