The relevancy of Australia Day : Melbourne Indymedia

MAYBE I'M THE ONLY ONE

Watching the television news, reading the newspapers and listening to the radio, I could be forgiven for thinking that I'm the only person in Australia that is both uneasy and embarrassed about celebrating Australia Day on the 26th January. Examining those smiling faces excitedly waving their Australian flags, I wonder how many people know the significance of the day. There seems to be a national consensus emerging, fanned by an uncritical fourth estate, that it's appropriate for Australians to celebrate what we believe are important values on the day that the original inhabitants of this continent were dispossessed of their land, language and culture.

I wonder how many of those excited faces madly waving Australian flags would feel about celebrating Australia Day on the day that foreign invaders robbed them of the very values that they believe are worth celebrating. It's undeniable there has been a cultural shift in this country, that tends to both ignore and devalue the historical reality faced by many people in Australia.

No amount of flag waving, back slapping jingoism and historical revisionism can change the facts. The 26th January marks the beginning of a colonisation process that drove a people that had lived on this continent for over 40,000 years to the fringes of European society. It's important to remember that the new Australia has been established on the blood and bones of those who have been dispossessed of their birthright by force.

To continue to celebrate Australia Day on the 26th January calls into doubt the very values that Australians believe are worth celebrating. To continue to mark the country's national day on a day that alienates a significant minority of the population, does not do anyone justice. A national day should be a day we all should be proud of. It's time the myths Australia Day are built on, are exposed and a national day that is inclusive and reflects values we can call our own, is decided by the Australian people initially via a non binding plebiscite and ultimately via a referendum.

HERE WE GO AGAIN

If Japan had succeeded in invading and conquering Australia during World War Two, I wonder how many Australians would think it's appropriate that Australia's national day is celebrated on the day Australia surrendered to the Japanese? Persisting with celebrating Australia Day on the 26th January, the day that marks the beginning of the colonisation process and the dispossession of the original inhabitants of this country, displays an immaturity and insensitivity that is hard to fathom.

If as a people we believe it's important we have a national day that we are able to be proud of, it's essential the day does not alienate a significant section of the community. It's time that consideration be given to choosing another day to celebrate Australia's national day.

Over the years the 1st January Federation Day, the 25th April ANZAC Day, the 1st September Wattle Day and the 3rd December Eureka Stockade Day have all been suggested as alternatives to the 26th January. Although each one of these days could be seen as a suitable alternative to the current celebrations, they don't quite measure up to the occasion.

An alternative for a national day, that's both inclusive and central to our identity as a people, is the 3rd June Mabo Day. On the 3rd June 1992 the High Court of Australia decided that indigenous Australians (as the occupiers of the land before white colonisation began), had rights to land in law. The 3rd June marks the beginning of the reconciliation process between this country's original inhabitants and the waves of immigrants that have now made this land their land. Jettisoning the 26th January as Australia's national day and replacing it with the 3rd June would make Australia's national day a day all Australians could proudly call their own.

From Anarchist Age weekly Review Number 579, 26th January -1st February 2004
and Number 578, 19th January - 25th January 2004.

More information on Maboday:
http://www.takver.com/history/ph_maboday.htm