Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Commemorative events Cultural events explanation booklet
Australia Day Survival Day Invasion Day This date marks the landing of the First Fleet in Sydney Cove. In 1938, on the 150th anniversary of this landing, a 'Day of Mourning' was organised-principally by William Cooper (who had founded the Australian Aboriginal League in Melbourne and drafted a petition of Aboriginal grievance which the Government refused to pass on to King George V) and William Ferguson (leader of the NSW-based Aborigines Progress Association). For the protest Ferguson and J. P. Patten wrote a manifesto entitled Aborigines Claim Citizenship Rights in which they appealed for a new Aboriginal policy, full citizenship status, equality and land rights. The manifesto opened with: 'This festival of 150 years' so-called "progress" in Australia commemorates also 150 years of misery and degradation imposed on the original native inhabitants by white invaders of this country'. Today many Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people still feel sad that there cannot be change in name to the day and some suggestions include – Settlement Day or Captain Cook Day and that a separate day be set aside to celebrate Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander culture and history.
Harmony Day 21 March • This date coincides with United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and began to be commemorated in 1999 as a day to encourage tolerance and understanding between Australians of all races and cultural backgrounds.
National Sorry Day 26 May • This day marks the anniversary of the 1997 tabling of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission report Bringing them Home. Hundreds of thousands of Australians participated in the first National Sorry Day in 1998. The following year the day was used to launch the 'Journey of Healing', with ten pairs of message sticks which had been despatched from Uluru three weeks earlier being received in all the capital cities.
National Reconciliation Week 26 May-3 June • This week begins with National Sorry Day and ends with 'Mabo Day'. On 27 May of the inaugural week national leaders gathered for the 'Corroboree 2000: Sharing our Future' ceremony at the Sydney Opera House-marking the end of the ten year 'Process of Reconciliation' which had begun with the establishing of the Council for Reconciliation in 1990, and marking the release of the Council's Australian Declaration Towards Reconciliation and Roadmap for Reconciliation. On the next day over 250 000 people joined the Walk for Reconciliation across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and many others joined in on walks and events in other cities. Each year since, the week has featured activities across the country.
Mabo Day 3 June • This day commemorates the anniversary of the 1992 High Court decision in the case brought by Eddie Mabo and others which recognised the existence in Australia of native title rights. On the 10th anniversary of this day in 2002 there were many calls for the day to become a public holiday, an official National Mabo Day.
Coming of the Light Festival 1 July • A day when many Torres Strait Islanders both in the Strait and on mainland Australia commemorate with religious and cultural ceremonies the day in 1871 when the London Missionary Society first arrived in the Torres Strait.
NAIDOC Week First full week of July The week became a time to celebrate the survival of indigenous people, to increase awareness of indigenous heritage, to recognise the Indigenous contribution to the national identity and to articulate the continuing need for justice and equity. In 1985 the National Committee agreed to change National Aborigines Week from July to the second week in September. In 1988 NADOC became known as NAIDOC to include Islanders and the day became National Aboriginal and Islander Day. In 1991 it was decided to move the week back to July, starting in 1992. Every year has a theme to highlight an historical event to raise awareness.
National Aboriginal and Islander Children's Day 4 August • This day was first observed in 1988 and each year has a special theme. The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC)has always produced a poster & free resources to celebrate the Day.