Frontiers Wars March

Yesterday, on ANZAC Day, around 100 people marched behind the official ANZAC parade in Canberra, to lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial to commemorate the Frontier Wars.

The Frontiers Wars was a series of wars between the invading British and Aboriginal nations, starting when Captain Cook's landing party fired on Gweagle people in 1770. The Wars spread across the entire Australian continent during colonisation, decimating Aboriginal populations and their cultures. Countless massacres by the British are hallmarks of these conflicts. Nevertheless, there was desperate resistance by Aboriginal peoples against overwhelming odds.

Yesterday's march began with a solemn smoking ceremony at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, before heading to the Australian War Memorial for the march.

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The Not So Subtle Art

Venturing onto the beaches of Sydney's Eastern suburbs yesterday, I came across this scene which seemed to speak volumes about contemporary Australia and its place in the world.

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1916 Easter Rising Commemoration - Sydney

During Easter in 1916, a major uprising against British colonialism in Ireland was brutally put down. Led in part by socialist, James Connolly, the uprising sought to establish a republic, independent from Britain after centuries of occupation. Nearly 500 people were slaughtered, 3,000 wounded and much of Dublin left in ruins in what became known as the Easter Rising, with the leaders, including James Connolly, executed in the aftermath. Many of the atrocities committed by the British during the Easter Rising caused widespread outrage, and eventually served as a catalyst for the establishment of the Republic of Ireland in 1922.

Each year, the Australian branch of the James Connolly Association commemorates the Easter Rising at Waverly Cemetery in Sydney's east, where a memorial stands amongst the other grave sites. Today, around 100 people marched through the cemetery in memory of the events of 1916.

After speeches and a minute's silence for those who lost their lives in the Easter Rising, marchers called for the release of Republican Tony Taylor, who is currently being incarcerated in Ireland without trial. 

 

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Palm Sunday Rally - 'Refugees Are Welcome Here'

At a time when the Australian Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton, is considering fast tracking visas for white South African farmers, and while hundreds of non-white refugees waste away on Nauru and Manus Islands, including a 10-year old on suicide watch, around 7,000 people marched down Broadway, from Belmore Park to Victoria Park to protest against the Government's refugee policy, which has been condemned as cruel, dehumanising and brutal.

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Palm Sunday Rally - Refugees Are Welcome Here

On Sunday, around 7,000 people marched down Broadway, from Belmore Park to Victoria Park to protest against the Australian Government's refugee policy, which has been condemned as cruel, dehumanising and brutal.

More photographs to come.

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Time To Choose

Bathers look on from Prince Albert Park pool, on an unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon, as thousands of protestors stream past demanding action on climate change.

Around 10,000 people marched through Sydney's CBD yesterday on the Time2Choose rally, highlighting the concern for a range of environmental issues.

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Time2Choose - Climate Change Rally

Thousands gathered at Martin Place in Sydney's CBD to demand action on climate change, the banning of fracking and CSG, more renewable energy over coal, the protection of rivers and more voice to Aboriginal people who have over 80,000 years of knowledge and practice of sustainable environmental, land and water use.

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No Nuclear Dump at Brewarrina - Rally

Photographs from a rally in Sydney, protesting against Federal Government plans to establish a nuclear waste dump at Brewarrina in North Western NSW, on Ngemba land. Traditional custodians of the land, the Ngemba, are opposed to the dump.

Speakers at the rally included organiser Natalie Wasley, Ngemba and Brewarrina representatives, Trish Frail and Natalie Eastwood, Nathan Moran from the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, Dave Sweeney from the Australian Conservation Foundation, Jim Green from Friends of the Earth, and NSW Greens parliamentarians Jamie Parker and David Shoebridge, as well as others. The Wakagetti dance troupe provided dance performances and a smoking.

About 100 people from all around Australia then marched from Bligh Street outside the Commonwealth offices, through Sydney's CBD to NSW Parliament House, chanting, "No bundabunda (poison) on Ngemba land".

Three other sites, in South Australia, are also under consideration for the nuclear waste dump.  All are on Aboriginal land.

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Protest Against Sunrise, Seven Network

Around 100 people rallied outside the television studios of the Seven Network's Sunrise program for the second time, to protest against comments made last week by an all white panel, suggesting that removing Aboriginal children from their families was a "no brainer" and stating that, "Just like the first Stolen Generation, where a lot of children were taken because it was for their wellbeing, we need to do it again, perhaps".

Aboriginal communities around Australia and their supporters were outraged and demanded an apology from Sunrise, which to date has not been forthcoming.

The rally was organised by Fighting In Solidarity Towards Treaties (FISTT), a social and political initiative aiming to represent and liberate Australia's First Nations people.

