Belgo Geordie: Invasion Day March Redfern Block Sydney 26 January 2018

Our Ken oonder interview conditions

Coom 25 January, soom are allus disappointed that folk can't seem ter get purpose of Australia Day an have ter be so 'Unaustralian*' as ter do owt like go on an Invasion Day march on same hallowed day. Divisive or wot! Joost put snarlers on yon barbie and drape herself in yer flag (the blue one with union jack an southern cross**) knock back as many stubbies as can 'till paralytic and celebrate all things Aussie. Boodgie smugglers and thongs. Driving oop and down highway with car coovered in yon Australian flag- not the red, black and yellow one but! Simple. Or is it?

A lot of folk gave their time ter this event at Redfern Block - organised by the infatiguable Ken Canning and the Indigenous Social Justice Association. There were another event going on at Redfern Oval that went down ter Hyde Park. Me marrer Jimmy Donovan were on that one. The one at Block started with smoking ceremony and fine speeches. Ken Canning as ever reminded oos of the issues sooch as deaths in custody, the lack of a treaty, the lack of a legal framework of colonisation - the 1788 terra nullius (no one's land) of early settlement - except land were not empty, there may have been upward ter 750,000 people living here; an indigenous occupation fer at least 45,000 years.
500 plus languages and established laws. How can we not want to acknowledge and celebrate that as part of our heritage? Sadly history on Australia Day starts with the arrival of the British empire builders.

Should not be happening in Australia

Fer all those telling oos by radio, tele and social media that the majority of indigenous people support Australia Day, would have done well ter attend this small lesson of history. Australia Day celebrates the arrival of the first ships, the setting oop of the Commonwealth but is quiet on how this Johnny Come Lately approach to Australia is inclusive or respectful of the first people. Let alone the many cultures that are not Anglo who also arrived as migrants. 280 years is boot a thimble of time as far as history is concerned. Minute! A fart in wind of time! And it is not as if following apologies, return of some land that the lot of indigenous people is summat fer oos ter think as Government, job well done! The family of Eric Whittaker spoke of the grief of finding Mr Whittaker, a young fella, unconscious, shackled ter hospital bed in December 2017 and where he died two days later courtesy of the privatised prison services deciding although on life support he should remain shackled as there were a risk ter him taking off. The image of this is harrowing for its lack of compassion and humanity. The usual "A report is being prepared...blah, blah" boot as Mr Canning said - where has there been anyone held ter account? And what would the scribes at the Telly-rag have ter say if one, Malcolm Turnbull, had been placed in custody fer not wearing a lifejacket when taking his tinny out fer a spin on harbour. And then were found dead next morning with a split liver or having choked on his own self importance. "Me, I'm PrimeMinister yer know" "Yeah, yeah - what ever just sleep on the floor and stop whinging or yer'l feel me size ten oop yer jacksie!"

Grandmothers against Removals Sue-Ellen Tighe talked about removals (of indigenous children) as having increased since Mr Rudd said sorry to the Stolen Generation. Adrian Burragubba, activist against ADANI, spoke of the injoostices for indigenous folk when it comes ter the rights of big business and mine owners in particular wrecking land fer profit. Paul McAleer the Maritime Union Australia Sydney Branch Secretary Sydney gave an impassioned speech about why MUA stands shoulder to shoulder on indigenous causes and why members were there today. The tireless Mahala Conomos, busy as a bumblebee organising the flags, the oldies and MUA women and keeping rest of MUA folk up-to-date on Instagram. David Shoebridge gave his usual articulation from the heart as to why indigenous issues should be front, forefront and then some in all political decisions, actions and discussions. Only Green MPs were visible including the Left Renewal warrior Lee Rhiannon. A blurry good thistle ter the mung bean constipated green conservatives. In crowd were likes of Adam Goode. Lofty as a mountaintop!

Paul McAleer with bairn and Ms Rhiannon

The chant "Always was - Always will be - Aboriginal land" rattling the fillings of Redferns new arrivals. And it were a good turn out. The Belgo Geordie scalpometer, eight fingers and two thumbs counted aboot 12-15,000, media said "thousands". Aye well look at blurry photos and it ran all down George Street ter Broadway and Victoria Park were packed with folk in for Yabun. We marched ter Victoria Park with a wee breather on George Street. Had to park our bums on an intersection. Socialist Alliance making the loudest noises from young lusty lungs - some of the bairns don't need a megaphone, their tonsils do joost grand! Our boys and girls in blue were not enamoured with the chant "Too Many Coppers. Not Enough Justice!" Me, I joost wanted to know where the NSW Police Union had gone on all of this. Surely in this time of change social justice is summat they talk about supporting. Mr Donovan tells me there not a union boot an association. Sad. Still they were more relaxed than last year and there were a bit of banter. I know every year they warn Ken Canning ter mind his language boot poor chap can't help the odd f-bomb dropping out, soometimes in a formation of three in the one sentence. Eeee, its a grand display of anglo-saxon wordplay! He cannat help himself, like me he's getting awld. There were a sprinkling of Unions represented including Teacher's Union. Greens with little green triangle flags boot I only spotted one lone anarchist in his black tattered and torn jacket. As Mrs Belgo Geordie pointed oot, no doubt some white supremacists were having their White Australia day barbie disroopted by yon lads and lasses in black with their red flags and fiery eyes and breath like fermented turps.

Aye by mid-afternoon the Belgo Geordie scalp were pickled pink by yon sun, fierce when clouds parted but it were agin grand fer the heart. Soo mooch young energy and hope. I hope the Social Justice folk filled their buckets with coins and get to live another day. If you did not, contribute. without the tireless pestering, doing interviews, knitting together of support by yon Ken and Raul - Australia would be a poorer place.

Ter the group of wee white lads heading out ter celebrate Australia Day in its traditional form and that sneered at rally going past in the gentrified back streets of Redfern saying we were 'oonstralian' and should go back to where ever it were we came from. Reflect a third of those on this march could trace over 45,000 years of history ter the red dirt of this land. 40,000 plus years before Celts and Vikings were even in nappies.

Enjoy pictures of what were an impressive and constructive day.

*The Malconaters general whinge aboot sooch things not being in spirit of all things that unify Australians on 26 January. Malc, tell that ter 40-50,000 folk in Melbourne or the 10,000 plus at Redfern, those in Brisbane, Hobart, Adelaide. All I know is each year it gets bigger, the faces younger and the messages more pointed.
**See NITV doc by Warwick Thornton (director of Sweet Country) "We Don't Need A Map" as part of the "Always Will Be" on how indigenous folk see the southern cross constellation and its differing parts of unity in the song-lines. Don't need or want no tattoo.