The motto this year for NAIDOC week is 'Because of her we can' Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have always been inspirational leaders in their communities. In outback communities Women Rangers are doing vital work to record and protect endangered plants and animals. They gather seeds and propagate plants, use fire to control weeds, study turtles and bilbies, trap feral cats and foxes, record the knowledge of Elders, and run workshops to teach and share skills with others and much more. Their achievements are often not acknowledged but their work is vital.

In my own community Indigenous women are leaders in education. They are valued members of community and contribute by sharing stories, songs and dance in local schools during this special week. In the broader community, Aboriginal women do important social work to support families and are prominent in health work. I attended the flag raising ceremony for NAIDOC week at one local school and listened to the address by the Aboriginal staff member about the women who had inspired her. Two local women then danced for the children. Each day of the week there were special activities planned so that all children were actively involved in learning about the ongoing culture of our Indigenous Australians.

Here are the Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Australian flags. NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee.

Tags: aboriginal