National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day

The date 4 August was historically used to communally celebrate the birthdays of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were taken from their families at a young age, without knowing their birthday – the Stolen Generations. In 1988, National Aboriginal and Islander Children’s Day was established to celebrate the children of our First Nation peoples to give children confidence, make them feel special and included and, particularly for those children who face ongoing challenges stemming from colonisation and such effects as discrimination, poverty, systemic removal, intergenerational trauma, dislocation from land and culture, and community disempowerment. This Day is celebrated by all Australians and particularly by the over 500 different First Nations groups, each of which has distinctive cultures, beliefs and languages.