NAIDOC Week Has Arrived - Here Are Just Some Of The Ways You Can Celebrate

Staff Writer

NAIDOC Week is here and there are plenty of great celebrations happening around the country and online to join in on, all focusing on this year's theme 'Always Was, Always Will Be' which "recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years". Check out just some of the many celebrations below (stay tuned too because we'll be adding more events across the week) and head to the NAIDOC Week website for more information.

Isol-Aid

This week sees ISOL-AID partner with The City Of Port Phillip for a special NAIDOC Week event on Saturday 14 September, with The Merindas' Candice Lorrae curating this week's artists which includes appearances from Boox Kid, Bumby, Deeya Mithadda (Dance Spirit), Dobby, Lyrical Instinct, Madi Colville, Monica Karo, The Merindas and The Struggling Kings, with a Welcome To Country from N'arweet Carolyn Briggs.

Head here for more information and to watch.

Deadly Hearts – Walking Together album

Release just ahead of NAIDOC Week, the Deadly Hearts – Walking Together album (the third instalment in the series) sees incredible talents like Miiesha, DRMGNOW, Ziggy Ramo, Emily Wurramara and more share their take on much-loved tracks like Archie Roach's Get Back To The Land, Tia Gostelow's Always and more.

“Being asked to be on Deadly Hearts I knew I wanted to have my community involved as much as possible,” said Miiesha. “We go mad for country music up here so picked one of our favourites Neon Moon by Brooks & Dunn and got a Woorabinda Choir together to show off some of the deadly talent up this way!”

Find out more about the album here.

NITV

NITV is celebrating with a stack of NAIDOC Week special programming, including the launch of the Big Mob Brekky breakfast show, Stand Up and Be Counted: A NAIDOC Concert Special hosted by Aaron Fa’aoso and Steph Tisdell and more.

Head here to find out more about the programming.

Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre (CPAC) & Liverpool City Council

ELEEA, Deline Briscoe and Jaydan Lillyist will share musical performance from 2pm on Wednesday 11 November, while there will also be films and workshops taking place throughout the week.

Head here for more information.

City Of Sydney

This year's NAIDOC In The City event will broadcast online, taking place on Saturday 14 November, and is set to include performances from Ziggy Ramo, Barkaa and Mi-kaisha as well as dance workshops, panel discussions, online market stalls and more.

Find out more about the programming here.

Ursula Yovich - NAIDOC Week Lecture Series at NIDA

Actor, playwright, singer and songwriter Ursula Yovich will share the inaugural NAIDOC Week Lecture on 12 November with the lecture to be livestreamed to the public.

"I am looking forward to discussing the cultural change that is needed in our industry to embrace diversity and increase inclusion in the arts," said Yovich. "And it starts here in this institution."

Head here for more information.

Archie Roach - The Songs Of Charcoal Lane

The legendary Archie Roach will release The Songs Of Charcoal Lane this Friday, 13 November which sees him reimagine his seminal debut album Charcoal Lane, recorded at his kitchen table during the COVID-19 lockdown alongside musicians Stephen Magnusson and Sam Anning with engineer Hadyn Buxton.

“Recording at home, with just the four of us, has been a great experience. There’s an intimacy, a closeness; we have gathered the songs in," said Roach of the album. "I have been so much more relaxed sitting here at my kitchen table with a cup of tea, looking out at my yard, recording the songs, maybe doing two to three takes. When we listen back to the recordings you can sense that there’s a different feel, a more relaxed approach to the songs, it’s more earthy.

"Over the past 30 years I have written most of my songs at the kitchen table, when my children were little and running around. Ruby and the children were the first to hear them. As I have matured so have the songs, it’s like they have grown with me. I think I understand them a lot better now than I did 30 years ago… it’s probably how they should have been sung."

The album is available for pre-order here.