NAIDOC Week celebration ideas for work, school & home

This guide offers respectful, practical celebration ideas for workplaces, schools and early childhood settings, community groups, and family life at home.

What is NAIDOC Week? (and the 2026 theme)

NAIDOC stands for the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee, and NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. These are two distinct peoples, with their own languages, lands, histories and identities, so it is important never to conflate them or treat their cultures as one.

The week's roots run deep. NAIDOC traces back to Aboriginal activism in the 1920s and 1930s, including the Australian Aborigines Progressive Association, formed in 1924, and the Australian Aborigines League in 1932. The 1938 Day of Mourning became a landmark moment in the movement for rights and recognition, and the observances that followed grew into the national NAIDOC Week we know today.

Each year, the National NAIDOC Committee sets the NAIDOC Week theme and maintains an official directory of registered events. It is the best starting point for anyone wanting to celebrate NAIDOC Week well, because it connects you to events led by First Nations communities rather than parallel ones. You can explore the theme, find events near you and read background on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples directly at naidoc.org.au.

The 2026 NAIDOC Week theme — "50 Years of Deadly"

The 2026 National NAIDOC Week theme is "50 Years of Deadly". It marks 50 years of NAIDOC Week and reflects the pride, strength and resilience of First Nations peoples. The word "deadly" is widely used in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander English to mean "excellent" or "great". We would rather point you to the source than over-explain it, so for the official wording and meaning, please confirm at naidoc.org.au.

How to celebrate NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC Week activities for workplaces and offices

A thoughtful workplace program starts with an Acknowledgement of Country to open your gathering. From there, the strongest NAIDOC Week activities put First Nations voices at the centre. Consider a catered morning tea featuring a local First Nations caterer, which supports an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander-owned business while bringing the team together.

You might also book a guest speaker or cultural awareness session led by a First Nations facilitator, screen films or documentaries by First Nations creators, and share the official theme and reading resources internally so colleagues can learn at their own pace. A staff fundraiser for a First Nations organisation is another meaningful way to mark the week, turning attention into genuine support.

Supplies have a quiet supporting role in all of this. Clean, tasteful tableware and a simple morning-tea setup help the gathering feel considered and welcoming, but they are there to host the conversation, not to be the point of it. Keep the focus on the people, the speakers and the learning, and let the practical bits sit gently in the background.

NAIDOC Week activities for schools and early childhood

Schools and early childhood settings can introduce NAIDOC Week celebrations in age-appropriate, respectful ways. Read books by First Nations authors together, and where your community supports it, invite a local Elder or Traditional Owner to speak, always following the proper process and paying them for their time and knowledge.

When exploring Aboriginal culture and First Nations art, the goal is to view and learn about real, named artists rather than imitate their techniques. Children can learn the names of the local Country and language where community-approved resources exist, building genuine awareness of the place they live and learn on.

For trustworthy material, point teachers and educators to AIATSIS and Reconciliation Australia, both of which offer education resources designed to support respectful learning and First Nations communities. Done this way, the week becomes a chance to build understanding that lasts well beyond July.

NAIDOC Week ideas for community groups and clubs

Community groups and clubs are well placed to amplify First Nations-led events rather than create parallel ones. The simplest, most respectful step is to attend or co-host a registered NAIDOC event from the official directory, joining celebrations that are already grounded in First Nations communities.

You might host a community morning tea or barbecue that opens with an Acknowledgement of Country, giving members a relaxed way to come together and learn. Where you can, partner with a local Aboriginal community-controlled organisation and follow their lead on what genuine support looks like.

NAIDOC Week ideas for home and family

NAIDOC Week is also a chance for families to learn together at home. A good place to start is to find out whose Country you live in, using a resource such as the AIATSIS Map of Indigenous Australia (aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia).

Read or watch First Nations stories with your kids, choosing books and films by First Nations creators. In the kitchen, you might cook using native Australian ingredients sourced from Indigenous food producers, turning a meal into a small act of support. And if there is a local NAIDOC event open to the public, going along together is one of the most meaningful things you can do.

How to decorate for NAIDOC Week respectfully

Drawing on these NAIDOC Week colours, you might choose simple bunting and banners, balloons in the flag colours, and a clean morning-tea tablescape. Perfect for schools, classrooms, workplaces and community events, Shindigs NAIDOC Week collection includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander coloured flags, classroom decorations, craft activities, display items and event supplies to help create a vibrant and meaningful celebration.

Whether you're planning a NAIDOC Week school activity, cultural display or workplace event, you'll find supplies designed to support learning, recognition and celebration