Invasion Day, 2017 - Rally

 

Up to 10,000 Aboriginal activists and supporters marched in Sydney today, on Gadigal land, site of the arrival of British colonialists 229 years ago.
Currently, the 26th of January not only marks the day of invasion and the start of genocide for Aboriginal peoples, but is also perversely celebrated by the wider community as the country's national day, called 'Australia Day'.
The rally began at the Block in Redfern, marched to Central and then to Victoria Park to join the Aboriginal festival, Yabun.
A largely peaceful rally with a higher than expected turnout, the day was marred when police stormed protesters attempting to burn an Australian flag.
 
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Invasion Day, 2107

Police storm protesters attempting to burn an Australian flag, on the 229th anniversary of the British invasion of Gadigal land.
 
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Auriel Andrew Burial Service

Safe Space for Homeless People, Martin Place

A safe space for homeless women and men has been set up in Martin Place, directly across from the Reserve Bank of Australia. The space acts as a resource centre, pop-up kitchen, sleeping place, community centre, education hub and a general support centre for the many hundreds of homeless in Sydney's CBD. These people are at the forefront of budget cuts to social services by all levels of government.

The space is totally crowd funded and is calling for donations of food, bedding, clothes, money and other resources. Go to Sydney Sunday Crew's Facebook page for more information (https://www.facebook.com/SydneySundayCrew/) or drop in at the top end of Martin Place.

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'Person Of The Year, 2017'

An inversion of Time Magazine's cover of Donald Trump as 'Person of the Year, 2016'.

Here, Lanz Priestley looks directly at the camera on New Year's Day 2017, on location in Martin Place, Sydney, where he has set up a safe place for the city's hundreds of homeless, providing food, shelter, bedding and other resources to women and men who have been left destitute during the summer holidays. 


Lanz says,


"At the 24-7 pop up homeless resource we deal on a daily basis with the fallout from federal state and local governments callous indifference to the needs of people as they bow and prey at the altar of their greedy corporate gods.  Yesterday as well as known homeless and economically stressed Sydney residents we had 15 people through who had been told that Centrelink payments would be through on 24th or 28th and not received them. Others have been victims of other Machiavellian Centrelink / Job Network agent practices. 

"From January 1st 2017 the federal government who steadfastly refuse to pursue the Google's and like foreign corporates who pay much less than their fair share of taxes, will stiffen their pursuit of marginalised people via a new tranche of policies designed to drive fear and intimidation of the most economically marginalised people in Australia. Aged pensioners and disability pensioners join unemployed claimants as victims of the escalating Turnbull Morrison attack on the Australian social contract. This characteristically cowardly attack on those least able to defend themselves needs to be viewed in parallel with their equally gutless intransigence in tackling corporate tax dodging , unconscionable bank conduct and unethical corporate behaviour not to mention cosy corporate government relationships. 
"Just 4 things power this rancid government behaviour. Your silence, your acceptance your cooperation and your fear of consequences. Remember that wrong feasts on the rotting carcase of your inaction and the better world we know is possible will only come with your decisive action. Will 2017 be the year you act decisively?"


The space is located at the top end of Martin Place opposite the Reserve Bank and State Parliament. The organizers are asking for public donations - food, blankets, money and any other useful items.

Akala Plays Newtown Social Club

Akala visiting Sydney performs in Newtown.

International Human Rights Day Rally

Led by Aboriginal organisers and organisations  - FIRE (Fighting In Resistance Equally) - this rally consisted of an amalgam of disparate community groups who marched on International Human Rights day through Sydney's CBD, from Circular Quay to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Speakers called for an overhaul of the criminal justice and foster care systems which sees human rights abuses, particularly against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

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Scar Trees: Cowra, Wiradjuri Country with Aunty Jenny Munro

I was very privileged to be guided around Cowra by Wiradjuri Elder, Aunty Jenny Munro and shown some of the scar trees that still survive there, despite their ongoing and systematic removal, part of continuing acts of genocide.
Also present was the wholly dedicated lawyer and steadfast Aboriginal supporter, Lisa De Luca.

Rally in Cowra: Justice for Dennis 'DJ' Doolan

Nick Cave - Heard

The British Museum Refuses to Return The Gweagle Shield

Today, the British Museum announced that it would refuse to return the Gweagle Shield, Spears and other artefacts seized in 1770 by Captain Cook's party after they shot, Cooman, a Gweagle man on the shores of what is now known as Botany Bay.

In a statement, a spokesperson said, "The Museum doesn't return objects, in general." As an act of ongoing colonialism, today's announcement is highly symbolic.

