Mixed reactions to Australia Day
Thousands of events were held across the state yesterday to commemorate and question the nation’s official birthday in Australian culture.
While many citizens celebrated their patriotism on January 26, others reacted differently to the anniversary of the First Fleet’s arrival in 1788.
At Sydney’s Victoria Park, Indigenous culture was celebrated at the Yabun Festival, drawing over 10,000 audience members.
Miah Wright, an organiser of the festival and spokesperson for the Gadigal community, the traditional owners of the inner-city area, said Yabun is first and foremost a day of celebration for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community of NSW.
“[Yabun] highlights our achievements and struggles in a positive way by coming together and showcasing our culture and talent.”
On the struggles for Australia’s Indigenous cultures, Ms Wright said her community still considers Australia Day to be ‘Invasion Day’.
“However, Yabun likes to bring a more positive celebration on the day and show we are still here standing proud and our culture is still as strong as ever.”
Activist and president of the Indigenous Social Justice Association, Ray Jackson, said the Yabun Festival and its support from governments like the City of Sydney Council ignores the politics of invasion.
“Activists like me will call it Invasion Day or even Sorry Day,” he said.
“We continue to lobby the Federal Government to find a better and more appropriate Australia Day such as the federation of the country on January 1, 1901.
“The Feds, in their wisdom, seemingly prefer the day when the original boat people invaded.”
To mark ‘Invasion Day’, Mr Jackson attended the 40th anniversary of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy outside Parliament House in Canberra.
“[The anniversary of the] Tent Embassy is of the utmost importance to all aborigines as it signifies the first collective call by us for land rights,” Mr Jackson said.
“Also in that call was the first united call for sovereignty treaties and social justice including the stolen generation.”
Michael Anderson is the last survivor of the four original campaigners who huddled under an umbrella on January 26, 1972. He said that 40 years on, Australia has yet to deal with its history.
“Today’s Aboriginal people are no better off than they ever were,” Mr Anderson said.
“Aboriginal people do not see themselves as Australian. They have always been the outsiders in their own country.
“Federation Day is more appropriate as there’s not much to celebrate on January 26; they came and invaded other people’s land.”
