Every year, 26 January asks us to pause, not just to look back, but to look honestly. At The Corner Store Network, we believe in thoughtful choices, in community care, and in truth-telling. These values guide how we source our coffee, how we run our preservery kitchen, and how we show up in our neighbourhood. They also guide how we acknowledge days like this.
For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, 26 January is not a day of celebration. It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and a long history of harm that continues today. While the public holiday is widely recognised as “Australia Day,” First Nations people and allies observe it as Invasion Day, Survival Day, or a day of mourning.
Listening to these perspectives matters. Understanding them matters even more.
We know this can be a complex conversation for many, but the heart of it is simple:
January 26 means different things to different people, and the most respectful thing we can do is acknowledge that truth.
Learning with humility
This year, we wanted to share a handful of resources that offer context, history, and pathways for reflection. These aren’t political manifestos. These are opportunities to listen, learn and understand the deeper meaning of this date.
Common Ground provides a clear explanation of why 26 January is felt differently by First Nations peoples, breaking down the history behind the date in accessible terms.
Australians Together offers curriculum resources designed to help people of any age engage respectfully with First Nations histories and cultures.
The Australian Museum’s Unsettled resources explore colonisation and truth-telling through the lens of its award-winning exhibition.
Amnesty International’s Invasion Day Toolkit outlines ways to stand in solidarity with First Nations communities, including respectful language and community-led actions.
And RECWA’s “Walking Alongside” guide offers thoughtful suggestions for non-Indigenous people wanting to approach this day with empathy and awareness.
We’re grateful these resources exist. They help all of us take a step closer to the kind of community we believe in.
Where does this sit with our values
Our work at CSN is grounded in relationships. It’s about honouring where things come from: the fruit rescued from landfill, the coffee grown by farming families in Timor-Leste, the volunteers whose hands turn small acts into meaningful impact.
Honouring place and story is part of who we are, which means acknowledging the stories of this land as well.
We don’t pretend to have all the answers. But we believe that awareness is a meaningful first step, and reflection is another.
Holding space for the day
On 26 January, we’ll be open with a spirit of quiet reflection. We invite our community of customers, volunteers, neighbours and friends to take a moment too. Whether it’s reading one of the resources above, talking with your children about what the day means, attending a community event, or simply recognising the significance of the date… it all counts.
What matters most is approaching the day with empathy, curiosity and care.
In solidarity and in hope
We’re committed to continuing this learning, listening to First Nations voices, and showing up in ways that reflect our values. We encourage our community to explore the resources linked above and approach this date with openness and respect.
This unceded land always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.
We’re grateful to walk on it and to learn how to walk better.
By Yasha Barretto
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