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[Letterhead printed in brown ink, for 'NADOC, ACT', 'NATIONAL ABORIGINES DAY OBSERVANCE COMMITTEE OF A.C.T.'.]

[Handwritten in blue ink in top left corner:] 16

[Underlined heading] NATIONAL ABORIGINES DAY IN CANBERRA 1967 AND 1968 REPORT

[Underlined subheading] Why celebrate national days?

Through functions held on these days, and associated publicity, NADOC seeks to stimulate interest in Aboriginal problems and to awaken the conscience of the whole community to the needs of the people of Aboriginal blood as they seek to find a place in the general Australian society. At the same time, NADOC aims to bring to the notice of the community Aboriginal skills and abilities through exhibitions.

[Underlined subheading] National Aborigines Day – July 14, 1967

Last year was the third year this National Day was celebrated in the National Capital. The Committee arranged their second annual Bark Paintings Exhibition at the Menzies Library, Australian National University, from 10 – 15 July, 1967. The Exhibition which was very well attended featured bark paintings from the Sacred Heart Mission, Port Keats, N.T., from the Methodist Mission at Maningrida, N.T., and Elcho Island, N.T., which were sold for the benefit of the artists. Large numbers of NADOC posters were distributed in addition to displays in Canberra bookshops. The Department of Territories supplied wall sheets and a few copies of a new book "The Australian Aborigines" edited by Professor Elkin.

A copy of the 16 m.m. movie film "ONE MAN’S ROAD" [title underlined] is available on FREE LOAN [underlined] from the Honorary Secretary. This film was premiered in the Canberra Theatre on National Aborigines Day 1967 by the Department of Territories.

THANKS [underlined] are due to the many individuals who gave their time so freely in organizing the 1967 celebration – in particular the Committee is grateful to Lady Frankel for arranging the bark paintings, and to the Abscholars at A.N.U. for much work behind the scenes.

[Underlined subheading] National Aborigines Day – Friday, 12 July, 1968

[Underlined subheading] National Aborigines Sunday – 14 July, 1968

This year the Department of the Interior is providing assistance to NADOC- ACT in the celebration of National Aborigines Day, as the new Department of Aboriginal Affairs is not yet in full operation. Mr. W. Brooks, information Officer, will be present at the General Meeting on 2nd July to indicate ways in which the Department of Interior [sic] can assist in the celebration of National Aborigines Day in Canberra. Since the Institute of Aboriginal Studies held a successful exhibition at the A.N.U. of Aboriginal Art in May, the Executive Committee felt it was too soon to hold another, as has been our custom.

The theme this year is –

ABORIGINES IN INDUSTRY.

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Accordingly, an exhibition of display materials is being held in the Monaro Mall, Canberra City, on Friday 12^th and Saturday 13^th July, during business hours. In addition, continuous Aboriginal films will be shown in the shopping concourse through a back-projector.

The Department also advises that a new film will be released and shown exclusively by ABC-TV on Friday, July 12, at 9 p.m. Copies of this film will soon be available on loan from the NADOC Secretary. Also, large and small colour wall sheets [underlined] will be distributed along with NADOC posters to publicise the theme of National Aborigines Day 1968.

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[Underlined heading] NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING -

The Annual General Meeting is called for Tuesday, July 30, at 8 p.m. in Seminar Room 1, Coombs Building, Australian National University. It is hoped all interested persons and organisations will arrange to attend or be represented.

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(Dr.) W.M. GUNSON

Chairman [underlined]

(Dr.) R.B. KNOX

Hon. Secretary [underlined]

2/7/68