What to watch, read and listen to this NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC Week is here for 2023, and this year’s theme is ‘For Our Elders’.

NAIDOC Week is a chance for all Australians to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It’s also a great opportunity to listen and learn from the oldest surviving culture on Earth. 

To that end, we’ve put together some resources to help you get the most out of NAIDOC Week 2023. We encourage you to get out there and engage with local First Nations communities this week. Participation is what NAIDOC Week is all about.

What we’re reading

If your bedside table is looking a little bare, the team at Hachette has written a handy NAIDOC Week Reading List, full of Indigenous fiction, non-fiction, kids’ books and poetry which celebrate and honour the rich cultural heritage and diverse perspectives of Indigenous peoples.

What we’re watching

There are plenty of fantastic First Nations documentaries, films and TV shows to stream this – and every – week. SBS and Buzzfeed have helpfully rounded up some classics. 

We’ve particularly enjoyed Made It With My Hands, which documents the life of Indigenous artist Regina Pilawuk Wilson. We were privileged to collaborate with Regina on our Dali dyalgala fabric range last year.

What we’re listening to

Last year, One Mob Radio compiled a First Nations playlist in celebration of NAIDOC Week, featuring artists like Yothu Yindi, Baker Boy and Jessica Mauboy. You can turn it on (and up!) on Spotify.

Events we're attending

Don't miss out on the incredible lineup of free events happening this week in Sydney for NAIDOC Week. Among them is the opening night of Blak Douglas' latest works in the 'Objectified' exhibition, hosted at Gallery Lane Cove. We feel incredibly fortunate to have had Blak Douglas contribute to our showroom with a permanent mural installation. Additionally, Blak Douglas will be present at a discussion of the exhibition alongside Rhonda Davis, the Senior Curator of Macquarie University Art Gallery.

Another great event is the Aboriginal Elders Talk and Book Reading, set to take place at Stanton Library in North Sydney. This event promises to be an enriching experience of culture and heritage. 

A note on the Voice to Parliament

This year’s NAIDOC Week takes on special significance ahead of the Voice to Parliament referendum at the end of the year. We’ve already written about why Koskela is supporting the Voice, but if you’d like more information, we highly recommend this short clip from First Nations community leader Shelley Reys. In just eight minutes, it does a great job of running through some of the common questions, concerns and myths around the Voice without judgement.

As Shelley sums up: “The Voice is an opportunity to make policies with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, rather than for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”