This post contains information about January 26 and maybe upsetting for some people to read.
CREATE Foundation acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples, Traditional Owners and custodian caretakers of the lands, skies and waters where we live and work. We pay deep respect to Elders, knowledge holders and community leaders across all First Nations communities – metro, regional, rural and remote – and all Traditional Homelands.
We acknowledge that Australia is culturally rich with the oldest living cultures on earth. And we acknowledge over 60,000 years of a multi-layered, support focused, moiety system and kinship structure, raising kids strong, connected to Culture, Ancestors, Dreaming, Kin, Community and Country.
What's to celebrate?
On January 26, 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip raised the Union Jack flag at Warrane (Sydney Cove), marking the beginning of British colonial rule.
This date of January 26 represents the start of colonisation, dispossession of lands and the decimation of the First Nations population. So, it poses the question: “What’s to celebrate?”
Australia is the only former British colony celebrating its national day on the anniversary that colonisation began. This is a choice that has been made (since 1994) and a controversial one, considering the lands we are on today date back well over 60,000 years and First Nations peoples in Australia are believed to be the oldest continuous cultures living on earth.
For decades, First Nations peoples and supporters have been calling for change.
In 1938, Yorta Yorta man and Secretary of the Australian Aborigines’ League, William Cooper penned a letter stating that Aboriginal people intend to “observe a DAY OF MOURNING concurrently with the white man’s DAY OF REJOICING to celebrate the 150th year of the coming of the white man to Australia.” In the letter he also tells of a protest being organised for 26 January 1938.
This action aimed to draw to attention the dehumanisation and unequal treatment that Aboriginal people faced under colonial rule.
You can learn more about Mr William Cooper who fought the dehumanisation and discrimination against Aboriginal people and campaigned for equal rights for Aboriginal people throughout the country at williamcooper.monash.edu
We stand in solidarity with First Nations peoples who have long observed January 26 as a Day of Mourning and we acknowledge the ongoing impacts of colonisation today.
Survival and resistance
Survival and resistance by First Nations peoples have been a constant throughout history.
Aboriginal people fought to protect their lands when the British invaded and advocated to be treated equally under the law. They have resisted oppression, dehumanisation, structural and systemic violence and discrimination inflicted upon them for centuries.
Their survival and strength is what we will be reflecting on, on January 26.
Justice and healing
The path to healing and reconciliation must be walked by all and there must be a genuine commitment alongside concrete actions to address the injustices of the past and commit to minimising future harm.
To celebrate Invasion Day is to ignore and deny what has been done and continues to be done to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. From the stolen generations when Aboriginal children were forcibly removed from their families between 1905 – 1967+ (continuing today through over-representation in child protection and justice systems) to the Assimilation Policy attempting to erase Aboriginal culture and ties with family and communities that has profoundly impacted future generations and their connection to culture.
We have put together some suggestions for showing solidarity on Invasion Day, as well as support and resources.
CREATE Foundation thanks Aunty Tammy of Mullah Mara Together for her generosity and time in sharing information, resources and advice in the preparation of this post. Thank you, Aunty Tammy.
How to show solidarity on Invasion Day
Don’t attend parties or events that celebrate Australia Day
Do attend a Survival Day/Invasion Day Rally
Sign and share the petition by Clothing the Gaps
Donate to a First Nations charity or NFP
Educate yourself and friends and family about why January 26 is not a date to celebrate
Support and resources
- 13YARN – 13 92 76
- WellMob – wellmob.org.au
- Yarns Heal- yarnsheal.com.au
- National Indigenous Critical Response Team 1800 805 801
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
Shareable social media tiles by
@northbutsouthhh
Free flyer for your school or workplace by @clothingthegaps
