NAIDOC WEEK SPECIAL EDITION
Australians all should not rejoice, for we are all just thieves: activist
TASMANIAN Aboriginal leaders say it is time to scrap Australia’s national anthem and replace it with something more inclusive.
Their stance comes after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian called for the lyrics of Advance Australia Fair to be tweaked and the words “we are young and free” changed to“we are one and free ”.
But Tasmania’s Aboriginal community says it is time to go further and ditch Advance Australia Fair and write a new anthem that represents the nation’ s true history.
Singer-songwriter Dewayne Everett smith, Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania chair Michael Man sell and his daughter Na la Man sell all say the anthem does not recognise Aboriginal Australians and should be dumped.
While changing the anthem would be a matter for the federal government, Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein and Governor Kate Warner say they are watching the debate and welcome the discussion.
Mr Everett smith said the anthem needed to change to include not just 200 years of white history but 60,000 years of Indigenous history.
“We need a new anthem to include our voices, a national song written in a way which reflects Australia’s true history and what it represents today,” he said.
Mr Everett smith thinks there is a desire in modern Australia to pay more respect to Aboriginal culture.
“Here is a chance to do one thing which would instil pride and dignity and include Aborigines in national celebrations. It’s like the change-the-date Australia Day campaign. We want Australia to celebrate, but to also be part of it .”
Mr Mansell said any new anthem needed to come with a commitment by governments to make a settlement with Aboriginal people.
“Aboriginal people are not a young people — we have been here since time began. And we are certainly not free. We are jailed at the rate of six times the national average,” Mr Mansell said.
“Our lands are still claimed by the Crown and we are under-represented in parliaments. It is absurd that Aborigines must listen to the stupid words of the national anthem at major sporting events.
“The current lyrics are for a white nation established in 1901. It is time the words reflected the history and culture of Aborigines.”
Nala Mansell suggested the first verse could be changed to “Australians all let us rejoice, for we are all just thieves” in reference to the stealing of Aboriginal land.
In a talking point in today’ s Mercury, Ms Man sell says it is time to change the anthem and hand back land.
“This year’s NAIDOC theme provides a perfect opportunity for our many non-Aboriginal allies to honestly and sincerely acknowledge the traditional owners of this land and pay proper respects to ‘ elders past and present’ by joining in the campaign for the return of land to the Aboriginal community ,” she said.
HERE IS A CHANCE TO DO ONE THING WHICH WOULD INSTIL PRIDE AND DIGNITY AND INCLUDE ABORIGINES IN NATIONAL CELEBRATIONS.
DEWAYNE EVERETT SMITH