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Masta Ace at the Factory

Veteran hip hop artist, Masta Ace, performed last Friday night at the Factory Theatre in Marrickville.

In 2013, Masta Ace revealed he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, after suffering from the disease for many years.

On this night, Masta Ace performed with live local band, Mister Ott.

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Africultures Festival - Portraits

Portrait photographs from the 10th annual Africultures Festival at Wyatt Park in Lidcombe.

Thousands gather from across Sydney to celebrate the vast diversity of African culture through song, dance, food and performance.

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International Women's Day - Sydney

Candles in the Cross - 40 years of Mardi Gras

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the first Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which, in 1978, saw participants savagely beaten by NSW police as they marched through Sydney into Kings Cross. It was a turning point for LGBTQI rights in Australia, culminating 40 years later in the marriage equality legislation passed late last year.

Last night, a group of the original participants of the inaugural Mardi Gras, known as the '78ers', gathered with supporters at the Wayside Chapel in Kings Cross for a premiere screening of 'Riot', a television adaption of the events of 1978.

After the screening, the crowd marched down to Fitzroy Gardens, through the pouring rain, to stage a candle light vigil to remember the victims of the violent police attacks, on the site where they originally took place. 53 candles were lit to commemorate the 53 people arrested on that fateful night. The march was led by well known LGBTQI identity, Mother Inferior, who also serenaded those gathered with accordion and song.

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Open Cut: Exhibition Opening

An exhibition of photos, paintings and other artworks by Jacky Green, Sean Kerins and Therese Ritchie opened today at Cross Arts Projects in Kings Cross.

The exhibition explores the impact of mining and exploitation of Aboriginal land, specifically in the southwest Gulf of Carpentaria region.

Opening the exhibition were Garawa guests, Nancy McDinny and Stewart Hoosan, who also featured in some of the photos and travelled from the Borroloola area in the Northern Territory, where Glencore's McAurthur River Mine has been attracting ongoing and increasing environmental criticism.

Acknowledgement of country was provided by Uncle Ken Canning. Dr Seán Kerins (ANU, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research) spoke, backgrounding the exhibition in political and environmental terms.

The exhibition runs until the 31st of March at The Cross Arts Project, 8 Llankelly Place, Kings Cross (Off Orwell Street).

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4th ISJA Silent March Stop all Aboriginal Deaths in Custody

Images from the 4th Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA) 'Silent March' which aims to highlight ongoing Aboriginal deaths in custody.

Today's rally marched through Circular Quay in Sydney, attracting attention from tourists and locals alike.

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On Gomeroi - Pamela

From the series 'On Gomeroi' - photographic portraits taken on a recent road trip out to north-western New South Wales, the land belonging to the Gomeroi people. 

This is a portrait of Pamela, a young girl from the small town of Boggabilla.

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On Gomeroi - Jedda and Lavenia

From the series 'On Gomeroi' - photographic portraits taken on a recent road trip out to north-western New South Wales, the land belonging to the Gomeroi people. 

This is a portrait of mother and daughter, Jedda and Lavenia, from the remote town of Collarenebri, situated on the Barwon River.

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On Gomeroi: Haylee

From the series 'On Gomeroi' - photographic portraits taken on a recent road trip out to north-western New South Wales, the land belonging to the Gomeroi people. 

This is a portrait of Haylee, a young Gomeroi girl from the border town of Mungindi.

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Talking Justice in the Pacific

Images from 'Talking Justice in the Pacific', held at Marrickville Town Hall, and organised by Jubilee Australia.

Speakers included Papuan activist and traditional land owner, Lucielle Paru, from the Port Moresby area of PNG, and Australian novelist, Tim Winton. The discussion was moderated by Luke Fletcher, executive director of Jubilee Australia. The evening's proceedings were opened with an acknowledgement of country by Uncle Ken Canning, following a performance by Papuan dance troupe, Kairuku-Mekeo.

Topics included land and sea rights for indigenous peoples across the Pacific, colonialism, self-determination, environmental issues and human rights.

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State Library of NSW Acquisition - Safe Space for the Homeless

I'm excited to officially announce that the State Library of NSW has acquired to its collection 21 of my photographs documenting the 24/7 Street Kitchen and Safe Space for the Homeless which operated a 'tent city' in Martin Place in Sydney's CBD for most of 2017.

The acquisition means that the Library will hold evidence that this important grass-roots, community-led movement took place, so that future generations of researchers, photographers, historians, journalists and concerned citizens might have some insight into the current homelessness crisis in Sydney.

Below are some portraits of Lanz Priestly, the main instigator and organiser of the Safe Space, taken on location on New Years day, 2017. These particular photographs are not part of the acquisition. To see those photographs, please head to the NSW State Library.

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