As the powerful celebration of NAIDOC Week 2025 began, many First Nations leaders were already feeling stretched. Not because we don't believe in the cause—quite the opposite—but because we carry the cause in our bones, our hearts, and through our everyday work.

Every year, as NAIDOC approaches, the phone starts ringing. Invitations to speak. Requests for Welcome to Country. Panels. Ceremonies. School visits. Performances. Cultural advice. Strategy input. Leadership. Presence. And we show up. We stand tall. We hold space. We represent. But behind the smiles and strength is often exhaustion.

This is what we call cultural load.

It's not just the weight of being visibly Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in systems that weren't designed for us. It's the deeper, often invisible weight of cultural responsibility; the expectation to serve community, to honour our Elders, to support mob, and to do so while being everything for everyone.

We say yes, even when we're tired. We offer guidance, even when we haven't had time to pause. Because we know what's at stake. We know how rare these platforms are. We know that if we don't show up, the opportunity might not come again; for us, or for the next generation.

And we believe in the work. We believe in truth-telling, visibility, and representation. We believe in legacy. That's why we keep showing up. Even when we're burnt out. Even when the cultural load gets heavy.

But the truth is; we cannot carry it alone.

Many of us are not just doing a job. We are living the work. We are the cultural keepers in our organisations, the educators, the safe space, the translators between worlds. We're the ones ensuring protocols are followed, that stories are told with integrity, that our communities are considered; not just consulted.

And while it is an honour, it is also labour. Emotional, cultural, and spiritual labour.

So, on NAIDOC Week—a week that celebrates "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy"—let's make sure we're doing more than just celebrating culture. Let's ask: Who's carrying the load? And how can we help lighten it?

Because NAIDOC Week doesn't just happen. It's held up by the quiet strength of those organising community days, speaking in classrooms, dancing on dusty ovals, cooking meals for Elders, or simply holding space in workplaces where they are the only Blak voice in the room.

If you're reading this and wondering what you can do, start here: Acknowledge cultural contribution as work - Showing up in community, leading events, sharing culture—these are forms of labour that deserve time, resourcing, and pay; Stop relying on the same one or two people - Build depth. Fund succession planning. Train the next generation—don't burn out this one; Make space for rest and renewal - Not everything needs to be done this week. Offer flexibility. Say thank you. Ask what support is needed; and Share the load - Don't just invite us to the table—share the responsibility of keeping that table standing. Co-lead, co-create, co-invest.

The fire we carry is ancient, sacred, and strong; but even fire needs tending.

This NAIDOC Week, check in on the people who always show up. The ones who have been showing up every year, every week, every day. The ones holding space between two worlds. The ones teaching, leading, and creating the change this country so desperately needs.

Don't wait for burnout to make us visible. We don't need another round of applause or a photo for the intranet. We need backing. We need deep listening. We need time to breathe.

And we need a collective commitment to carry this legacy forward; together.

Because we're not just here for NAIDOC. We're here for life. And that deserves more than a week of attention.