NAIDOC Week rolls around every year with events, panels and plenty of well-meaning posts. But once the week wraps, the question lingers: what now?
For Wiradjuri artist Brandi Salmon, the answer is pretty straightforward. Showing up shouldn’t be limited to a single week on the calendar.
First, what is NAIDOC Week?
NAIDOC Week is an annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and achievements. It traces back to the 1938 Day of Mourning, a protest led by Aboriginal activists calling out the treatment of First Nations people. These days, it’s marked by community events, performances and conversations across the country.
It’s important, absolutely. But it’s also just one moment in a much bigger picture.
“It should be all year”
Salmon, a proud Aboriginal woman and artist based in Lutruwita/Tasmania, has spent the past decade exploring identity and culture through her work. Alongside painting, she also runs Aunty’s Dispatch, a snail mail subscription that shares art and insights into Aboriginal history and lived experiences.
“I created it for Aboriginal people, but now it’s like a whole thing for allies,” she says. “They sign up to learn, because I share a lot about Aboriginal history.”
When it comes to NAIDOC Week, Salmon is clear: “It should be all year.”
What showing up actually looks like
For those wondering how to keep that momentum going, Salmon’s approach is practical rather than performative.
“Go to local NAIDOC events,” she says, “and outside of NAIDOC, just learn the history of Australia. Google it, it’s pretty easy to just Google it”.
That learning shouldn’t stop at history books or a single awareness week. Supporting Blak creators and businesses consistently is another key step.
“We don’t obviously come from generational wealth, so it makes a huge difference,” she explains.
Even something as simple as following First Nations creators online can matter. “Just follow Blak creators and learn about their experience, and support them.”
Moving from passive to proactive
Salmon also stresses the difference between reacting to racism and actively challenging it.
“Being proactive about it is better than being reactive,” she says. “If someone says something like a racial slur, actually say something.”
That extends to everyday conversations, too — sharing what you’ve learned with friends or family instead of keeping it to yourself.
And importantly, allyship shouldn’t disappear when no one’s watching. “Don’t be tokenistic. Actually do the work even when there aren’t Blakfellas around,” she says.
Beyond performative allyship
The difference between genuine allyship and box-ticking is something Salmon has felt sharply, especially in workplaces.
She recalls working in a government job at the Tax Office and being reduced to one part of her identity. “I would have people come up to me who only talked to me about Blak stuff. Like, ‘I have a tracker friend. Do you know him?’ and I’m like, dude,’ I’m not just that’, I also have other interests. Don’t treat me just like that performative type tokenistic Blak person.”
For Salmon, it comes down to seeing Aboriginal colleagues and friends as whole people and paying attention when the news cycle is heavy. She remembers the aftermath of the killing of Noongar schoolboy Cassius Turvey in Perth and how isolating that felt at work. “No one in my office would have a clue what I was like going through as a Blak woman in Australia,” she shared.
“You might want to just check in with that Blak friend and be like, ‘Hey, are you okay?’ It’s something as little as that.”
Why it matters
At its core, ongoing allyship isn’t about ticking a box. It’s about impact.
“We don’t want to go backwards in this country,” Salmon says. “I feel like we’ve come such a long way and it is so important for Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people to know that we have support.”
She points to the way representation and support can shape self-worth. “When you see people supporting your existence, it really changes how you feel about yourself.”
Start small, but start properly
If there’s one takeaway, it’s that meaningful action doesn’t have to be huge or complicated.
Follow your local Aboriginal co-op. Show up to a community event. Learn the history of the Country you live on. Check in with people when things are heavy.
“I feel a lot of Australians don’t actually have much contact with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. But they could if they wanted to,” Salmon said.
“Follow co-op pages and go to those events. It’s not that hard, it’s not like you need to do anything out there, like going to a protest or anything. You could literally just go there to like the the local barbecue that they’re throwing you’ll end up learning something.”
NAIDOC Week might be the prompt, but what happens after is where it actually counts.
Here are some other resources to keep learning past this week:
- Meet some movers and shakers bringing First Nations excellence forward HERE .
- Learn the Aboriginal / First Nations name for every major Australian city HERE .
- Shop from some Blak-owned businesses HERE .
- Watch First Nations films & TV shows HERE .
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