NAIDOC Week 2024

NAIDOC Week is an annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements. To mark this year’s theme 'Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud', the Library’s Events and Engagement Trainee, Jamie-lee Timbery Ferguson, has created a book display in the new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student space in Fisher Library.

About the book display
By Jamie-lee Timbery Ferguson

As a Bidjigal-Dharawal, Wailwan, Birapi and Bundjalung woman my interpretation of this year's NAIDOC Week theme 'Keep the Fire Burning! Black, Loud and Proud' is to keep the fire of knowledge, resilience and the fight for justice and allyship strong against the views, opinions and racism that have continued to attempt at putting us out.

This theme along with the display is about proudly gaining and sharing knowledge of our people going hand in hand within the University as a place of learning. The purpose of having a display that supports a complex range of Indigenous stories is to capture the Library’s commitment to being built upon unceded Gadigal lands, acknowledging Indigenous knowledges and current conversations.

This theme and display are about helping Mob on their journey through culture and giving examples on how we keep our fire of Dreaming and justice burning proudly.

This display captures the diversity of many informative and wonderful stories from Mob all around Australia and right here on Gadigal land.

• Legacies of indigenous resistance by Matteo Dutto is a wonderful book in our collection that tells the story of very prominent ancestors that fought extremely hard during first contact. Their stories are inspiration for the following generations to have that spirit proudly within them, using that strength in the present to keep our culture and people alive.
• The story Terra Nulius by Claire G. Coleman is one of strength, determination and survival during the time of the Stolen Generation. This time of history is so important to our people and one of the prime examples of fighting to keep our fire burning. By remembering these significant times, we can see what our people have endured to keep our culture alive while showing us the strength that runs through our own veins.
• Tradition Today Indigenous Art in Australia is a beautiful catalogue of Indigenous artworks done by mob all over the country. This book was chosen as it shows pieces like Tony Albert’s Headhunter highlighting the racism our people face and the shell work shown by Esme Timbery that use cultural knowledge and gathering techniques developed into art by the history of the missions. These resources act as an example of ways in which we continue to fight for truth telling, justice, knowledge and allyship for Mob as it is our duty to embrace the theme of NAIDOC not only for a week but every day. 

By remembering our history, we come together to help shape our future. Our culture, people and stories have been around from the beginning of time, and in the face of adversity and colonisation, we have continued to be resilient and connected to culture and each other.

NAIDOC activities around the University

'Blak, Loud and Proud' encapsulates the unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity. Join in these upcoming NAIDOC Week events held across the University. 

• NAIDOC Week Cultural Tours with Uncle Jimmy Smith throughout the week
• NAIDOC Week Flag Raising Ceremony followed by morning tea at Fisher Library roof terrace on Tuesday 9 July 
• NAIDOC Concert at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music on Wednesday 10 July

View the full program of events on the University website.