Invasion Day ~ Australia Day... Aussie Aussie Aussie

[Dominic]

Today is Australia day!
Here is our public relations manager sporting the Australian flag and thrilling the neighbours with her Aussie spirit:

It's important to acknowledge that for indigenous Australians today is considered 'Invasion Day' because the British basically invaded a country already owned by natives and declared it uninhibited by anyone.
So it's more than fitting to share with you this important reflection :

(the picture on my office wall is of the tribal boundaries of aboriginal clans)

"As we gather on this sacred land, let us acknowledge that we are standing on country for which the members and elders of the local Aboriginal community and their forebears have been custodians for thousands of years, on which they have performed age old ceremonies, celebrations, initiations and renewals. We acknowledge their living culture and unique role in the life of this country."

Aware of the reality behind the founding of this nation, we are proud Australians.
So shout it out if you are an Aussie....
Aussie Aussie Aussie...

[sashalee]

oi oi oi!!!!!

(Some Aus day snaps - my sis n her friend, and my mate and his Dad... lotsa FUN!!)

[Rose]

Australia Day 2006 seems like a good time to share with you all the Alexandrina Shire Council's official apology to the Ngarrindjeri peoples of the Coorong and Lower Murray Lakes.


This apology was tendered to the Ngarrindjeri nation following the conflict that beset the community as a result of the Hindmarsh Island Bridge Affair, which saw the cultural sensibilities of the Ngarrindjeri people trampled upon in the name of financial profit.


It is unfortunate that it took an event as shaming to Australia as this to inspire local government to do what the Federal Government still refuses to do, but heartening that they had the courage to acknowledge the wrongs that had been done.

Sincere expression of sorrow and apology to the Ngarrindjeri People.


To the Ngarrindjeri people, the Traditional owners of the land and waters within the region, the Alexandrina Council expresses sorrow and sincere regret for the suffering and injustice that you have experienced since colonisation and we share with you our feelings of shame and sorrow at the mistreatment your people have suffered.



We respect your autonomy and uniqueness of your culture. We offer our support and commitment to your determination to empower your communities in the struggle for justice, freedom and protection of your Heritage, Culture and interests within the Council area and acknowledge your right to determine your future

We commit to work with you. We acknowledge your wisdom and we commit to ensuring our actions and expressions best assist your work. We accept your frustrations at our past ways of misunderstanding you.

We are shamed to acknowledge that there is still racism within our communities. We accept that our words must match our actions and we pledge to you that we will work to remove racism and ignorance.

We will recognise your leadership, we honour your visions, and we hope for a future of working together with respect for each other.
We look forward to achieving reconciliation with justice.
We ask to walk beside you, and to stand with you to remedy the legacy of 166 years of European occupation of your land and waters and control of your lives.


The work of the Alexandrina Council will be guided by your vision of a future where reconciliation through agreement making may be possible and we may walk together.


The Alexandrina Council acknowledges the Ngarrindjeri People's ongoing connection to the land and waters within its area and further acknowledges the Ngarrindjeri people's continuing culture and interests therein.


Signed for and on behalf of the Alexandrina Council by the Mayor, Mr. Kym McHugh


Witnessed for the Council by the Chief Executive,
Mr. John Coombe



Witnessed for the Ngarrindjeri People by the Rupelle of the Ngarrindjeri Tendi,
Mr. George Trevorrow


Witnessed for the Ngarrindjeri People by the chair of the Ngarrindjeri Native Title Committee,
Mr Matthew Rigney


Witnessed for the Ngarrindjeri People by the Chair of the Ngarrindjeri Heritage Committee,
Mr Tom Trevorrow

[Rose]

Here's a link to some more details of Dominic's map. Click on "Tribal Boundaries" at the top left of the page. The map has been compiled from the work of Norman Tindale, who was the only person to ever bother doing this kind of work among Australia's Indigenous groups, before many of the languages that existed here before European invasion were lost. The map is now acknowledged to be somewhat inaccurate; no boundaries were as clear-cut as depicted on the map, but the boundaries took a form that the Indigenous people found difficult to explain to Europeans, who had difficulty with the concepts involved.

Some would say that the museum director who has organised the page was one of the most guilty people in relation to the Hindmarsh Island Bridge Affair, but I couldn't possibly say that, for legal reasons.

You will first of all get a little map of the whole continent. If you click on it, you will zoom in to that area. If you click again, you will zoom in again to a specific area, and be able to see details of the text. If you click on a particular area, a page will appear with any available information about the language group that inhabited that area.

http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/page/default.asp?site=2

[Magenta]

here on the old west coast of oz we had a rather nasty display of australiasn spirit at its worst.........now im not saying everyone, just a lot of drunken dikheads.........front cover of saturdays west australian newspaper...'Australia Day Shame'.......our biggest hospital Royal Perth's emergency dept was full of assault victims, stab victims..unruly behaviour, verbal abuse and had police stationed in the ER all day and night....its disgusting really, people should look forward to Australia Day a day of celebrating being an aussie and relaxing and spending time with friends and families...not avoiding the city where the skyshow is because of drunken yobbos and violent beatings and stabbings with broken beer bottles, it ruins it for all those who enjoy this day and warching an amazing display of fireworks!!
It just gets worse every year!
Anyway thats my whinge im just over the dickheads!!