Ever since the beginning of time and right up until the 25th January 1788, Aboriginal people across Australia enjoyed rich, happy, and healthy lives. We had our own land, languages, education and political systems, customs, traditions, and laws. We had exclusive rights over the whole country, its Islands, and its seas.
We were strong, proud, and sovereign people with full control over our own lives and destinies.
Then suddenly, on that date, the tall ships arrived on our shores, and the British Invasion of Aboriginal lands began.
They were armed to the teeth with a mission to wipe out the entire Aboriginal race and claim our lands as their own. From that day forward, the lives that Aborigines had known for thousands of years were destroyed, forever.
The excuse that we are 'all Australian' and that 'what happened to Aborigines is in the past so we should all move on' is bulls**t - could you imagine the reaction if we said the same thing every Anzac or Remembrance Day?
For many of us, January 26th will always be a day of mourning, hurt and sorrow but also a day to honour the many Aboriginal warriors who fought and died while having to defend their lands and lives.
The celebrations of this date each year are degrading, hurtful and downright racist. Those of us who feel an obligation to our ancestors can’t join in the celebrations and those who feel a sense of shame that a nation would proudly gloat about the victory of one race over another while turning a blind eye to the misery it has caused, can’t celebrate, yet politicians claim that Australia day is a day of unity.
The excuse that we are 'all Australian' and that 'what happened to Aborigines is in the past so we should all move on' is bulls**t - could you imagine the reaction if we said the same thing every Anzac or Remembrance Day?
Most people who spend Australia day at the beach or having a BBQ with their mates aren’t celebrating the significance of the date. They’re celebrating all the things that being Australian means to them; none of which should relate to the atrocities committed against our people which began on January 26th.
Nala Mansell says there should be not celebrations on January 26. Source: Supplied
So why not change the date?
The only reason Australia day remains on a date that completely divides the nation is because of the weak and gutless federal and state politicians who refuse to show leadership on the issue and force us to suffer the insensitive celebrations.
While the date of Australia day may not have yet changed the day certainly has and so are the minds, understanding and attitudes of thousands of people who give up their public holiday to join in the Invasion Day protests held across the country each year. The biggest Australia day events are no longer the celebrations, they are protests and rallies against it.
In Tasmania in 2013, the community on Flinders Island expressed the divide the celebrations of January 26th caused. Reflecting those discussions, the Flinders Island Council quietly moved the celebrations to the following weekend and suddenly everyone was able to celebrate and join in the fun. The move has unified the Flinders Island community and the festival is now a glowing success.
Last year, the Launceston City Council held its citizenship ceremony on the 25th January instead of the 26th, Cricket Australia no longer refers to it as Australia day, Triple J changed the date of their countdown and pubs and clubs in Tasmania and across the nation are changing their Australia day events to ‘change the date’ events.
Even the winner of the most prestigious Australia Day award, Grace Tame, has called for the date to be changed.
As more people become aware of the significance of January 26th, our marches and rallies will continue to grow. We’ve got triple the amount of people at our protests in Tasmania compared to what we had a couple years ago, and the support is only going to continue to grow.
Nala Mansell has called for an end to race-based celebrations on January 26. Source: Supplied: Nala Mansell
It's not on us
But the call to change the date shouldn’t be the responsibility of Aborigines. We have an obligation to our old fullas to remind this country that the flag they so proudly wave on January 26th is covered in the blood of our ancestors and that celebrating the war against Aborigines is wrong, hypocritical, and offensive.
Once this country and our elected leaders are willing to acknowledge and accept these facts, they will then be the ones demanding the date be changed.
January 26th is quickly becoming one of the most powerful and unifying examples that I have ever seen of the impact that can be made when people come together to fight for what we know is right. It is the government who should hang their heads in shame every Australia Day.
It’s time for Australia’s elected leaders to hear the voices of the thousands of people who take to the streets.
It’s time to acknowledge the leadership of the local councils and of all those around the country who are demanding a day of unity on a different date.
it is time for Australia to right the wrongs of the past by acknowledging the true history of this country and put an end to the race-based celebrations of January 26th.
Nala Mansell is a proud palawa woman from nipaluna/Hobart and is the Campaign Manager for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.
a selection of dedicated programming, special events and news highlights with a focus on encouraging a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on 26 January. Join the conversation #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe
