Originating in Bulgaria, July Morning is a day celebrating freedom, friendship and the love of life. Today, it is celebrated in different parts of the world, mainly along the beaches, river banks or high hills to watch the sunrise, drink, sing and play the guitar, enjoying carefree moments all night long.

A time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements, NAIDOC Week is an opportunity to recognise the contributions that our nations’ First Peoples make to our country and our society.

NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week and its acronym has since become the name of the week itself.

Cultural Infusion provides the full spectrum of Aboriginal educational incursions Australia wide, especially during NAIDOC week. Our NAIDOC program includes Aboriginal Culture for a Day (in Victoria, the program is called Aboriginal for a Day as requested by the Elder who conducts them). We can also organize a 50-minute Indigenous Infusion program of your choice: storytelling, dance, and symbolic art. Our pre-primary, Kinder Dreaming indigenous programs are 30 minutes and specifically targeted to the age group. It is a wonderful introduction to indigenous culture, particularly for the many children who have little or no contact with Aboriginal culture.

Our NAIDOC program can be a whole school event, or targeted to specific year levels, celebrating and led by indigenous elders who have been working in schools for up to 20 years. NAIDOC week allows us to focus on our Aboriginal cultural heritage, yet we have year-round programs for schools that focus on all things indigenous.

Read more at: https://culturalinfusion.org.au/how-can-our-school-celebrate-naidoc-week/

Tanabata or Star Festival is a Japanese festival that originated from the Chinese Qixi Festival. Legend has it that the Star Festival first crossed over to Japan from China during the first century AD in the form of a weaving festival for young women. The story merged with the Japanese legend of tanabata-tsume, the tale of a celestial maiden who weaves clothes for the gods.

Today, the Star Festival signifies the two stars Altair and Vega that meet each other after being separated by the milky way. One famous Tanabata custom practised across Japan is to write a wish on a piece of colourful paper called tanzaku and hang it in a bamboo tree in the hopes that one realises their wish.

Known in many Middle Eastern countries as big Eid, as Eid al Adha lasts five days and is one of the most important festivals in the Muslim calendar.

Unlike little Eid, the ‘festival of the breaking of the fast’, which signifies the end of 30 days of fasting for Ramadan, Eid al Adha means ‘feast of the sacrifice’ and remembers the prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son. With Cultural Infusion’s range of cultural presenters, we can help students understand Middle Eastern culture this Eid.