05/07/2026
NAIDOC Week 2026 starts today celebrating the theme “50 Years of Deadly” to honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, history, and achievements.
NAIDOC Week 2026 runs from Sunday, 5 July to Sunday, 12 July. The national theme, “50 Years of Deadly”, marks five decades of NAIDOC Week celebrations, recognising the Elders, organisers, artists, leaders, and communities who have contributed to the movement and highlighting the resilience, survival, and cultural strength of First Nations peoples.
The children in the Gumnut Room are working on a beautiful artwork to be added to the NAIDOC Festival being held at the Civic Centre. We have been apart of this community event since it's inception.
The True Roots of NAIDOC: From Protest to Celebration
NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Its roots don't actually begin as a celebration, but as a profound civil rights movement.
1938: On Australia Day, Aboriginal activists led the Day of Mourning, one of the world's first major civil rights gatherings, protesting the loss of land and culture.
1955: The day was moved to the first Sunday in July to shift the focus toward celebrating the oldest continuous living culture on Earth.
1975: The observance expanded from a single day to a full week.
1991: The committee formally expanded to explicitly include and recognize Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures, forming the NAIDOC we know today.
Educator Reflection: Sharing this context with young children doesn't have to be heavy. We can frame it through the concept of fairness—a value children understand deeply. “A long time ago, things weren't fair for First Nations people. So, they stood together to make sure their voices were heard, and today we celebrate how amazing and strong their culture is.”
Throughout the week and across our program we are always learning and discovering culture through teaching and play.
Tabourie Child Care and Preschool proudly recognises and acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the first peoples of Australia and makes an ongoing committment to be culturally sensitive and inclusive.