Invasion of Australia Day

Thirty years ago the 26 January became a public holiday

It was an awesome moment for an entirely different reason and that was the incredible line-up at the Big Day Out concert in Sydney!

In recent years the celebration of Australia Day has been met with increasing recognition that the continent had owners prior to becoming a British colony.

Today I'm pondering if Australia Day would be called Invasion Day regardless of the date because the question of sovereignty remains unanswered.

I believe it's this question that was not satisfactorily addressed in the referendum last year, as many First Nations weren't assured that legal recognition in the Australian Constitution was tantamount to accepting the legitimacy of the document and undermining the need for treaties.

My recollection is the increased funding for Australia Day events saw a rise in patriotism.

Over the years the Big Day Out began to be characterised by people wearing the Australian flag like a cape, for example.

I seem to remember that was one reason given by the concert organisers to hold the event on a different day, but it had also grown to be two concerts in Sydney.

As the population of Australia increasingly recognises a First Nations identity, I expect the question of sovereignty will become louder.

There is a need for our country to reconcile the national narrative, but it will always mean different things to different people.

For me it always was and always will be...

Invasion Day

With Matthew Flinders in the news and Australia Day again raising discussion of colonial history, I'm reminded of the advice proffered by the French Commodore Baudin

As he set sail to also circumnavigate our continent, he wrote to Governor King in 1802 and used fairly strong diplomatic language:

"If you would reflect on the conduct of the natives since you first settled on their territory, you will see that the distance they keep from you and from your customs was brought about by the idea they formed of the men who wished to live with them. In spite of your precautions and the punishments you dealt out to those who mistreated them, they were able to discern your future projects, but, being too weak to resist you, the fear of your weapons has made them leave their land, so that the hope of seeing them mix among you is lost, and you will soon be left the peaceful possessors of their birthright, as the small number of them living around you will not last for long."

p.141, https://sydney.edu.au/…/pdfs/correspondence_port_jackson.pdf

Poisoned Waterhole

The fifth and final poem in the Crossing Streams collaboration between Naviar Records and Western Riverina Arts.

Journalist Stan Grant has written about the significance of the name and I wondered if the image of a poisoned waterhole would open up other interpretations of how humans treat their environment.

When I settled on using this poem, I decided to employ a technique promoted by my sometime collaborator Garlo Jo.

He's been encouraging musicians to record the wind playing their instruments on the Vent de Guitares website, which now links to the video below.



Below are the contributed recordings responding to this haiku.

Always was and always will be

This graffiti of the Australian Aboriginal Flag was one I noticed on the drive to Griffith some years ago. 

Then I noticed it had a cross like a gun sight put over it, then the letters.

It's located on the second of the three rises between Whitton and Griffith. Sometimes the grass has grown and it's hard to spot. I've misplaced it a few times.

I went looking for the spot to take this photo after meaning to stop for many years.

New flags appeared a couple of weeks ago.

This one at the turn to Griffith was cleaned off within a week.

Opposite the Cemetary is another flag.

Within a week it was defaced.


It seems significant to observe that this display of the Aboriginal Flag comes on the anniversary of the state of Victoria beginning treaty discussions with their first nations.

The phrase "always was and always will be" is frequently uttered during the 'Welcome to country' ceremonies, which are now a common part of many official functions.

This floored me

Racism in Australia

Adam Goodes is a footballer who didn't back down when confronted with racism, so it's surprising to see the level of denial that has rippled through Australian society as a result.

I think Neel Kolhatkar has a wry perspective on this debate. I'd like to see him live but I'd want to be close enough to see his details. He's a funny guy.

The original Rainbow Warrior

Pemulway is a fascinating character in Australian history. An Aboriginal who fought against European settlement, he's since come to be presented as a kind of Robin Hood character but one wonders if he wouldn't also be described as a terrorist.

There's now a suburb named Pemulway in outer Sydney and it seems somewhat ironic that one who fought so hard against colonisation should now be remembered this way.

The black armband view of Australian history

This view is from outside Narrandera and I wonder if it's part of the history of killing Aboriginals in the area. The Wiradjuri Nation fought against European farmers but the local Narrungderra tribe were eventually rounded up and annihilated on what is now known as Massacre Island.