With Reconciliation Week on the horizon for 2021, it’s important to get a refresher on the history of important dates and what they mean for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. For 20 years, this event has commemorated the journey to strengthen the relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This years theme for Reconciliation Week is “More than a Word“.
There will be both in-person and virtual events running across Australia, with Reconciliation Week activities happening in all major cities. With some corporate and some community-driven events, there are plenty of options when it comes to showing your support or ideas to inspire your own community or workplace event.
Read on to delve deeper into the importance of this week and how you can become an ally.
Know the history of National Reconciliation Week
National Sorry Day
Just prior to Reconciliation Week is National Sorry Day, a day to remember and acknowledge the strength of the Stolen Generations – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were mistreated and forcibly removed from their communities and families. It’s a day that carries meaning for all Australians as a time to reflect on how we can all play a part in healing our nation.
Mabo Day
Occurring annually on June 3rd, Mabo Day commemorates the successful efforts of Eddie Koiki Mabo, who fought to overturn the legal fiction of terra nullius – “land belonging to no one”. The impacts of this fight are still seen in Australian culture today, with a legal framework having been put in place that permits native title claims by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Attend Reconciliation Week events
One of the ways to get out there and show your support for Reconciliation Week is to take part in national Reconciliation Week activities. There are a whole variety of activities happening around Australia that celebrate and recognise the meaning behind the week. From lectures and presentations to art classes and planting sessions, there are both community and corporate events running that need your support.
If you’re in SA, for example, and looking for something hands-on, you could take part in a dot painting session – raising awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. Or, in NSW, you can sit in on some informative presentations about the importance of reconciliation. These types of activities are also running in whatever state or territory you call home.
However you wish to celebrate Reconciliation Week, there is bound to be an event out there for you. If you’re looking to keep on learning and growing as an ally year-round, there are numerous online Indigenous events you can attend listed on the Eventbrite calendar.
Head online for virtual Reconciliation Week events
If there are no events near you or you’d rather participate in Reconciliation Week from home, there are Reconciliation Week activities online that you can attend and show your support that way. For example, you could check out the premiere of a 5-minute documentary about how Moorditj Keila is providing education programs for young Aboriginal people in Perth and then sit in for a Q&A with staff from the documentary.
Direct others to national Reconciliation Week resources
If you’re looking to provide some additional insight on Reconciliation Week to family, friends, or co-workers, there are many resources you can save and send their way. The official website for Reconciliation Week is certainly the place to start as it details the importance of the week relative to the year it’s in. For example, the theme for Reconciliation Week in 2021 is “More than a Word“, designed to influence people to take action and show support in their actions, not just their words. Arming people with the tools to better understand the history and meaning behind the week will allow the impacts of the various events to reach further and further every year.
Educate yourself on how to be an ally all year
Reconciliation Week is a great opportunity for people of all cultures to spread the word about strengthening the relationship between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. However, it’s how we continue to support this goal throughout the entire year that makes the most difference. Being an ally who actively participates in Reconciliation Week is great, but it’s the continued appreciation that sees the greatest impact.
There are many ways to get involved all year round. Your business could donate to Reconciliation Australia to ensure they’re able to provide the best resources they can, or even host a fundraiser or charity event via Eventbrite to raise money for a good cause. There are also other NFP groups and campaigns that Reconciliation Australia supports – from Close the Gap to Family Matters – that you can get behind to be an active ally. You may even find it useful to explore Reconciliation Action Plans, which are programs designed for organisations to support the national reconciliation movement. From workplaces to schools and early learning centres, there are ways for any business or organisation to show their support.
Twenty years of reconciliation: from awareness to action
Reconciliation Week is a lot more than a seven-day commemoration of Australia’s reconciliation journey. It’s a way to spread the word via you and your business’s actions in order to recognise the place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian community and acknowledge how the past continually impacts the present.
Get involved in all of the upcoming Reconciliation Week activities and show your support.
