NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. It now takes place over a week instead of one day and celebrates the achievements of Australia's Indigenous people. This year the theme is Our Languages matter. Sadly, many Aboriginal languages have been lost because the white settlers didn't understand that language is an important part of identity for people everywhere. In many parts of Australia, Aboriginal people were not allowed to speak in their own language and as thousands of children were taken away from their families they had no opportunity to learn their own languages. Now there is a growing movement to encourage the speaking of Aboriginal languages and to to record and teach these languages before it is too late.
In our schools the week is celebrated with flag raising, craft making, visits to the schools by Indigenous Elders, singers, dancers and sportspeople. At my granddaughter's school an enormous cake was made and iced with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait flags and the poster for languages. Today all children can wear clothes in black, red and yellow and there will be a special barbecue lunch to which parents are invited followed by rotational Indigenous craft activities. All children are excited about this special day.
Other website by Helen Ecans