Australia Day from an indigenous perspective
Sydney Morning Herald
Monday June 29, 2009
JANUARY 26 is a historic date in our country's history. It marks the very beginnings of white settlement and while indigenous Australians also mark the day, their reasons for remembering it are quite different.This year, shortly after being named Australian of the Year for 2009, Professor Mick Dodson from the Yawuru nation asked that the people of Australia have a discussion about the date that Australia Day is celebrated."To many indigenous Australians, in fact most indigenous Australians, it really reflects the day in which our world came crashing down," Dodson said.But his calls were quickly dismissed by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who said: "The Government has no plans to and will not be changing the date of Australia Day or the name of Australia Day."It's not the first time Australia's indigenous people have publicly questioned what they commonly call "Survival Day" or even sometimes "Invasion Day".On January 26, 1938, the Aborigines Progressive Association (APA) led by John Patten and William Ferguson held a peaceful rally marking 150 years of settlement.The APA was protesting against the treatment of indigenous Australians and the theft of their lands.In his book Survival, author Nigel Parbury noted that Aboriginal Australians also boycotted the 1888 centenary celebrations.The Australia Day Council says a turning point came in 1988, the year of the bicentennial celebrations, when 40,000 people (both indigenous and white Australians) marched in protest across Sydney.Out of this protest came the Survival Day events that were held at La Perouse in Sydney from 1992 onwards to celebrate indigenous people's tenacity and strength.In 2003, Survival Day concerts were succeeded by the Yabun Festival held at Victoria Park in Sydney.This event showcases indigenous talent, alongside vigorous debates and the sharing of Aboriginal culture.It is now officially a part of the program by the City of Sydney and Australia Day Council and follows the opening Australia Day indigenous ceremony in the Botanical Gardens known as Woggan-ma-gule.Such events show that indigenous people's feelings and sentiments are being acknowledged and respected even if our shared past history does appear to be coming together on the occasion of Australia Day.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
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