“The
whole community is welcome to join Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
servicemen and servicewomen and their families in fellowship and to support
them as they march and worship in Redfern on ANZAC Day.”
In
spite of participating in all world conflicts since Federation, Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander servicemen and servicewomen returned home to their
Country to find their bravery, service and sacrifice barely recognised and to
face a continuation of the White Australia Policy. Some Diggers returned home to find that while
they had been away fighting for their country their children had been taken
from them and placed in institutions or their wives had been denied access to
their pay. Later on, Aboriginal Diggers were not permitted to march with their
comrades on ANZAC Day or to join with them in after-march events and, for a
variety of reasons, many did not gain access to Veteran’s benefits.
“All
to often, the names of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Diggers were
omitted from war memorials in cities and towns across the length and breadth of
Australia.
“All
too often our people were denied the Honour, Recognition and Respect accorded
to other servicemen and servicewomen.
“But their families and communities didn’t
forget. And now, two, three and more generations later, Aboriginal servicemen
and servicewomen and their family members, some for the first time finally are
being given an opportunity to publicly acknowledge the service, sacrifice and
courage of these servicewomen and servicemen.
“This
march is our way of publicly saying a big “Thank
you” to these servicemen and servicewomen and also an opportunity for the
wider community to do likewise. It is
about repairing bridges between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander veterans
and the wider community.
A
unique Roll of Honour recording the name and Aboriginal Nation of former
servicemen and servicewomen will be formally unveiled at the St Saviours Church
ecumenical service.
2008 Redfern ANZAC Day
program
The
Redfern ANZAC Day march will leave the Assembly point at The Block, adjacent to
Redfern Railway Station, at 1.00pm sharp and move to St Saviours Anglican
Church, Young Street, where a culturally appropriate ecumenical memorial
service will begin at 1.45pm.
1.00pm:
Assemble at The Block, Redfern
1.15pm: March
to St Saviours Anglican Church, Redfern
1.45pm: Ecumenical Service
3.45pm:
Service Finish
Transport will be available for those unable to march
but wanting to travel with the marchers.
The ecumenical Service will be followed by:
- Afternoon tea
in St Saviours Church Hall from 3.45 – 4.30pm. - Special ANZAC
Day viewing of the Coloured Digger-2
exhibition of works by contemporary artists at the Damien Minton gallery 61-63
Great Buckingham Street, Redfern from 4.30 -6.00pm.
For More Information Contact: Ray
Minniecon: 0417 929 701
Poster for March can be downloaded from Anzac 2008 –
Coloured Digger Poster (15KB PDF)
Poster for the Exhibition is THE COLOURED
DIGGER 2 Exhibition 23 April – 10 May 2008 Flyer (821 KB PDF)