Australian Day over the years occupies my thoughts more and more when the day nears. While I was never a 'it must be the 26th or else' person, I have come to think that perhaps the day should be changed, perhaps to May when we don't have a public holiday or perhaps in Spring when public holidays are scarce. I am sure there is something to celebrate in May and we could find something in Spring too.
Here is what I am now thinking. Britain claimed Australia for itself, in spite of there being an Aboriginal population estimated to be 3/4 of a million people. Defence of their land from foreigners was probably not on their minds and they must have been very tempted by bright and shiny things. Our ancestors brought diseases alien to the native population, they encroached further and further on their hunting, fishing and living land. They massacred local Aboriginal populations. The list is almost endless about the wrongs done by the colonialists against the local population. And look at what we have done to country in a little more than 200 years, sent it on the road to ecological and environmental ruin, whereas the Aborigines knew how to work with the land, not against it. Is it any wonder our Aborigines call Australia Day, Invasion Day.
Well, that is what my and perhaps your ancestors did. It wasn't right and no one can argue that it was. But, I am here now and I am not going to go away. It is now my country too. I know no other and I am too born of its soil.
Here is another aspect to it, as in a Tweet I saw. Why do we celebrate the day of claiming Australia as a prison island of Britain?
I really do think the date of the 26th of January is anachronistic for we newer inhabitants of our continent, and offensive to those who were here for hundreds of thousand years.
Nevertheless, a very Happy Australia Day to you, and happy Indian Republic Day to those here and on the subcontinent. Indians are a pretty good fit in Australia.
No info available to credit the photo.
YES. I am the first Australian born member of my family, but I am (despite not liking sport or Vegemite) Australian. I would happily see a day to celebrate chosen which has the potential to unify us. Wattle day?
ReplyDeleteEC, I can forgive you for not liking sport, as I don't either, but not liking Vegemite! Wattle Day might be the ideal day.
DeleteRighteous Photo And Happy Day To You Brother Man
ReplyDeleteCheers
Padre, thanks, I think.
DeleteAndrew, Still at least you have a National Celebration Day. Our U.K National Day , St Georges Day (April 23rd) barely even gets a mention in our media thanks to the pc brigade. Even our own English St George's flag is treated with racist suspicion.
ReplyDeleteThe BBC has a lot to answer for. It must be the last institution to put up it's annual Christmas tree (seen each day on the News) at BBC News HQ, for fear of upsetting groups and non Christians that don't celebrate English culture.
As a kid I always remember having to wear my Scout uniform to School on St George's Day. But I fear that our National Day is being buried and forgotten. Being patriotic here in The United Kingdom of Political Correctness now has racist overtones.
The news that the BBC puts out internationally worldwide is not quite the same as our own internal BBC biased and unfair news coverage. Their handling of Brexit is disgraceful, being pro Europe.
Anyway, I hear it's finally cooling down in Melbourne.
Happy Invasion Day!
Dee, interesting to hear your perspective on the UK. The flag of St George should not be contentious. None of our tv stations have a Christmas tree. Your last sentence about the BBC is noted. Cooler, but still unpleasantly warm and the air con is still on.
DeleteI am glad you remembered to say happy Indian Republic Day to Indians everywhere - I did not remember their day.
ReplyDeleteIndians are a very good fit in Australia, and more Indians will be given Australian citizenship today than any other national group, even British.
Hels, given the numbers of Indian immigrants, and that they tend to have many children, it is just as well that they are a good fit, and work and pay taxes to support us oldies.
DeleteI am conflicted about the date of our national day.As you rightly say it is the anniversary that a penal settlement was established by the English.It also is the anniversary of the beginning of the destruction of the first people's way of life. The date could be changed because it's really irrelevant to how I feel about our amazing country which I think is the best in the world even with all its imperfections.Happy Australia Day !
ReplyDeleteCheryl, while I will step back from saying it is the best country in the world, it is not half bad. Yes, I think we could find a better day, one that we can all agree on and I rather like the idea using Wattle Day.
DeleteHappy Australia Day ..... I am like Cheryl Gardiner on thinking about the date and should we change it.
ReplyDeleteLady J, it seems so far as per comments, we all agree. There could be a better day.
DeleteHappy Australia Day to you - I forgot about it, as once it was celebrated as it is today by many.
ReplyDeleteDid you know that King Bungaree was the first person from this country (Australia) to circumnavigate the continent with Matthew Flinders from 1802 to 1803. There is no statue of this Aboriginal in Australia.
Margaret, I am sure you have local celebrations for the day. I did not know about Bungaree and thanks very much for the info. Melbourne certainly has a statue of Matthew Flinders.
