Every January, the same debates resurface.
Australia Day, January 26, is celebrated by many as a day of national pride, yet for us as Aboriginal people, it marks the beginning of colonisation—of dispossession, violence, and survival. While we have called for a change of date or an end to the day altogether, the resistance is deafening.
And so, as I reflect, I find myself thinking: Let them have January.
Let them hold on to this day/month as a symbol of their celebration, if that’s what they need.
Let them cling to their barbecues, their fireworks, their version of history.
Their January doesn’t have to dictate our January.
We don’t need to exhaust ourselves in protest or argument, especially when so many refuse to listen. Instead, we can choose to focus on what strengthens us: our culture, our communities, and our futures.
Why January doesn’t belong to them
For Aboriginal people, every month, every day, is a testament to our resilience. We are the world’s oldest living culture, with more than 65,000 years of history behind us. January 26 is just one day, a blip in time compared to the deep roots we’ve got. While some cling to this colonial milestone, we know our connection to Country is far greater than a date on a calendar.
Let them have their January. We have something they cannot touch: the strength of our ancestors, the wisdom of our Elders, and the endurance of our culture. Their celebrations cannot erase our history or diminish our truth.
Choosing Our Battles
This isn’t about giving up the fight for truth-telling or justice. It’s about choosing where we direct our energy. Fighting over their January takes a toll on our spirit, and too often, it feels like shouting into a void. stepping back from the noise, we reclaim our power. Instead of pouring our strength into their debates, we can invest it in our own healing, our own celebrations, and our own futures.
We don’t need their approval or understanding to honour who we are. Their denial doesn’t weaken us. If anything, it highlights their disconnection from this land and its true history. We are not obligated to educate those who refuse to listen. Instead, we focus on teaching our children, preserving our languages, and strengthening our ties to Country.
Redefining January
For us, January can be a time of reflection and renewal, not just survival.
It can be a time to connect with family, to honour our ancestors, and to celebrate our resilience.
While others raise their flags and revel in a history that excludes us, we can quietly honour the truth.
Our January doesn’t have to be about them—it can be about us.
We reclaimed this month for ourselves, using it to build stronger connections within our communities.
Instead of rallying against their celebration, we create spaces of healing, learning, and empowerment.
While they cling to a single day, we expand our focus to something far greater: the ongoing survival and strength of our people.
Walking forward with strength
Let them have January. Let them hold on to their celebrations and their silence.
It doesn’t define us. Our story isn’t bound to their narrative, and our identity isn’t shaped by their ignorance. Every day we walk forward, grounded in the strength of who we are, we are already winning.
January 26 will come and go, but our connection to this land and to each other will remain.
While they celebrate, we survive, we thrive, and we build.
They can have their January, but they will never have the depth of our history or the power of our truth.
Steven Satour is a Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara and Pertame man and the National NAIDOC Committee co-chair.
