NAIDOC Week

Our national celebration

NAIDOC Week 2011 is almost upon us, with its promise of colour, pageantry and celebration.

Communities across the country are organising their individual events, but there are some biggies, too.

Sydney is this year's focus city, which means it will host the national NAIDOC Awards ceremony and ball.

The awards ceremony will be held on 8 July. The awards recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for their outstanding contribution and achievements in their community. There are 10 categories, including person, sportsperson and scholar of the year and the Caring for Country Award. Last year's winners included Queenslanders Ali Drummond (joint male Elder of the year) and Jessica Smith (youth of the year).

Across Australia, NAIDOC Week 2011 will be celebrated from 3 to 10 July.  It brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous people together to enjoy an array of cultural experiences including dance performances, colourful art displays, traditional music and native foods.

Wherever you live, you can take part in NAIDOC Week celebrations. To find out what's happening, contact your nearest Indigenous coordination centre on 1800 079 098 or visit the website.

NAIDOC originally stood for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee, which was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week. Its acronym has become the name of the week itself.

NAIDOC Week can trace its roots to a protest march in Sydney in 1938, from which it evolved into the present-day, nationwide a celebration of Indigenous Australia.

Theme

The 2011 National NAIDOC theme is about taking responsibility for our future. To control the change we need to plan and take action to make it happen. It's our future — change: the next step is ours.

Musgrave Park's 20th

Musgrave Park family fun day celebrates its 20th year during NAIDOC Week 2011.

The annual fun day showcases Indigenous culture with dance, song, food, art and stories.

It is supported by more than 100 government and non-government agencies, and was first held in 1992.

This year's fun day will be held on Friday 8 July in Musgrave Park, South Brisbane.

NAIDOC calendar

There is a centralised calendar of Queensland's NAIDOC events on the state government’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services website.

People can use the site to find out what’s happening in their area and when it's on.

See the calendar, or register your event.

Dance theatre

The story of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories have been woven into new dance theatre that will be staged at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane.

Belong, by Bangarra Dance Theatre State, consists of two pieces: ID and About.

ID deals with contemporary Indigenous people tracing their bloodlines, re-connecting with their traditional heritage and living modern Aboriginal lives in a challenging urban society.

About is inspired by creation stories from Saibai Island and reflects the exuberance of Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Belong will be held at QPAC Playhouse 1-9 July 2011. For further information, visit the QPAC website.

Ipswich fun day

The Ipswich NAIDOC 2011 family fun and information day will be held on Thursday, 7 July 2011 at Evan Marginson Park, Goodna.

There will be children's rides, information stalls, food and entertainment. The event starts at 10am.

For further information contact Ipswich City Council on 3810 6655 or go to www.ipswich.qld.gov.au

Ipswich Civic Centre will celebrate NAIDOC Week with two plays — Rainbow's End on 12 July and Krakouer! on 16 July, both at 7.30pm.

Rainbow's End celebrates the fierce optimism of women as they struggle for community acceptance in the Menzies-era Australia of 1954. Krakouer! deals with Jim and Phil Krakouer, who took the Australian football world by storm in the early 1980s with their unique anarchic brand of football dubbed 'black magic'.

Further information at Ipswich Civic Centre or phone 3810 6100.

Mabo oration

Speaker Terri Janke will pay tribute to the work of Eddie Mabo and examine the cultural heritage and rights of Indigenous people in protecting their knowledge, arts and cultural heritage at the Mabo Oration 2011.

To be held at QPAC's Playhouse in Brisbane, the event will also include commentary by Bryan Keon-Cohen QC and performances by didgeridoo artist David Williams and award-winning duo, Busby Marou.

The oration will be held at 5pm on 3 July 2011. For further information, visit the QPAC website.

Townsville festival

The Gatherer's Queensland will be held in Townsville on June 7, from 10.30am to 2.30pm.

It’s a festival of Queensland Aboriginal and Islander music, dancing and singing. There will be children’s activities, displays by support services, bush tucker and arts and crafts displays.

It will be held at North Townsville Community Hub at Deeragun.

For information, call Robyn Green on 4751 6511.