DeleteCelebrate on January 1 when the Federation of Australia was formed. Then you can extend the New Year's Eve piss up for another day.
ReplyDeleteAlso Happy Birthday to Ellen DeGeneres, 61 today. - Ian
No Ian. We would lose a public holiday, unless like the Scots we have hangover public holiday after NYE.
DeleteA public holiday in May would be nice, already too many holidays in January. Being a recent Australian citizen I tend not to give my opinion on these matters, but the discussion about a change to Australia Day has been going on for years, I wish someone would make a decision!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Australia day Andrew!
Sami, you have your piece of paper. You are Australian. You have a perfect right to offer your opinion about your country.
DeleteYou're quite right Andrew and I do agree with your opinion and don't know why it's taking so long for things to change!
DeleteWhat Deejohn failed to mention was that the English are actively encouraged to celebrate St Patrick's Day, St Andrew's Day, and St David's Day; but heaven help any English person who mentions St George's Day. OK, we were a world colonial power (with all that went with it), but the PC brigade have made many English feel ashamed of their great country. It really makes you wonder why it's still the destination of choice for the world's refugees.
ReplyDeleteCro, there is an awful lot that happened in England to be ashamed of, but all so long ago. Pretty sad about St George's Day, and they wonder why people embrace UKIP.
DeleteCro, You're so right. I forgot to mention St Patrick's Day, an even bigger and more notable day in our English calendar.
DeleteYes we English have kind of adopted Paddy's Day due to the non existence of our own National Day plus the fact that so many Irish live here.
Also my own Mother was from County Mayo so I'm half Irish.
I love that photo, all those sparklers in unison. When we were young, no one ever thought of Australia Day as Invasion day, that's a relatively new concept. I think simply setting foot upon this land for the first time can't be seen as invasion either, that came later with the taking of lands and killing of indigenous people. So I don't see any point in changing the date. Find another reason for a public holiday in May.
ReplyDeleteRiver, I did not realise they were sparklers, but I see it now. I am not sure about the date. I really should check.
DeleteI've just read Cheryl Gardiner's comment, was the 26th the day the Penal Settlement was established? I don't know my history all that well, I thought Australia Day was when the English people first set foot upon our continent.
ReplyDeleteI don't know either, River.
DeleteI have long thought January 1 was a far more appropriate day, as that's the day of Federation, when we became an independent nation. January 26 remains a significant date, of course, because it's when Australia changed forever, but it's not the day we should celebrate.
ReplyDeleteJames, apart from me saying piss orf, we would lose a public holiday, is Federation inclusive of Aborigines? I think Wattle Day might be more meaningful to them.
DeleteThe most inclusive day would be if there was a treaty, or treaties. I work with a few NZ'ers, and they've organised a Waitangi Day lunch on February 6, NZ's national day, recognising the day of the treaty there.
DeleteYes, it all began so differently in NZ.
DeleteI think everything should be changed...including attitudes. Why not change the date of Christmas Day...no one really knows if that is the correct date. It was just a chosen number. Easter is fine because it changes every year.
ReplyDeleteI'm considering changing my birthday...the day and date are okay, but I might drag the year forward a few or more!
Some people wouldn't be happy if they won a major lottery win!
Lee, Christmas in July would be much more pleasant for Australians. Those hot ovens bursting with roasts would be welcome.
DeleteI'd like to drag the year I was born a bit forward too. How many years could we get away with?
My mum claimed to be 26 until I was too, then she was 36 for a few years.
Deletelol
DeleteFunny, River. My mother would never tell people her age until recently when she discovered she get sympathy for being a poor old infirm 85 year old.
DeleteI too think it is about time the date was changed. I love EC's idea of Wattle Day. Works for me!!
ReplyDeleteCM, so do I.
DeleteWhen is Wattle day?
ReplyDeleteSeptember 1, I believe.
DeleteMaybe Wattle Day isn't such a good idea as we have a public holiday Friday Grand Final Eve in September for the first Saturday in September.
DeleteI have read a lot about Australia. What the UK did even until the 70th when they sent whole orphanats to Australia, to be cheap workers was certainly not nice !
ReplyDeleteGattina, the orphan business was terrible. Add to that indentured labour from nearby islands of people known as Kanakas.
DeleteAs you know I absolutely agree, we should change the date.. it's no big deal for us but a HUGE deal for Indigenous Australians.
ReplyDeleteGrace, you are so right. I want to celebrate Australia Day, but the 26th is meaningless to me. Just for once, maybe the Aborigines could have their say. Of course you will want it in the summer for the fireworks show, although I suppose they could happen in your winter too, as it is not so cold.
Delete