NAIDOC Week 2016

By Ben Stephens.

National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee or NAIDOC week, is once again upon the nation as we glide into the first full week of July. NAIDOC week is a celebration of the contributions, achievements and of course, the culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This year the theme of the week is Songlines: The living narrative of our nation. Playing with the dreamtime, a period of formation in indigenous culture, where the land, people and animals were created by ancestral spiritual beings, who crisscrossed the land and ‘sung’ life into the surrounds. These paths that were made, created what is now referred to as songlines, a way of teaching generations the stories of the dreamtime through music, dance and art.

In celebration of the week, The Museum of Contemporary Art will be acting as a hub, starting things off with Lunchtime Screenings. Here you can catch some rad pieces by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers, from laughs to tears, the inclusive range will have something for everyone.

On top of this the museum will be hosting a Spotlight Talk each day of the week, with a member of their team talking about indigenous artwork that inspires them. Finally on July 9, the MCA will host In Conversation: telling stories through ceremony and art, this panel will host a range of traditional artists and curators, to discuss the importance of narrative within art. For more information on everything above, check out NAIDOC Week at the MCA.

Over at Carriageworks on July 7, Klub Korri will be all about the Hip-Hop with a bunch of outstanding indigenous artists on display. The likes of Nooky, Tasman Keith, Lady Lash and the Young Black & Deadly Crew, made up of 11-17 year olds, will be debuting their stuff and continuing the songlines theme.

There are a whole host of other actives on this NAIDOC Week, for a complete rundown, check it out HERE.

NAIDOC Week runs from July 3 to 10, 2016.