National NAIDOC Week celebrations are being held across Australia this week to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This year's NAIDOC theme is, Fifty Years of Deadly. The milestone recognises two significant developments five decades ago: In 1974, the NAIDOC committee was composed entirely of Aboriginal members for the first time, and the following year, the event was expanded from a day to a full week, from the first to second Sunday in July.
It began as a protest movement to draw attention to the oppressive laws and multiple injustices imposed on First Nations people.
In 1938, Aboriginal activists held a day of mourning on the same day Australia celebrated 150 years since the First Fleet landed in Australia. The rally became an annual event, and in the 1950s, it was moved to July, becoming a day of celebration as well as protest.
The National Aboriginal Day Observance Committee NADOC was formally established in 1956, and nearly two decades later, the annual day turned into a full week.
With a growing awareness of the distinct cultural histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, in the 1990s, NADOC was expanded to also recognise Torres Strait Islander people and culture.
