Pay the rent and stolen water Survival/Invasion day Sydney 2020

At one stage, it looked as if there were over 5000 folk in Hyde Park before this march. Aye well me county thingys were wurking over-time. An' its true I'm going blind boot I can see better distance than close oop and there were folk all over the place like. A range of folk, all ages from babbies ter oldies clutching walking frames. All cultures, like the Sri Lankan drummers and a group of young Islamic women replete with placards saying stoof like we are here ter support first people and sovereignty. Aye and a sole Maori man with his sovereignty teeshirt and enormous indigenous flag. This year, there were even more of mobs coming in from country. Banners from Bourke. Speakers from Armidale, Tamworth. And from Sydenham a whole family got on the train in their indigenous flag teeshirts. Collection buckets this year were aptly inscribed "Pay the Rent".

Prominent were the mothers and grandmothers from deaths in custody. Speaking from the broken and devastated hearts with passion, fire and ongoing determination. More families since 2019. Asking the same question, which sums up what is wrong with this day being called Australia Day. If a white kid died while under the protection of the polis or corrective services, would there be an inquiry? How long would their families have to wait for a coronial inquest? And if there was a scent of negligence, or worse brutality - how long before those responsible would be held to account? Yet indigenous families are hung out to dry- one banner saying "(My son) was not born to die in jail."

Young, and with a story that evasion, conception, changing facts come's to mind. None of which invoke justice served or truth told. Some indigenous youth may have cause to end up imprisoned or held but there is no reason or justification tha this becomes a death sentence. But read some of the stories and you wonder why incarceration is a solution of any kind. Then as the oldies said, if yer black in Australia with kids, yer can't say it won't be your kid next. Aye, the other change I noted. The young indigenous women. Women are often the one's who try and heal the pain, grief and endless stream of trauma. The young women on this march were angry. Rightly, boot, in picking oop the challenge, we are seeing the next generation of warriors emerging and I don't think they will be taking a step backwards.

Then the other big issue were water rights. Now one of Belgo Geordie's greatest pleasures is the feel of fresh, cold water against the skin. We take it fer granted until its gone. This has been a year of the death of mighty rivers in the red land. Fer indigenous folk this is akin ter losing family, tradition and life itself. Unless yer see it and the devastation it brings, it is hard ter make sense of. Living in the city, going inter supermarket and seeing floor ter ceiling bottled water. Turning on yer tap and not it flows. With drought and fire and the loss of rivers, we are losing life as we know it! No matter how often ScoMo says "How great is Australia!" These are empty wurds amongst the devastation. No wonder so many folk came in from country. Ter tell oos urban dwellers their story. Inside these marches, amongst these folk, yer have ter see the poison Australia Day is as it is. Boot are we listening? Again good ter see young folk across the spectrum in attendance. You are the leaders of the future.

Aye, she had on a wee koru

In my DNA and Che, where would we all be without him

It reminds me of an interaction after the march when heading home. An old Cypriot man, sat outside a pizzeria on King Street asked oos ter explain 'White Australia has a Black History'. I responded should we not celebrate a culture, here first with over 40,000 years of not just survival but living in this ferocious, unforgiving country. Haven't they got summat ter teach oos and especially now with drought, fire and the stealing of water. He got that, but then the cogs turned and he came back with an example of Cyprus supporting 'gypsies' but only if they worked and by allusion, assimilated with Cypriots. These are the conversations we should be having and I admit, I didn't with this man. Not there, then. But should have. See, it's the oxygen we breathe, we believe in that poisons us. We judge indigenous folk as if on one hand they are migrants following on from the mighty British Empire - they should be grateful to be Australian. To, they were invaded, were primitive, not worth a Treaty, and again should be grateful the royal we tolerate them as citizens. At least I did remind Mr Cyprus that migrants other than Anglos, were not well represented in Australian History. But sadly, it is as far as I could take it. Boot it made me reflect this year, I have to do more than march, blog, read - I have to talk, the difficult conversations with folk who may not want to hear or change the way they think,


Which was the other disappointment. WHERE WERE OUR UNIONS AND pollies? Yes, the MUA was well represented as ever. My respect to you comrades. The teachers were also there as were the university student unions. Construction workers? Public Service folk? Federal and state. The union should be a place we can turn conversations inter campaigns and actions. We should be present and visible. Yes, the left greens were out in force. Both Socialist (Alliance and Alternative) factions were there, both young and proud, full of noise and great slogans. As was the communist party of Australia or is that the party of communists in Australia or commos are Oz. Yer get me drift, we all on the progressive left need ter kiss and make oop and play nicely tergether and get rid of the neolibs and croosh the fascists amidst oos who are getting stronger by the day.

Wee socialists of Red Flag, Marx bless yer little prickly hearts!

Pollies? Didn't see any. Other than Scott Morrison adorning many posters.

Boot the day belonged ter indigenous folk and they were a pride of mobs. FIRE (fighting in resistance equally), Stop Black Deaths in Custody, and all the family and country groups. It were a pleasure ter be amongst them. The bairns were a joy and like eels, hard ter contain. Then it were down ter Yabun. The music and dancing. Mrs Belgo danced boot me, I toe tapped ter the wonderful Shellie Morris an me all time big hero, Radical Son. Three songs from him, most of his time slot taken oop with youth he were mentoring. He is an inspiration. A great day. Reflection, remembrance, challenges and then celebration. A stunningly hot day, fat drops of rain when watching the music. An endless procession of folk. Enjoy the snaps dedicated ter all who were there and two comrades, one couldn't get oot of bed and the other were poorly. Don't let em grind yer doon Anna hen and there is only one Jimmy Donovan! So get well Jimmy, we still need yer...

Sri Lankan drummers

Veterans still breathing, here ter stay!

The bairn's a banner bearer breed em tough waterside bairns

Belgo arty shot

I love our anarchists!

Boot not as mooch as tangata whenua! Kia Kaha, manuhiri bro

Rabble, all over march. Donovan sort em out

Yon greens

Now there is a thought...start again?

Day of mourning 

Teachers on the march 

We will outlive them

The party for communising in Oz

Raoul working tirelessly

Proud man and warrior

The inspiring Shellie Morris

Radical Son, no the RADICAL SON...keep playing son

And dancers churning oop the paddock

Sorry Mr Sultan we did not stick around fer yer set. The heart and spirit were willing boot bodies ailing. Bed, complan, a good whinge before a well earned sleep. I'm sure you were your usual, deadly self. Thank you Yabun fer a great after march mixing of the tribes. Respect ter yer all!!!!!!!

Mothers and grandmothers 'deaths in custody' honour fallen sons and daughters - in remembrance

Postscript: Special mention ter the wee first aider (leaning forward in this picture in yella vest- and clue, is not a copper) who tried ter help a woman who decided ter protest by taking off all her kit in the middle of the crowd. Polis were very interested in making an arrest boot he and a noomber of women around her did a great job in deescalating what were likely someone having a bad time. Coppers were low key boot oot of their depth in handling the situation. Sending in two white girl teenagers in uniform were not helpful. Aye, it were hot and Belgo could see the sense in marching kitless oop George Street boot, it were not appropriate! For the record, ah was not of a mind ter see headline in yon Monday Telly "Awld Geordie codger with nae kit, surgical scars and buffalo balls says no ter Australia Day and starts riot." "Polis send fer geriatric flying squad." There is a place fer civil disobedience. As indigenous folks message - is 2020 the year we finally do something ter shift the way we engage with Australia?