On January 26th, a date etched in Australia's history, thousands across the nation gathered not in celebration, but in solemn reflection and protest. This day, officially marked as Australia Day, has long been a source of pain and division for First Nations communities, who instead refer to it as Invasion Day. The annual rallies, held in major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, and Hobart, are a powerful call to either change the date or abolish the national day altogether.
Australia Day commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet and the raising of the Union Jack at Sydney Cove in 1788. But here's where it gets controversial: for Indigenous Australians, this date symbolizes the beginning of colonization, dispossession, and suffering. The first Day of Mourning was held in 1938, and since then, January 26th has been a day of reckoning and resistance.
In Sydney, Uncle Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, a Warlpiri elder from the NT's Yuendumu community, addressed the crowd with a heart-wrenching story. He spoke of his grandson, Kumanjayi White, who died in custody in Alice Springs after being restrained by police over a minor incident. 'My grandson... has been strangled for one Coca-Cola,' he said, his words echoing the deep injustice faced by Indigenous Australians. 'We are losing too much of our loved ones. Not only that, our land has been taken away.'
The Yabun festival, held on Gadigal land, is one of the most significant First Nations gatherings, showcasing Indigenous talent and resilience. Yolngu musician Baker Boy reflected on how his understanding of the day has evolved. 'Growing up in Arnhem Land, I never really understood what it meant until I explored New South Wales and Victoria as a teenager,' he shared. He advocates for January 26th to be formally recognized as a Day of Mourning for First Peoples, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging Australia's dark history.
And this is the part most people miss: the call for change goes beyond just altering a date. In Melbourne, Uncle Mark Brown, through a statement read by Millie Ingram, highlighted that colonization persists in modern forms—in deaths in custody, in the removal of children from families, and in systemic injustices. 'Changing the date matters because dates carry meaning, but let's not pretend that changing the date alone fixes injustice,' he urged.
Across the country, from the dawn mourning service at Camp Sovereignty in Melbourne to the marches in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Canberra, the message was clear: January 26th should be a day of truth-telling, reflection, and cultural sharing, not celebration. In Hobart, attendees turned their backs on parliament, chanting, 'We won't stop, we won't go away, we won't celebrate invasion day.'
Here’s a thought-provoking question for you: Can Australia truly move forward without fully acknowledging and addressing the historical and ongoing injustices faced by its First Nations peoples? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Let’s keep this important conversation going.
