The ACA is proud to once again be celebrating National NAIDOC Week. Held across the country from 7-14 July 2024, NAIDOC Week will celebrate and recognise the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This year’s theme chosen by the National NAIDOC Committee, is Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud.
The theme honours the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture – with fire a symbol of connection to Country, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
NAIDOC Week, which first began in 1975, provides an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.
What is the relationship between ACA and NAIDOC Week?
The ACA’s vision for reconciliation is to see improved health outcomes and participation in health decision-making by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. The ACA also has goals to see an increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people graduating as chiropractors; improved access to chiropractic care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and the achievement of improved health outcomes and equitable access for all Australians.
In order to achieve this vision, a key commitment of the ACA’s Reconciliation Action Plan and Reconciliation journey is also to advance reconciliation within our sphere of influence. At the very heart of reconciliation and the ACA’s journey is the building of respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and histories. Celebrating and promoting NAIDOC and National Reconciliation week (NRW) plays a vital role in building this respect.
The ACA’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rural Remote Practitioners Network (ARRPN) plays an important role in this journey by representing both the ACA and the chiropractic profession in discussions about health care in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, by promoting cultural safety in chiropractic practice, particularly for those in rural and remote areas, and by promoting important recognition and participation opportunities like NRW and NAIDOC week.
NAIDOC Week provides an excellent opportunity for the chiropractic profession to engage with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to build an understanding of culture, knowledge, connection to land and ways of healing.
How can you participate?
We encourage members to engage with some of the ACA’s resources during NAIDOC week to learn more about cultural safety, closing the gap and the experience of First Nations Chiropractors within our profession. Resources available include:
- The Closing the Gap Webinar (October 2020),
- ACA Podcast – Episode 72: Experiences of an Aboriginal Chiropractor with Dr Bill Hayward.
- ACA Podcast – Episode 58: National Reconciliation Week with Dr Joan van Rotterdam.
External to the organisation, members can find a local NAIDOC week event via the NAIDOC website. You may be also able to find local events and cultural safety training for health practitioners via your local PHN or NAACHO.
By participating, enhancing our cultural understanding and developing cultural safety, we will make significant strides towards achieving the goals outlined in our Reconciliation Action Plan and our overarching aim for more Australians to value and benefit from chiropractic care for their health and wellbeing.
If you would like to learn more about the NAIDOC Week theme or participate in a local NAIDOC Week event, you can visit www.naidoc.org.au