NAIDOC week
NAIDOC
Week is an opportunity for all Australians to come
together to celebrate the rich history, diverse cultures and achievements of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the oldest continuing cultures
on the planet. NAIDOC Week celebrations are usually held across Australia each
year and provide a valuable opportunity for all Australians to participate in a
range of activities and to support local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
communities.
Sorry Day – 26 May
The first National Sorry Day was held on May 26, 1998, which was one year after the tabling of a report about the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. The report, known as Bringing Them Home, acknowledged that Indigenous children were forcibly separated from their families and communities since the early days of European occupation in Australia. Governments and missionaries were responsible for this forced separation.
Systematic removal practices were implemented through various assimilation and "protection" policies by the late 19th century. Many Indigenous children were forcibly taken away from their families in the name of assimilation during the 1950s and 1960s. These children are known as the "Stolen Generations". They were brought up in institutions or fostered to non-Indigenous families. This removal was official government policy in Australia until 1969.
National Reconciliation Week – 27 May to 3 June
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
The dates for NRW remain the same each year; 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.
Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
(from the Reconciliation Australia website)
Griffith University School of Education and Professional Studies
Griffith University's School of Education and Professional Studies is pleased to produce this project in collaboration with Kombumerri Traditional Custodians,
and the Queensland Department of Education. The shared vision is to engage Gold Coast students in reconciliation, respect, and recognition of the world's oldest continuous living culture.
Kombumerri together project