Many layers to NAIDOC Week

It shone a spotlight on First Nations’ ongoing advocacy, protest and campaigning.

But also on the long history of Getting up, Standing up, Showing up.

It’s a theme that highlights the importance of not just sitting back but stepping up.

Of not just thinking about this during one week of the year – NAIDOC Week — but to have this at the forefront of our minds 365 days of the year.

Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!

A theme for all of us, not just the many First Nations communities around the country.

It’s worth thinking about the beginnings of this week – held during the first week in July — to understand the long history of resistance, of activism and campaigning.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Organising Committee – NAIDOC – grew out of protest and advocacy.

January 26, 1938. The 150th anniversary of the landing of the First Fleet.

A time of celebration for many Australians.

But for a group of Aboriginal men and women meeting at the Australian Hall in Sydney it was a day of protest.

For them, it was the continuation of the struggle that started in 1788.

This day was the culmination of years of work by the Australian Aborigines League — involving prominent Aboriginal activists Willian Cooper, Doug Nicholls, Margaret Tucker, Eric Onus and Shadrach James — and the Aborigines Progressive Association, established by Jack Patten and Bill Ferguson.

On this day in 1938 a declaration was made — the declaration of a Day of Mourning.

But it was more than that. Following on from this, there was a deputation to the Prime Minister of the day Joseph Lyons, his wife Edith, and Minister for the Interior John McEwan, lobbying of community groups and reports in the papers.

It was the beginning of a new type of activism and a catalyst for events such as the Cummeragunja Walk-Off in February 1939.

Between 1940 and 1954, the Day of Mourning was held on the Sunday before Australia Day.

To the wider community, it became known as Aborigines Day.

In 1955, the date was changed to the first Sunday in July and it became a day to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ history, culture, achievements and strength.

The Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! theme this year recognises those Elders who went before, on whose shoulders the current campaigners and leaders stand.

National NAIDOC Committee co-chairs Shannan Dodson and John Paul Janke, in their introduction to the SBS Learn NAIDOC Week 2022 Teacher Resource wrote:

“We have a proud history of Getting Up! Standing Up! Showing Up! From the Frontier Wars and our earliest resistance fighters to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities fighting for change today— we continue to Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!”

By including the Frontier Wars, they have placed Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! in the context of truth-telling.

This recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been fighting for their freedom since colonisation.

It recognises the many early warriors who defiantly fought for their lands, communities and culture and resisted the ever-encroaching spread of colonisation.

Warriors such as Pemulwuy, a member of the Dhurag people, whose resistance to the First Fleet was conducted over a 12-year guerrilla campaign; Jandamarra, a Bunuba man from the Kimberley; northern Wirradjuri man, Windradyne; and Eumarrah, leader of the Tyeren-note-panner people from the Tasmanian midlands.

NAIDOC is also about recognition of Elders such as Eddie ‘Koiki’ Mabo, the lead plaintiff in the 1992 High Court Mabo case that overturned the legal lie of Terra Nullius, thereby recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had rights to the land.

Recognition of those who have tirelessly advocated to support and improve services to their communities, to keep culture alive.

Recognition of advocacy and activism in sport by calling out racism.

The names of AFL champions Adam Goodes, Eddie Betts, Nicky Winmar stand tall in this space.

NAIDOC is also about now.

It’s activism and public advocacy such as the Free the Flag movement, spearheaded by Laura Thompson from the Victorian Aboriginal-led and controlled and majority Aboriginal-owned social enterprise, Clothing the Gaps.

A movement that started from a ‘cease and desist’ letter to stop using the Aboriginal flag on merchandise and ended with the flag freed from the restrictions of copyright.

It’s activism and advocacy that have led to changes in public drunkenness laws.

The ongoing, tireless work of Apryl Watson, founder of the Dhadjowa Foundation, fighting to have an independent investigative body to inquire into deaths in custody, for funding that focuses on strengthening and improving communities and to have punitive bail laws and mandatory sentencing laws repealed and public drunkenness decriminalised nationally.

NAIDOC 2022 – a strong call for ongoing action. A call to all of us.

So what can we do now?

Listen to First Nations’ voices, understanding that current injustices exist and there are unfair barriers that persist today.

Understand that the solution is First Nations making decisions.

We all understand we’re better off if we are free to choose our own path.

As Apryl Watson so clearly explained: “It’s important for allies to stand beside us, not walk in front of us. Uplift our voices.”

To Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! is to understand ways Australians can stand alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as advocates and allies; and how the future of this nation of Nations might look when we do Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! Together.

So find out more.

Visit your local library and read books by First Nations authors.

Read the Koorie News.

Watch NITV.

To find out more about resistance warriors visit:

https://australianfrontierconflicts.com.au/resources/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-warriors/