Hello to you!
We thought this post may be helpful as centres are already asking us, ‘When is Naidoc Week this year?’ We hopped onto their site and there was a lot in information, so we thought we’d share it. You might find it handy in your preparation leading up to it.
From the Naidoc website, we’ve listed the FAQ’s and answers. Secondly we’ve also included information on this year’s theme: Songlines.
FAQ’S
When is NAIDOC Week in 2016?
NAIDOC Week will be held from 3 to 10 July 2016. NAIDOC Week is usually held from the first to second Sunday in July each year
What is the theme for NAIDOC Week in 2016?
The National NAIDOC Theme for 2016 is – Songlines: The living narrative of our nation
What is NAIDOC Week?
NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
What does NAIDOC stand for?
NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week and its acronym has since become the name of the week itself.
What is the history of NAIDOC Week?
Download and print the NAIDOC History Timeline (PDF version).
When will the 2016 National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony be held?
The National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday 8 July 2016.
Where will the National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony be held in 2016?
The National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony will be held in the 2016 host city of Darwin.
How can I get a copy of the 2015 National NAIDOC poster?
The 2015 National NAIDOC poster is still avaliable for order. To obtain a copy please email naidoc@pmc.gov.au
Where can I get National NAIDOC promotional products?
The 2015 National NAIDOC promotional products are no longer available.
2016 THEME Songlines: The living narrative of our nation
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the Dreamtime describes a time when the earth, people and animals were created by our ancestral spiritual beings. They created the rivers, lakes, plants, land formations and living creatures.
Dreaming tracks crisscross Australia and trace the journeys of our ancestral spirits as they created the land, animals and lores. These dreaming tracks are sometimes called ‘Songlines’ as they record the travels of these ancestral spirits who ‘sung’ the land into life.
These Songlines are recorded in traditional songs, stories, dance and art. They carry significant spiritual and cultural connection to knowledge, customs, ceremony and Lore of many Aboriginal nations and Torres Strait Islander language groups.
Songlines are intricate maps of land, sea and country. They describe travel and trade routes, the location of waterholes and the presence of food. In many cases, Songlines on the earth are mirrored by sky Songlines, which allowed people to navigate vast distances of this nation and its waters.
The extensive network of Songlines can vary in length from a few kilometres to hundreds of kilometres, crossing through traditional Country of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language groups. For example, the Seven Sisters Songline covers more than half the width of the continent, from deep in the Central Desert out to the West Coast while others connect the Gulf of Carpentaria with the Snowy Mountains near Canberra.
Aboriginal language groups are connected through the sharing of Songlines with each language group responsible for parts of a Songline.
Through songs, art, dance and ceremony, Torres Strait Islanders also maintain creation stories which celebrate their connection to land and sea.
Songlines have been passed down for thousands of years and are central to the existence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. They are imperative to the preservation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practices.
We invite all Australians to learn more about Songlines and explore those which have created the Country in your region. Learn how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are today using digital technologies and modern mediums to record and celebrate these ancient Songlines or dreaming stories.
Through learning more about Songlines and how they connect people to Country and the Country to people – we celebrate the rich history and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures – the oldest continuing cultures on the planet.
Hope this was of use!
Kerrie x