January 26 means different things to different people. For Aboriginal people it's a day of mourning. It's a reminder of the lasting impacts of colonisation, dispossession and invasion.
Survival Day is just one day, but it’s a reminder for non-Indigenous Australians to show support year-round, and to take time to educate themselves on being a good ally, and why January 26 is #NotADateToCelebrate.
Be a good ally
Listening to and elevating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices is something that needs to take place all year – not just in the lead up to 26 January.
- How to be a good ally from NITV
- Allyship beyond the trend from Clothing The Gaps
- Reconciliation takes action from Reconciliation Australia
Educate yourself
Australia’s history is marked by massacre, dispossession, and genocide. Continuing to celebrate January 26 without considering its effect on our community shows ignorance and indifference to the ongoing injustices suffered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as a result of colonisation.
Good allyship doesn’t burden the people and communities you stand with. If you’re still not sure why January 26 is #NotADateToCelebrate, it’s time to educate yourself.
- 8 Things you need to know about January 26 from Clothing The Gaps
- Learn our truth from National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition (NIYEC)
- Consume Indigenous created content and news. Check out and follow NITV, Koori Mail, ABC Indigenous, and find a local Indigenous broadcaster via First Nations Media
Share what you learn with the people around you. Unlearning what you might have been taught previously and relearning the truth can be confronting, but it is crucial to ending the continued injustices faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this country.