NAIDOC Week 2026: Celebrating 50 Years of Deadly

This year the theme for NAIDOC Week, celebrated from 5 to 12 July 2026, is “50 Years of Deadly.” 

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, deadly doesn’t mean dangerous. It means excellent. Brilliant. Something to be proud of. And that’s exactly what this week is – a moment to celebrate First Nations cultures, communities, and people who are, and always have been, deadly.

NAIDOC Week isn’t just for First Nations people. It’s an invitation to all Australians to learn, to celebrate alongside, and to show up as genuine allies and proud Australian people.

NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee, which originated in the 1920s when a number of Aboriginal groups formed to increase awareness of the status and treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

Originating as a Day of Mourning in protest of Australia Day being observed in January, in 1955, it was shifted to the first Sunday in July after it was decided the day should become not simply a protest day, but also a celebration of Aboriginal culture.

The following year, it was decided that the event should cover a full week, from the first to second Sunday in July.  The organising committee then became known as the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) — and this new name became the title for the whole week, not just the day.

Learn more about the History of NAIDOC week: https://www.naidoc.org.au/about/history

For over 50 years, NAIDOC Week has stood as a powerful expression of culture, resistance, pride and survival — elevating the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and championing truth-telling, justice and self-determination. 

This year’s theme marks a milestone: fifty years since NAIDOC expanded to a full week. It’s a celebration of everything that has been built, fought for, and kept alive across five decades: language, art, ceremony, community, and story.

It also pays tribute to the Elders, organisers, artists, advocates and communities who have continued to lead communities, protect culture and push for change across generations – acknowledging their strength, wisdom and endurance.

There are lots of ways to celebrate NAIDOC Week – including as an ally. Here are ways to get involved – from your couch, your workplace, or your community.

For the kids on ABC, five episodes of Bluey have been dubbed by north-east Arnhem Land residents into Yolŋu Matha – marking the first time this much-loved series has been translated into an Indigenous language! 

Learn more about Bluey in Language

Also check out a range of great programming to help kids learn more during NAIDOC week.

SBS and NITV also have a powerful week of First Nations storytelling, culture and connection lined up across television, streaming, audio and digital platforms from Sunday 5 to Sunday 12 July. 

Some highlights:

Check out the NAIDOC line up on SBS and NITV

NAIDOC Week events happen across the country throughout the week.

That could be:

Browse local NAIDOC Week events to find something near you

The NAIDOC website has a number of resources you can use throughout the week to help inspire your team, workplace, school, club or community group to celebrate NAIDOC Week. 

Including downloads like teams backgrounds, social tiles and a Supporting Toolkit, this is an easy way to be a proud and visible ally. 

With so many fantastic ways to celebrate NAIDOC week – you might not know where to start. Here’s our advice: pick one thing. Watch a documentary with your family. Attend a local flag raising. Book into a cultural workshop. Share an event on your socials. Learn five words in a local language. 

Whatever you choose to do, we’re sure it will expand your understanding of this extraordinary country and the deadly peoples that have cared for it for tens of thousands of years.