In 1937 there was a political movement called the Aborigines' Progressive Association (APA), which aimed to get citizenship for all Aboriginal people and repeal of restrictive legislation concerning Aborigines'. William Cooper, a Yorta Yorta man, leader and member of the APA, proposed a dramatic gesture to William Ferguson, Pearl Gibbs, Jack Patten and other (APA) members, that on the 150th anniversary of the landing of the first fleet – invasion day – should be marked by Aboriginal people as a Day of Mourning (Broome 2010).
A week before the day of Mourning, Jack Patten and William Ferguson published a pamphlet entitled ‘Aborigines' Claim Citizen Rights!' where they stated,
‘The 26th of January 1938 is not a day of rejoicing for Australia's Aborigines; it is a day of mourning. This festival of 150 years' so-called "progress" in Australia also commemorates 150 years of misery and degradation imposed upon the original native inhabitants by the white invaders of this county. We, representing the Aborigines, now ask you, the reader of this appeal, to pause in the midst of your sesqui-centenary rejoicings and ask yourself honestly whether your "conscience" is clear in regard to the treatment of the Australian blacks by the Australian whites during the period of 150 years' history you celebrate?' (AIATIS, n.d.)
For those rejoicing in the sesquicentennial festival on January 26th, 1938, there was a parade, sailing regatta, lawn bowls tournament, even a reenactment of the arrival of the first fleet. For the Indigenous Australians that were mourning, this day symbolized the cataclysm of sudden suffering and momentous changes that lead to the loss of their culture, land history, and human rights. So, while some celebrated, William Cooper, William Ferguson, and Jack Patten lead the day of Mourning silent protest march to Sydney town hall with an Aboriginal congress and 1000 Indigenous and non-Indigenous supporters
The day of mourning congress called for indigenous Australians to have access to the same civil rights as white Australians. These rights included, their land being returned, improvement in health, education and housing standards, equal employment opportunities, and that indigenous children can no longer be taken from their families.
There were many approaches to these goals, including, Aboriginals being represented in parliament, recognition of the aboriginal law, and termination of the aboriginal protection board. During the meeting, Jack Patten read a resolution stating, "we, representing THE ABORIGINALS OF AUSTRALIA… on the 150th anniversary of the whitemen's seizure of our country, HEREBY MAKE PROTEST against the callous treatment of our people… AND WE APPEAL to the Australian nation of today… for FULL CITIZEN STATUS and EQUALITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY" (man magazine 1938).
Since the day of Mourning, Aboriginal political activity has not stopped; by 1967, Aboriginal people were recognized as ‘equal' citizens and included in the census. Since 1988 we have witnessed the royal commission into black deaths in custody, the establishment of the governments new attempt to provide aboriginal people with more control over their lives – the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, and the concept of reconciliation (Bourke, Bourke & Edwards 2019, p.31). And a different interpretation of Australia's history, from an Aboriginal perspective, is becoming more available due to the growing body of Aboriginal literature, and the growing popularity of Aboriginal art and The dreaming (Bourke, Bourke & Edwards 2019).
References –
AIATIS, n.d., We hereby make protest: The 1938 Day of Mourning, viewed 10 August 2019, <https://aiatsis.gov.au/exhibitions/day-mourning-26th-january-1938>.
Bourke, C., Bourke, E. & Edwards, B. 2019, Aboriginal Australia, 2nd edn, University of Queensland press, St Lucia, QLD
Broome, R. 2010, Aboriginal Australian, 4th edn, Allen & Unwin, Crowns nest, NSW.
Mad Magazine, 1938, Current camera history: Australia, viewed on 10 August 2019, AIATIS, <https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/docs/digitised_collections/day_of_mourning/Ma nmag_spread_a.pdf?width=100%25&height=100%25&iframe=true>
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