For the two or three years, some friends of mine and I have been discussing the date of Australia Day, and whether the 26th of January is an inappropriate date for the 'celebration of the nation'. This date, of course, marks the arrival of Europeans to Australia. This was a good thing for them (which for me is actually 'us') but a terrible interuption to the culture, history and wellbeing of Australia's indigenous people. If the intention is to include all Australians in our national celebration, then it seems to us that it is not just a bad date to choose, but the worse date that could have been chosen. To many indigenous Australians, the 26th of January is better understood as 'Invasion Day' or 'Survival Day' and on the 26th of January, these folk are either not participating in the celebrations or commemorating the day in other more sombre ways...
My friends and I have begun to play around with the idea of a small campaign to draw attention to this issue. We call it 'I'm Working For A Better Australia Day' and it is an opportunity for people to make a personal statement about the inappropriate Australia Day date by going to work on the Australia Day public holiday (which for this year, is Monday, the 28th of January) instead of joining in the celebration. We're not totally Un-Australian... we still think that Australia Day should be celebrated (because there is much to celebrate - it's awesome), we'll just do it on another day. For this year, we've just put up a facebook page to get the idea out there but if the idea takes off, then who knows what we could do with it in the next few years to come. The facebook page is there to provide a forum for this particular issue, as well as other issues that relate to ways of moving forward together and closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous life outcomes. It is also a forum to discuss the protest action of going to work on the Australia Day public holiday, working out what might be involved in doing that and reflecting on the experience afterwards.
So, if this issue and action resonates with you, check out our new 'I'm Working For A Better Australia Day' facebook page and 'like it', 'share it' or 'whatever else it' and get on board...
If you're in the market for a contraversial, theological perspective on the issue of the coming of Europeans to Australia, the plight of Australia's indigenous people today and what we could / should do to move ahead in a God-honouring way, then read through 'Australia - Whose Land?' by Dr Peter Adams. It is a thought-provoking look at the issues through a particular Biblical lens that will certainly get you thinking,even if you won't know what to exactly to think about it.Many people and groups talk about this issue... even the National Australia Day Council vocalise their thoughts on the appropriateness of the 26th of January as the date for Australia Day, then you can check that our by going to their 'A Date for All Australians?' page and their 'Reconciliation' page.
That'll do for now... Shalom...
Steve
