5 Ways to Mark Reconciliation Week

Deepen your understanding

National Reconciliation Week is a great opportunity to deepen your understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and experiences. Some good starting points are:

• Exploring Reconciliation Australia’s timeline of key milestones in Australia’s reconciliation journey, including the 1967 referendum and the 1992 Mabo decision
• Watching Rachel Perkins’ documentary series The Australian Wars, which investigates the realities of the Frontier Wars between 1790 and the 1940s
• Learning from the experiences of the Stolen Generations through the work of organisations like the Healing Foundation
• Engaging with First Nations media outlets like NITV and Common Ground.

Explore First Nations stories and cultures

Reconciliation is also about celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and stories. For LGBTIQ+ communities, this is an opportunity to explore LGBTIQ+ First Nations Australian media and storytelling.

You can check out the ABC’s curated collection of content showcasing Rainbow Mob, including the 2023 short documentary series Kweens of the Queer Underground. SBS also offers a range of LGBTIQ+ First Nations content, including Transblack, a documentary series following the lives of four Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander transgender men and women.

For podcast fans, Queer As… features conversations with LGBTIQ+ Indigenous Australian artists while this episode of Queer Renegades explores the impacts of colonisation on queer Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Readers might enjoy the work of queer First Nations Australian authors like Ellen van Neerven (Heat and Light, Throat) and Mykaela Saunders (Always Will Be). Poetry collections like NANGAMAY dream MANA gather DJURALI grow also offer thoughtful reflections on LGBTIQ+ First Nations identities and cultures.

Participate in a Reconciliation event

Show your support by attending a National Reconciliation Week event near you, many of which are led or developed in partnership with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Some highlights are:

Victoria:

• National Reconciliation Week Breakfast Naarm/Melbourne (29 May)
• Central Victorian Indigenous Film Festival (29 May): a screening in Bendigo of the film We are Still Here
• Mabo Day (3 June): a celebration of Torres Strait Islander music at Federation Square.

South Australia:

• National Reconciliation Week Breakfast Tarntanya/Adelaide (27 May)
• Colours of Country (30 May): a workshop where participants will contribute to a collaborative artwork
• Wathlu Anthunda (My World) (3 June): an artist talk with Colleen Strangways.

Connect with your local Reconciliation group

Become a member of your local branch of the Australian Reconciliation Network: Reconciliation Victoria or Reconciliation South Australia. These organisations offer information and resources to help you become actively involved in reconciliation, including support for your workplace to develop a Reconciliation Action Plan. You can also show your support by making a donation or volunteering your time.

Connect with Rainbow Mob communities and resources

Supporting reconciliation also means ensuring that health and community services are culturally safe and inclusive for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Join Thorne Harbour Health’s First Nations Health and Wellbeing Panel on 28 May, where panellists will reflect on National Reconciliation Week and discuss how community organisations can better support First Nations communities.

VACCHO and Rainbow Health Australia also recently launched Rainbow Mob are My Mob, a best practice guide for strengthening the inclusion and wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in Victoria. VACCHO also offers Rainbow Mob health training for people working in the health and wellbeing sector.