As many of you know, Memefest has been working with Aboriginal activists in Australia for a couple of years now. As part of last year's symposium and workshop we made contact with many new friends in Melbourne who are working towards genuine recognition of the sovereignty that was never ceded to the colonial invaders 277 years ago in this country. Australia is the only Commonwealth country that has failed to negotiate a treaty with the First Nations people of this country and that still incarcerates Aboriginal people in disproportionate numbers compared to white "Australians" and child removal from communities has increased five fold since the Bringing them Home report written in 1998 (3000 Aboriginal children then - over 16000 now). You can find more information here http://treatyrepublic.net/
On Monday 26 January 2015, a day white Australia celebrates as "Australia Day" and a day of mourning for those people whose country was stolen from them 227 years ago, 2000 Aboriginal people and non Aboriginal accomplices gathered on the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne to remember all of the ancestors who died trying to defend their lands from the Colonial invaders. We laid flowers and listened to stories from the past and present. We then marched down one of Melbourne's main streets where we managed to break through the barriers that had been erected for the "Australia Day Parade" and crash the official party. It was amazing. Posters that had been produced by Sandy Kalternborn's Memefest workshop group had been made into shields and were proudly displayed by young and old. Other posters created in support of the Grandmothers Against Removals GMAR, who we worked with at Memefest 2014 also present and had been postered around the streets the day before by Vida Voncina Vodeb and her family.
It was a privilege and an honour to be able to participate in this event alongside other Memefest comrades - Oliver, Adam, Kristy-Lee, Vida and many others.
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=516318298508451&pnref=story
Comments
To comment, please create a Memefest account, it will take you only 2 minutes!
Login here if you already have one.
8 years, 2 months ago
Thank you for writing this Lisa. This event was much more significant for aboriginal people than I was aware of. I am honoured they trusted our work and used it in their struggle.
Being a new resident in Australia for the past year I am only starting to learn about its history, but this event immersed me deeper into the complexity and hardship of their struggle for justice, as well as in the power of trust for the future we heard in their voices.
Many Memefest groups are working further on this issues and I am looking forward to the things we can achieve together.
8 years, 2 months ago
Thank you Lisa for writing this. It was a great experience and I feel proud of our all work and the dialogues we are buildng with the Aboriginal communities.
Much more to come:
For now: Whisper. http://whisper.org.au/
The first of many Whispers that will follow soon. Get facts about child removal from Aboriginal families on the Whisper web site and join the protests in Canberra on February 13th.
The protest will take place on the 7th anniversary of Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generations - sorry means you don’t do it again!
8 years, 2 months ago
Great post, Lisa. Makes me feel like I was there! Keep fighting the good fight.
8 years, 1 month ago
Uau, thank you Lisa for these reportage. It is really amazing seeing familiar faces, familiar graphics, familiar feelings marching through the streets of Melbourne and fighting this crazy unfairness!
I'm proud to be a small particle in all this. Keep the fire burning!
8 years, 1 month ago
Over 1,000,000 views of this video of the protest - amazing https://www.facebook.com/ourcountryourchoice/photos/a.388564327950516.1073741828.388551467951802/518255108314770/?type=1&pnref=story
8 years, 1 month ago
And the actual video
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=516318298508451&pnref=story