Rodney Kelly, a descendent of Cooman, is currently in London to demand the repatriation of these items on cultural, historical and spiritual grounds. In the light of today's announcement by the British Museum, Mr. Kelly is calling on all and any high profile support to assist in his undertaking.

The photograph above was taken of Rodney Kelly at the Australian Parliament last month as the Senate passed a motion supporting his mission to the U.K.

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National Day of Action - Campbelltown, Sydney

Demonstrators took to the streets in Campbelltown in far western Sydney to protest against ongoing Aboriginal deaths in custody, sky-rocketing incarceration rates for Aboriginal people across Australia and the systematic removal of Aboriginal children from their families.
Also in attendance was esteemed geneticist and biologist Dr. David Suzuki who spoke emotionally about the devastating effects of colonialism on Indigenous peoples across the world, as well as on the global environment.

Dr. David Suzuki Visits Gadigal Country

Dr. David Suzuki, visiting Australia, took time out to be shown around Gadigal country by photographer and Gomeroi woman, Barbara McGrady and IndigiLAB co-founder and Kuku-Yalanji man, Luke Briscoe.
Dr. Suzuki spoke passionately about how much Western environmentalism and science can learn from the vast resources of tens of thousands of years of Indigenous knowledge, both here in Australia and in Canada.

SCA Occupy Shutdown

The 65-day long occupation of the Sydney College of the Arts offices has come to an end as police and security guards stormed the building at 6.45am this morning, dragging half-sleeping protesters out and evicting them from the site.
The occupiers had been protesting against the closure of the arts school on this site and against the ongoing commercialization of the University of Sydney, which they claim is to the detriment not only of the arts school but also of the equity of access to tertiary education by all students no matter of their background. Despite today's raid, the students are determined to continue their protest.
These images are part of a series of portraits which, given the events of this morning, unfortunately remains unfinished.

Australian Senate Passes Gweagle Motion

The Australian Senate has passed a motion supporting the return of the Gweagle Shield and Spears, which were taken by Captain Cook's party after firing on Cooman, a Gweagle man in 1770 in what is now known as Botany Bay. The act signalled the start of what became known as the Frontier Wars and the subsequent ongoing 228 years of European occupation of Australia. 

Rodney Kelly, an ancestor of Cooman is travelling to Europe to demand the return of these artefacts, most of which are held by the British Museum in Cambridge. He and his supporters will also travel to The Netherlands, Berlin and Sweden.

These photographs were taken at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy and at the Australian parliament, where this historic motion was passed.

The significance of the passing of this parliamentary motion, for what it represents in terms of the acknowledgement of historical events, should not be underestimated.

The motion reads as follows: 

Business of the Senate—Order of the Day 1 Community Affairs Legislation Committee Report to be presented on the provisions of the National Cancer Screening Register Bill 2016 and the National Cancer Screening Register (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2016.

General Business—Notice of Motion Notice given 15 September 2016 *61 Senator Siewert:

To move—That the Senate—

(a) notes that: (i) in 1770, two members of the Gweagal people stood on the shore of the place now called Botany Bay, as a boat containing James Cook and some of his crew approached the shore, (ii) the Gweagal men were holding spears and a shield and they attempted to warn off the interlopers, an action that was responded to with gunfire, (iii) one of the men, Cooman, was shot in the leg and he ran for cover, dropping his shield, No. 7—10 October 2016 9 (iv) this shield and a number of spears and other artefacts from their camp were taken by James Cook and given to the British Museum when he returned there, and the shield and a number of the spears remain in the Museum’s collection, and (v) a significant number of the spears taken are now also held by the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology;

(b) acknowledges that: (i) it is a core part of Aboriginal belief that artefacts must be kept on the country they came from, as they form a part of the ongoing story of that place, (ii) laws covering Aboriginal cultural heritage in New South Wales recognise the strong connection between Aboriginal people, their land and their artefacts, and (iii) the Gweagal people and their descendants are the rightful and lawful owners of all artefacts produced on their territory, including the shield and spears held in the British Museum and the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology;

(c) recognises the work done by Cooman’s descendant Mr Rodney Kelly to push for the repatriation of these important artefacts; (d) supports the repatriation of these important artefacts to the Gweagal people; and (e) requests the Australian Government extend diplomatic assistance to Mr Rodney Kelly while he is in the United Kingdom seeking the return of the artefacts.

HomeGround: Dance Rites, 2016

Dance Rites is the premiere Aboriginal dance competition held annually as a part of Homeground, where troupes travel from all corners of Australia to battle for the ultimate prize in front of the Sydney Opera House.
This year, Koormurri took out first place in a fiercely and closely contested final. 

Homeground 2016 Opening

Opening proceedings of 'Homeground', a celebration of Aboriginal dance, music and culture held every year at the Sydney Opera House.