NAIDOC Week on ABC – The ABC is celebrating NAIDOC week with an extensive collection of special content across all platforms headlined by the LIVE broadcast of the 2024 NAIDOC Awards from Tarndanya (Adelaide) from 7.30pm (AEST) on Saturday.
NAIDOC Week 2024 will be held across the country from July 7-14, with the theme this year of Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud.
Led by ABC Indigenous, the ABC will showcase Indigenous storytelling across its screen, audio and digital platforms, including the launch of series four of Big J & Little Cuz. Featuring the voices of Deborah Mailman, Miranda Tapsell and Mark Coles Smith, season four also mark’s the show’s 50th episode.
Head ABC Indigenous Kelrick Martin said the ABC is continuing its tradition of celebrating NAIDOC with high-quality content offerings across the entire ABC.
“The ABC is proud to celebrate NAIDOC Week 2024, with a variety of compelling, entertaining content for all Australians. During NAIDOC Week, and every week throughout the year, we recognise and uplift First Nations stories from around the country, and champion our incredibly talented Indigenous content creators and presenters,”
– he said.
As the Official Broadcast and Education Partner for NAIDOC week, the ABC will telecast the NAIDOC Awards on Saturday night hosted by Total Control star Rob Collins, 10 News First presenter Narelda Jacobs, and comedian Steph Tisdell. MTV and ARIA award-winning musician Jess Mauboy will headline the night’s entertainment and the ceremony will be streamed on ABC iview and simulcast on NITV.
ABC iview will feature a NAIDOC Week collection featuring Indigenous programs curated for audiences, including the NAIDOC Awards, BlakBall, Black comedy, Preppers, looking Black and First Weapons.
The ABC TV premiere of The Last Daughter follows the NAIDOC Awards. The acclaimed documentary tells the story of one woman’s mission to unearth the truth about her past and to reconcile the two sides of her family.
There will also be a live simulcast of the NAIDOC Awards on Saturday night on ABC local radio introduced by Christine Anu.
Conversations with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski on Radio National features a week of first nations interviews and storytelling from July 8, with guests including Ken Wyatt, Tony Armstrong and John Paterson. On Saturday, Awaye! is celebrating the extraordinary life and work of Aunty Dulcie Flower while Double J has a special Take 5 with Zan Rowe on Sunday July 12th featuring First Nations hip hop artist DOBBY.
The ABC Indigenous Youtube playlist will feature all our latest social updates and stories this NAIDOC Week.
Content highlights across the ABC this NAIDOC Week
Broadcast
Rage: Join First Nations hip-hop supergroup 3% as they play their favourite music videos this NAIDOC Week on rage on Saturday from 10:30am and midnight on ABC TV.
The Last Daughter: Premiering on ABC TV on Saturday after the NAIDOC Awards, The Last Daughter is a documentary about Brenda’s journey to unearth the truth about her past, and to reconcile the two sides of her family. Brenda’s first memories were of growing up in a loving white foster family, before she was suddenly taken away and returned to her Aboriginal family. Decades later, she feels disconnected from both halves of her life.
Big J & Little Cuz Season 4 – ABC Kids: Launching on Monday on ABC Kids, ABC iview and NITV, Big J and Little Cuz draws on stories from First Nations writers all over Australia and features the voices of Deborah Mailman (Big Cuz), Miranda Tapsell (Little J) , Aaron Fa’Aoso (Old Dog), Ursula Yovich (Nanna and Levi), Shari Sebbens (Sissy & B Boy), Mark Coles Smith (Uncle Mick), Renee Lim (Ms Chen), Miah Madden (Monti), Shakira Clanton (Mirra & Kirra), Katie Beckett (George & Jacko) and Kylie Bracknell (Ally). This season marks 50 episodes of Little J & Big Cuz.
ABC iview Collection: Popular Indigenous programs curated for audiences including the 2024 NAIDOC Awards, BlakBall, Black comedy, Preppers, looking Black and First Weapons.
