Anzac Day sees greater acknowledgment of Indigenous soldiers

There has been growing recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Soldiers but people are calling for Australia's Frontier Wars to be remembered on Anzac Day.

Chair of the Australian War memorial council Kim Beazley (right) sits next to Warrant Officer Tommy Munyarryan during ANZAC Day commemorations at the Australian War Memorial. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

Around the country, multiple Anzac Day ceremonies and events were held to remember the services of First Nations veterans and soldiers.

In Canberra, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commemorative Ceremony, in particular, recognised the military services of our people.

It saw Indigenous and non-Indigenous people gather to commemorate the tremendous contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers, honouring those who served in the Australian forces since 1901.

The ceremony was held on the grounds of the Australian War Memorial after the Anzac Dawn service.

During the event, special guest and Yolgnu Warrant Officer, Tommy Munyarryan presented the Chair of the Australian War memorial council, Kim Beazley with an Aboriginal message stick.

Mr Beazley said honouring the Frontier Wars are part of truth-telling. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

Just last week, Mr Beazley advocated for Aboriginal resistance fighters to be included in the Australian War Memorial.

When referring to the long-running Frontier Wars, Mr Beazley said that "I think for the original population of Australia, the First Nations people, they deserve the dignity of resistance."

He said that greater recognition of the Frontier Wars in the War Memorial would be an important part of truth-telling.

Despite Mr Beazley's comments, the Returned Servicemen League (RSL) is against incorporating the Frontier Wars in Anzac Day services.

PM acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers

The Canberra dawn service saw Prime Minister Anthony Albanese call for more recognition of First Nations soldiers.

"It must be acknowledged that we have not always honoured those who have fought in our name as well as we should," he said.

Likewise, we must acknowledge the truth that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who donned the khaki fought harder for Australia than Australia was sometimes willing to fight for them.

Looking back at history

It is documented that at least 1,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people served in the First World War, and thousands more in World War II.

Mob fought for their country despite laws that prevented their enlistment, discrimination, social exclusion and violence.

Some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers even had to deny their Indigeneity in order to enlist.

Although fighting side-by-side with other Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers weren't considered citizens at the time. Many found military service to be their first experience of equality.

Between 1942-1945, over 1,000 men enlisted from the Torres Strait.

Indigenous women also played a big role in the second world war, filling a variety of roles in the auxiliary forces.

Calls for Australia's Frontier Wars to be remembered on Anzac Day

While the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers is an important part of truth-telling, many continue to call for the Frontier Wars to be recognised on Anzac Day.

The Frontier Wars refer to the conflict between the British settler colony and First Nations people.

Research shows the Frontier Wars led to at least 10,000 Indigenous people being killed in 416 massacres between 1780 and 1930.