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Why We Need To Talk About Australia Day

It's time for change - by Isobel Larkin
  • 25 Jan 2020

As we creep closer to the 26th of January, my heart fills with dread; it’s time for our annual Australia Day debate to begin.

But, if you asked me what I was up to this weekend a few years back, I’d be stocking my fridge with alcohol and gearing up for a big weekend of day drinking and pool parties with mates to the soundtrack of Triple J’s Hottest 100.

Why We Need To Talk About Australia Day

Because - like many of my peers, I grew up celebrating Australia Day with backyard barbecues and later booze-fuelled house parties - until the day I began learning some disturbing truths about our national day of 'pride' and what it means to our Indigenous brothers and sisters.

Although Australia Day is billed by our federal government as being a day of celebration and unity for our entire nation, it’s not so for our First Nations people, the traditional custodians of this land.

It’s a day of mourning.

clothingthegap View Profile
1,637 likes - View Post on Instagram
As Jan 26 approaches it is important to remember whose land, you're on and the pain and suffering this public holiday has on First Nation people.⁣ ⁣ For First Nation people, this date marks the start of invasion that continues to impact our culture and people today.⁣ ⁣ This day should be about reflection and asking yourself, do you see the bigger picture? ⁣ ⁣ What are you contributing to this conversation around Jan 26? ⁣ ⁣ Where do you stand?⁣ ⁣ Walk with us on a journey of acknowledging that White Australia has a Blak history and Jan 26 is not a date to celebrate.⁣ ⁣ Stand in solidarity with us.⁣ Here's some ways of getting involved:⁣ ⁣ 1. Attend your local march ⁣ 2. Respectfully Wear Aboriginal design.⁣ 3. Educate yourself, share information and engage in conversations- More voices matter ⁣ ⁣ We started Clothing the Gap for Indigenous AND Non-Indigenous people, so we can see more Aboriginal design in the world. It's more than a Tee, it's a conversation starter. ⁣ ⁣ Wear your values on your Tee on Jan 26!!⁣ ⁣ 📸 Photo credit @minnaleunig

THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF 26 JANUARY

This year marks 250 years since the British explorer Captain James Cook arrived in Australia and incorrectly claimed it was ‘terra nullius’ – a Latin expression meaning ‘nobody’s land.’ However, the land was in fact inhabited by a culture which is thought to have been here for around 60,000 years prior to Captain Cook’s landing.

There's a common misconception that Captain Cook arrived in Australia on 26 January and that's why Australia Day is celebrated on this date. But actually, 26 January 1788 was the date Captain Arthur Phillip arrived with the First Fleet (and by this time, Captain Cook had been dead for years) and raised the Union Jack flag, claiming British sovereignty over the continent.

And, the day wasn't even declared as Australia Day until around 150 years later and since that time, the date of Australia Day changed many times. In fact, it was only 25 years ago that it actually became a national public holiday.

So, it seems the historical argument for clinging to 26 January as Australia Day doesn't even hold water and a lot of people are confused about why they're celebrating on that date in the first place.

WHAT 26 JANUARY MEANS TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

For Indigenous people on the other hand, 26 January has been a day of mourning and deep pain for over 250 years and is known as Survival Day or Invasion Day. Captain Arthur Phillip's planting of the Union Jack flag signalled the dawn of unimaginable violence against Indigenous people - massacres, systematic rape, oppression, countless Aboriginal deaths in police custody and the removal of children from their homes – known as the ‘Stolen Generation’ - much of which unbelievably continues today.

“For me, the 26th of January signifies survival and a show of strength. It’s a bit ironic because I’m not usually very symbolic in these types of things but when the other side of the argument are so vocal about keeping the date and not really understanding where we come from, I’ve got to take a stand,” says Indigenous rights advocate Luke Currie-Richardson.

“It’s about the survival of culture and the destruction the First Fleet brought across. It represents a lot of problems in this country and one of the main problems is a lack of empathy and understanding for other people that are seen as different, or not the norm, to white Australia,” Luke continues.

indigenouspeoplesmovement View Profile
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#Repost @guardianaustralia * Hundreds of thousands took part in Invasion Day marches across Australia today. Swipe to see photos from Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart. * 📸 1-2: Glenn Hunt/AAP in Brisbane 3-4: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images in Melbourne 5-6: Cole Bennetts/Getty Images in Sydney 7-8: Philip Bohle in Hobart * #alwayswasalwayswillbe #whiteaustraliahasablackhistory#aboriginalaustralia #indigenousaustralia#australianhistory #AustraliaDay#AlwaysWillBe #walkwithus #survivalday #changethedate #changethenation#january26 #sydney #australiaday2019 #InvasionDay #invasionday2019#melbourne #sydney #brisbane #hobart * #ipmdc19 #ipmstrong #ipmproud #indigneous #indigenouspeople #indigenouspeoplesmovement

ABOLISH THE DATE

Putting aside the argument of when an appropriate date for Australia Day could be, it is difficult to see how we can celebrate the idea of being a unified nation when Indigenous people still continue to suffer at the hands of white Australia.

