NAIDOC Week History

NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) has its origins closely tied with Uncle William Cooper and the Australian Aborigines’ League decision to protest the 150th anniversary of the First Fleet's arrival in Sydney Harbour 26 January 1938.

Cooper’s protest “against the callous treatment of our people” also asked for new laws for the care and education of Aboriginals as well as laws which raised “our people to FULL CITIZEN STATUS and EQUALITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.” This day of advocacy in 1938 was soon known as the Day of Mourning, which in subsequent years, was held the Sunday before 26 January. It was also referred to as Aborigines Day.

Aborigines day eventually moved to July to help commemorate the day as a celebration. The National Aborigines Day Observance Committee (NADOC) was soon formed in 1957, and since 1974, it has been celebrated over a week instead of one day. In 1991, NADOC included Torres Strait Islanders in its name to become The National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee to acknowledge the Cultures and histories of Torres Islander Peoples.