A National Day that Smacks of Controversy
Few questions provoke more heated debate in Australia on the observance of January 26 as its National Day. Unlike other countries, National Day is celebrated in Australia with the argument as to its appropriateness of January 26 as the day.
The Aboriginal population of nearly half a million in Australia consider January 26 as the "Invasion Day" because on that day in 1788 the first European settlement, a British penal colony, was established at Port Jackson( now Sydney). displacing gradually the Aboriginal community in the country... The Aboriginal community were living in Australia more than 40,000 years ago. They were killed in large numbers by the European settlers and by diseases introduced by the Europeans.
To the Aboriginal population, January 26 is regarded as their Black Day. The celebration of this day reminds them of their forced displacement from their lands in the country. The day is perceived as an Anglo-Australian celebration of the victory over the Aboriginal community, the original inhabitants of this continent.
History tells us that on January 1st, 1901 the colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania federated through a referendum to form Australia, formally known as the Commonwealth of Australia. By all logic this day of Federation should be celebrated as the National Day. In 1902, it was legislated that there should be a public holiday on the day of its Federation. Since January 1st was a New Year's day and a public holiday, it was decided that another specific day was to be decided. In 1915, it was legislated that January 26 be specified as the National Day (Commonwealth of Australia Day).
There is a view among some prominent white Australians that the celebration of January 26th as the National Day divides the Australian community and it should be changed. National Day is observed to unify the nation but in Australia it is not a unifying day at all.. There is nothing to celebrate on this day as it marks, in fact, the beginning of oppression for the Aboriginal people. Some say that hands over eyes would be more appropriate, perhaps than hands on hearts on this day.
Rather ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps) Day is a truly unifying day in the country.. The ANZAC day commemorates the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli (Turkey) in 1915 during the First World War. Many Australians and New Zealanders died at Gallipoli. The day is celebrated on 25th April every year with due solemnity and it is a public holiday in Australia and New Zealand.
The Aboriginal-Australians are the most disadvantaged community in Australia. While the rest of the population can expect to the ages of 75.5 for males and 81.3 for females, Aboriginal males will be lucky to reach 60 and females can only expect to live upto 55. Safe drinking water and reliable health care are still denied far too many Aboriginal persons in remote regions in Australia. An Aboriginal leader in an official address on this day, pointed to the general community's ambivalence towards the Aboriginal people.
Australia has now brought together people from virtually every corner of the earth unlike any other. More than a quarter of all living Australians grew up in other lands. The histories and cultures of the migrants are as different and diverse as those found anywhere. The Australian people are mostly newcomers and they including the oldest inhabitants must form a lasting bond. Otherwise the Australian people will remain poorer in unity.
There is a view that to get back all Australians including the Aboriginal people on the National Day, a date change seems to be necessary so that all Australians can celebrate this day in unison and with great fervour. Some suggest that Reconciliation Day could be the National Day and that of course will depend on whether there are some concrete steps on behalf of the government to compensate for the past injustices meted out to the Aboriginal people and first of such action is the offer of apology by the government to the Aboriginal community.
The author, a barrister, is former Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN, Geneva.
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