Kingston Koorie Mob
Acknowledgement of Country
Patterson River Secondary College is situated on Carrum Carrum swamp a site of historical and cultural significance. We respectfully acknowledge the traditional custodians of this area, the Bunurong and we pay our respects to their Elders both past, present and future, for they hold the memories, traditions, culture and hopes of Indigenous Australians. We also extend our respect to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their families.
NAIDOC Week 5th-12th July
National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is 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. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities.
50 Years of Deadly
For five decades, NAIDOC Week has celebrated the voices of our communities — steady, unapologetic and proud. Each year, its themes have called for truth, celebrated culture, honoured resistance and reminded the nation of who we are.
Fifty Years of Deadly marks a milestone. It’s a tribute to the people who built this movement, the Elders who stood firm, the organisers who made space, the artists who turned resistance into expression and the communities who keep showing up, year after year.
NAIDOC has always been more than a week, it’s a platform, a protest, a celebration and a statement of survival.
This moment is about looking back at the stories, the marches, the languages, the art, the leadership and at the strength it took to get here. It’s about recognising how far we’ve come, not by chance, but because generations of people refused to be silenced.
It’s also about the here and now, who we are today. Grounded in culture. Strong in our identity. Leading change across every field, from health and education to media, business and the arts. We’re telling our own stories, in our own way, on our own terms.
And it’s about the future. The next 50 years. The young ones growing up proud. The return of language. The return to Country. The fight for justice continuing with new tools, new voices and the same fire.
Fifty Years of Deadly is a marker, not just of time passed, but of the momentum still building. It’s proof of what our people build when culture leads and community comes first. NAIDOC belongs to mob. It always has.
We honour what came before by continuing the work.
This is our story. This is our celebration. This is our future.
Still deadly. Always.
NAIDOC Week Poster
Selected from submissions across the country, Paralpi by Zaachariaha Fielding has been chosen as the official poster for National NAIDOC Week 2026.
Zaachariaha Fielding is a proud Yankunytjatjara man from the APY Lands in South Australia and is widely recognised as one of the country’s leading contemporary First Nations artists and musicians. Known internationally through the acclaimed music duo Electric Fields, his work brings together language, sound, visual storytelling and culture in deeply powerful and contemporary ways.
Paralpi reflects movement, energy and continuity, carrying the stories of Ancestors forward while celebrating the creativity and cultural power of the next generation. Rich in colour and symbolism, the artwork speaks to the enduring strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples over the past 50 years of NAIDOC and beyond.
Through this work, Zaachariaha honours the resilience of community, the importance of language and identity and the ongoing cultural renaissance being led by First Nations peoples across the country and across the APY Lands.
Paralpi by Zaachariaha Fielding
2026 National NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award: The late Rhoda Roberts AO
The National NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award recognises individuals whose leadership, advocacy and contribution have had a profound and lasting impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the nation.
While the National NAIDOC Committee does not ordinarily present the Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously, Rhoda Roberts AO was selected by the Committee prior to her passing. The Committee felt it was deeply important to continue with this recognition and honour the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind.
In 2026, the National NAIDOC Committee proudly posthumously honours the late Rhoda Roberts AO, a visionary cultural leader whose influence transformed Australia’s artistic and cultural landscape.
A proud Widjabul Wia-bal woman from Bundjalung Country, Rhoda Roberts AO dedicated her life to elevating First Nations voices through storytelling, performance, creative direction and cultural leadership. Across decades, she created space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories to be seen, heard and celebrated on some of the country’s biggest stages.
Her work reshaped Australian arts and culture, inspired generations of First Nations creatives and challenged institutions to make room for truth, representation and Blak excellence.
Lynette Riley said:
“Rhoda Roberts AO was a force — fearless, brilliant and deeply committed to community and culture. Rhoda had been selected for this honour and we felt strongly that it was important to continue recognising her extraordinary contribution. Her legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.”
Steven Satour added:
“Rhoda embodied what ‘50 Years of Deadly’ represents. She showed our people that our stories belong everywhere! On stages, screens, in institutions and in the national conversation. This recognition honours a lifetime of cultural leadership and the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind.”
The National NAIDOC Committee extends its deepest respect to Rhoda Roberts AO’s family, loved ones and community as we honour her enduring contribution to First Nations arts, culture and leadership.
