Australia Day
Elizabeth January 30th, 2008
Zap
Is it still possible to blog proudly about Australia Day, without attracting “Invasion Day” rants and venom? I’m not sure anymore, after reading nasty, cynical posts and comments from other bloggers this week.
Australia Day, to me, is all about celebrating the things that make us unique. It’s about BBQs, pavlova and Iced VoVos, our crazy wildlife, the hot January sun and spending time with good friends. I don’t see why paying tribute to these things should be considered a slap in the face to the Indigenous people of our country, particularly in this post-Howard age of acknowledgment for past transgressions.
I don’t believe that celebrating Australia Day trivializes the plight of Indigenous Australians, or their hardships throughout modern Australian history. I am not ignorant to the statistics on life expectancy, preventable blindness, malnutrition, substance abuse and domestic violence. We as a country have failed this group of people in a terrible way, much as we have failed asylum seekers.
Celebrating the great stuff about Australia should not be seen as a statement that Indigenous Australians don’t matter. I know we have a long way to go in repairing the damage, but for the first time in my adult life we now have a government that is prepared to contribute to the healing process. I’m extra proud of Australia for demanding more from our leaders.
Anyway, that’s all I want to say in response to the bloggers who tried to make us all feel crap about Australia Day. Here are a few photos to show what our day looked like:
