Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 129 No 6, 23 August 2024, page 8.
NAIDOC Week is a chance to celebrate the rich, vibrant, and enduring cultures of the vast and varied Aboriginal nations and Torres Strait Islander nations that span the continent that we all call home.
Since 1975, during the first week of July, in the true spirit of reconciliation, Australians come together to connect and strengthen their communities by privileging and learning about First Nations People’s histories, cultures and achievements, as Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islander Peoples loudly and proudly showcase Blak talent right across the nation.
This year’s theme, as set by the national NAIDOC Committee, was” Keep the Fire Burning: Blak, Loud and Proud”. Post referendum, now more than ever, it is imperative that First Nations Peoples’ enduring resilience, strength and tenacity is reaffirmed and that we are able to stand united in solidarity with allies.
This show of unity amplifies the voices of those who are continually silenced, allowing truth-telling to be at the forefront of everyone’s minds and tongues.
The 2024 theme facilitates First Nations Peoples’ reclamation of their narratives in the pursuit of justice and equity. This year also guarantees that First Nations Peoples’ histories and lived experiences form part of the greater Australian story, recognising that we maintain deep connections to the land we have walked on and the country we have cared for from time immemorial.
As we share, and as everyone listens, we all learn, we all grow, and we are all able to work collectively to ensure that we keep the fire burning, that we can all be loud and proud of this country’s Blak history and the new experiences which become our shared histories.