January 26 can be a difficult and confronting day for many people across this country. For First Nations communities, it is a day that marks survival, resistance, and ongoing truth-telling. For others, it can be a moment to pause, listen, and reflect on what reconciliation really asks of us. Each year, there are important ways to stand in solidarity and show respect.
Elder Park (Park 26) | 7.30am - 8.45am
South Australians are warmly invited to attend Mourning in the Morning, a First Nations-led ceremony presented by the Australia Day Council of South Australia on 26 January 2026. Guided by the theme Our Continuing Story, the event honours Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures and perspectives, and provides a respectful space for reflection and truth-telling led by South Australian First Nations community leaders. The ceremony brings together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians, and includes First Nations speakers, musicians and dancers, interactive elements grounded in respect, and a smoking ceremony conducted by Elder Uncle Moogy Sumner.
Tarndanyangga | Victoria Square | 11:30am - 4:30pm
South Australians are invited to come together in solidarity to acknowledge the survival and ongoing strength of the world’s oldest continuing cultures, alongside First Nations communities. Walk alongside community in recognition of the strength and resilience of First Nations peoples.
East End Cinemas, Rundle Street | 10:30am | 3:00pm | 6:15pm
For the first time, a First Nations-led film is premiering nationally in cinemas on 26 January. The team behind IMAGINE is inviting audiences to reflect on the past and present while imagining a more just, respectful and shared future. Engaging with First Nations storytelling in a cinema on January 26 can be an active and meaningful choice, one that supports truth-telling, creativity and new ways forward, and encourages continued learning and reflection beyond a single day.
The timing of IMAGINE screenings has been planned to work alongside other January 26 events, supporting flexible and considered ways to mark the day.
Watch the trailer here.