Radio
Local radio: On Saturday, the NAIDOC Awards introduced by Christine Anu will be simulcast live on digital radio platforms from 7.30pm AEST.
triple j: Proud Yuin & Thunghutti man, Nooky has two Blak Out specials, the first alongside guest co-host Zipporah on Sunday from 5pm – 7pm.
Unearthed: triple j Unearthed has 24-hours of First Nations music on Sunday and the following week on Saturday 13 July. Listen to triple j Unearthed on DAB+, stream online or via the triple j app.
Double J: Artist in Residence has a First Nations special featuring Radical Son, Andrew Gurruwiwi and more on Sunday while on July 12thTake 5 with Zan Rowe features DOBBY.
RN: Conversations with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski features a week of first nations interviews and storytelling from Monday, with guests including Ken Wyatt, Tony Armstrong and John Paterson.
Country: Saturday Night Country will be hosted by proud Wonnarua woman and country music heroine Kirsty Lee Akers. Akers is one of Australia’s most unique and authentic recording artists and a rare talent who is proud of her First Nations heritage. In the spirit of the 2024 NAIDOC Week theme, Kirsty will Keep The Fire Burning by selecting some of her favourite songs and stories from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders, including Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Roger Knox, Kevin Bennett and The Flood. Plus emerging voices such as Loren Ryan, Mikhail Laxton, Nathan May and Madi Colville-Walker, as well as contemporary stars such as Troy Cassar-Daley and Emma Donovan.
You can listen to Saturday Night Country with Kristy Lee Akers, on ABC Country and ABC Radio across Australia, as well as the ABC listen app.
Capital city broadcast times:
- 9pm on ABC Radio, ABC Radio Sydney, ABC Brisbane, ABC Radio Melbourne, ABC Radio Canberra and ABC Country
- 8:30pm on ABC Adelaide and ABC Darwin
- 7pm on ABC Perth
ABC Classic: ABC Classic features Dan Sultan and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra on July 12th from 7:30pm live from Hamer Hall.
Awaye: On Saturday, ABC RN Awaye! is celebrating the extraordinary life and work of Aunty Dulcie Flower AM ahead of the National NAIDOC Awards. Plus, Mununjali writer Ellen van Neervan, discusses their debut work: ‘Swim’.
Kids listen: On Monday join Rudi to listen to stories from the Dreaming on Little Yarns.
Digital
Ken Wyatt: Australia’s first Indigenous frontbencher in Federal Parliament, Ken Wyatt grew up in a family subjected to dispossession, racism and discrimination. To mark the start of NAIDOC Week, Ken tells ABC Conversations about his early years, the teacher who made a difference, and his most proud moments in politics.
Remember Destiny Deacon: Trailblazing Indigenous artist Destiny Deacon died in May this year. We bring together the many interviews she’s done with the ABC over the years to offer a tribute to this influential woman.
Jimmy Little’s Messenger: More than 40 years into his career, Australian music legend Jimmy Little proved his skill for interpreting songs and stories was as rich as ever on his album Messenger.
Travelling to the Torres Strait to see Waru: An account from Rudi Brenner, about when she watched a special community performance of the show Waru, the journey of the small turtle, by Bangarra Dance Theatre. The show is touring through Queensland, NSW, Victoria and the ACT.
Songs that light the fire inside DOBBY: DOBBY discussed his new album and five tracks from First Nations artists that light a fire inside of him.
ABC News
On Friday, ABC News will have a cross-platform NAIDOC Week preview that explores the question: What does it mean to be ‘blak, loud and proud?’ That’s the theme of this year’s NAIDOC week, the first major national celebration of First Nations’ culture and excellence since last year’s failed referendum vote.
More
Additional news, and insights about NAIDOC Week and broader issues affecting First Nations Peoples will be available across the week on ABC News, ABC TV and ABC Radio, as part of the ABC’s ongoing commitment to telling and sharing Indigenous stories.
NAIDOC Week on ABC and ABC iview
TV Central ABC content HERE