"How are we ready as a nation to have a day of celebration when the work has not yet been done?" questions Indigenous academic Amy Thunig.

"The day needs to be abolished. It’s a common misunderstanding we’re marching to change the date but we’re marching to change the nation. Many of us hold the view that we need to abolish the day."

"There are no treaties, sovereignty hasn’t been conceded and reparations haven’t been made. Having a national day of celebration positioned as being unifying implies and asserts the work has been done, the violence has been resolved, the reparations have been made and it’s not the case. The work hasn't been done," Amy continues.

"The works needs to be done first. The rent needs to be paid. We need a voice, we need truth and we need treaties. Until those things are in place, until that framework is laid, how can we declare that we are a unified nation?"

DO THE WORK

Unbelievably, Australia is the only major Commonwealth country without an Indigenous treaty and our Constitution contains no recognition of our First Nations people. How can we celebrate Australia being a unified nation when, embarrassingly, we are so far from 'closing the gap.'

"I’ll celebrate when the work has been done, I’ll celebrate when the treaties have been made and signed. I’ll celebrate when my people are no longer over-policed, over-incarcerated and facing unnecessary and violent removal of our children. I’ll celebrate when our sovereignty and our health and our strength is finally given the freedom from the oppression we’ve experienced for over 200 years. Then we can start to move forward and build something together better than what we’re currently living under," says Amy.

bl_snaps View Profile
129 likes - View Post on Instagram
STOP BLACK DEATHS IN CUSTODY * Town Hall, Sydney - Protesting the MURDER of Warlpiri man, Brother Walker of Yuendumu. * * * * #Aboriginal #TorresStraitIslander #Indigenous #firstnations #indigenousrights #firstnations #indigenousphotography #deathsincustody #ancestors #culture #Strength #protest #power #passion #SurvivalDay #InvasionDay #IndigenousAustralian #reconciliation #igdaily #Australia #AboriginalFlag #alwayswasalwayswillbe #AboriginalLand #LOVE #SorryDay #photography #ThroughtheLens #streetshot #ThroughBlackEyes #Sydney #Protestphotography

GET BEHIND THE CAUSE

If you'd like to get behind the cause, simply talking about change isn't enough. We need to bring action to create change. Attending a protest on 26 January is one of the best ways to show your support for our Indigenous brothers and sisters. There are protests happening around Australia including in all major cities.

amythunig View Profile
48 likes - View Post on Instagram
Muloobinba 🙏🏽 Newcastle 👏🏽 are you ready to come together and march with us this Invasion Day? #InvasionDay2020 #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe

"If you’re out to change the world, you’ll fail but if you’re out to change one person’s mind – that’s a generational change. That’s a change for that person, their kids, and their kids' kids after that. That’s how we change the perspective of Australia," explains Luke.

"I’ve met a lot of non-Indigenous people who are scared about throwing their faces behind our causes but come to our protests. Be there and show support. There was an elderly lady at a protest and she wanted me to hold the flag because she didn’t feel right. But, as a white person, you have the strength more than me. Carry my flag and shout the chants. In saying that, don’t speak for us, speak with us," says Luke.

Koori-run Instagram page @blakbusiness also has some excellent advice on how-to be a good ally on Survival/Invasion Day.

blakbusiness View Profile
8,090 likes - View Post on Instagram
Invasion Day/Survival Day can make all people of Australia feel lost and overwhelmed, here's some tips to get you started 🤝 #AboriginalAustralia #FirstNations #FirstNationsAustralia #IndigenousAustralian #Aboriginalbusiness #BlakExcellence #BlakandDeadly #Blakbusiness #Blackbusiness #deadly #Blakness #BlakAustralia #IndigenousCommunity #TorresStraitIslander #mob #AboriginalPeoples #invasionday #survivalday #dayofmourning
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Isobel Larkin
Isobel Larkin
Isobel is a Digital Content Editor at BEAUTYcrew, marie claire and InStyle. She's completely obsessed with skincare and when she's not hunting for the latest news, you’ll find her arranging her product collection in search of the perfect “shelfie.”

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