Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Survival Day 2016

IMG 2242 Survival Day 2016


In Deepwater 2016 we stand along side of the rest of the nation who are standing in protest against the crowns theft of a country and the subsequent genocide of people all over this land by the colonizers. 

It is also a day to pay respect  and celebrate the Survival of these very same people.  The Indigenous cultures of Australia are the oldest living cultures in the world. One of the reasons they have survived for so long is their ability to adapt to change.

Its best to do something positive to honor this and so I created.... I feel a connection doing this. 

Where we are here in Deepwater is the established territory of the Ngarabal people, who had occupied and carefully cultivated the country for thousands of years. The Ngarabal name for Deepwater is Talgambuun, meaning dry country with many dead trees.

I pay respects to the Ngarabal elders past and present and say thank you to them for the opportunity to stand today on their land with honor.


I have lived on Gumbaynggirr country for a very long time until recently so I pay my respects to all of the elders in all of those places and say thank you to the land for sustaining me. 


Firstly we hung out our very colourful  flag.  Hanging the flag openly out the front is actually a common occurrence because I am keen to open dialogue with anyone who wants to talk to me about this and the flag is a great talking point for inquisitive people.

I wrote in chalk across our drive way ... "No Pride in Genocide".  and on the footpath Survival Day 2016 to mark the occasion as a day of survival of the first peoples of this land and the desire to see justice for what has occurred here.

IMG 2256 Survival Day 2016

I sat outside and made a beautiful bag from plastic bags I had folded and cut to recycle into something very useful instead of it being in an animals stomach and thought all day about the old girls sitting around making things to help them on their daily ritual of taking care of family on country.  Weaving being a skill these ladies all knew well and thrived on teaching their young the skill to pass this on.  So I remembered their spirit while sitting all day and completing the dilly bag.


IMG 2262.1  A bag for Sharon

At all the capital cities around Australia and at various regional areas ceremony was held to mark today as a day of mourning for the Aboriginal Culture nationwide.  Each year more and more people wake up to the fact that Australia Day Celebrations are a smash in the face to the indigenous. 

There is a referendum planned to have the Recognize issue voted on.  Its got to be either thrown out or it has to include the words TREATISE along side of RECOGNIZE  otherwise it is clearly another white man scam to further disenfranchise aboriginal people from their culture.

CULTURE http://australianmuseum.net.au/indigenous-australia-cultural-heritage

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

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