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key indigenous australian issues
| home | news lMarch a show of unityby Jenny Galbraith 28 April 2004 - The Australian and Aboriginal flags marched side by side for the first time in the Anzac march held last Sunday in Lightning Ridge. About 30 veterans or those related to veterans marched from the post office to the RSL sub-branch in a show of unity and remembrance of those who fought at Gallipoli and in all past wars defending Australia. Geoff Jones marched with the Australian flag alongside Bill Ferguson with the Aboriginal flag to commemorate all the indigenous veterans of past wars. At the 11am service Roy Barker spoke on behalf of all the indigenous veterans. "We live in such a beautiful country, a beautiful island continent called Australia. "We have to live together and share out burdens together because we are one people... all the people who served in conflicts of war will be remembered for a long, long time to come." More than 80 people also braved the chill and attended the dawn service held at the war memorial at Lions Park. Rick Maude from the Lightning Ridge Community Church spoke about the significance of remembering those who had died in past wars. "Lest we forget. What is it we're not supposed to forget? "Some can never forget no matter how hard they try. "Some can never forget because it was their mate, it was their brother, their father, their uncle. "We've not forgotten the battle that we or others fought, the bitter things we experienced, the unanswered questions we try to forget but can't. "But we are also determined this morning not to forget those men and women who gave themselves and continue to give them in war so that we in this country can enjoy freedom and security. "And so this morning in a simple act of silence we say lest we forget." Reverand Maude also spoke about how those soldiers who fought at Gallipoli helped forge the Australia we know today. "We particularly recall Gallipoli, a time when this nation took on its independence...in 1915 for so many Australians even though that had grown up being part of the British Empire they were fighting as a country independent from them. "I suppose those original Anzacs helped us establish our own identity as a country and we will always owe them that. We don't want it to happen again, that's why we don't forget. "We are not a war-like people, we don't enjoy it, we don't look forward to it, so when we say lest we forget we also mean that we don't want the abomination of war to continue. "We want peace for ourselves; we want peace for our children." Source:Lightning Ridge News
Anzac Day march begins in Darwin 25 April 2004 - Onlookers are lining the streets as ex-servicemen and women, defence personnel and scores of others begin the Anzac Day march in Darwin. Also coming in from many remote communities are the Indigenous soldiers who serve with the Northern Territory's reconnaissance and surveillance unit NORFORCE. They are marching alongside personnel who have served in many areas of operation including Iraq, Solomon Islands and Darwin during World War Two. Earlier breakfast was held at many RSLs in Darwin and there were a few early games of two-up. The Last Post was played during a mass in St Mary's Cathedral attended by a number of defence personnel and dignitaries including the Chief Minister Clare Martin. Some people wept as Bishop Ted Collins paid tribute to the sacrifice of Australians and New Zealanders during conflict across the globe. Source: ABC Messagestick
The Forgotten Series Producer: Glen Stasiuk 27 April 2003 - To celebrate ANZAC day and pay tribute to the Indigenous men & women that have proudly served this nation the Message Stick presents a twenty six minute documentary: The FORGOTTEN. This film tells the story of the Aboriginal soldiers who fought and died for Australia and the honour they felt representing their nation despite facing various prejudices and not being classed as citizens of the country. THE FORGOTTEN is a film about Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander servicemen & women who have served, fought and died for their country in all of the wars and peace-keeping missions that the Australian Armed Forces were involved in the 20th Century. It also contains a personal story about four Nyungar brothers from the South-West of Western Australia, one of whom is acknowledged as the first Aboriginal Soldier to receive a military medal in the First World War. The FORGOTTEN features war veterans and family member’s personal experiences and thoughts from both World Wars, as well as veterans who served in Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and East Timor. Writer, producer and director of The FORGOTTEN, Glen Stasiuk, was inspired by his family’s history and the respect he felt for the ANZAC “black diggers”. “I had members of my family fight and die in both World Wars, and my Great uncle was one of the first Aboriginal soldiers to receive a war medal. This film is for them and all the other Aboriginal people who have fought for our country and not gotten the recognition that they deserved,” Mr. Stasiuk said. “Not a lot of people know about the contribution made by Aboriginal people, particularly during the earlier wars. I hope The FORGOTTEN can help get these stories across.” The FORGOTTEN was honoured with the award for BEST DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION at the 2003 West Australian Screen Awards (WASA) in March of this year. THE FORGOTTEN is a film about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women who served, fought and died for their country despite the social reality that they were not classed or treated as citizens. Service in the Armed Forces presented Aborigines (and ‘part-Aborigines’) with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of their responsibilities and duties of citizenship. It also demonstrated to white Australians that Aborigines were capable of making a major contribution to the national defence effort. Further, THE FORGOTTEN explores and examines the oppressive conditions Aborigines faced during the war periods and the racial obstacles and barriers encountered during enlistment. THE FORGOTTEN highlights that despite racial discrimination back home in Australia, Aboriginal soldiers were treated like equals on the war front – until they returned home to the same oppressive conditions and circumstance. Finally, THE FORGOTTEN questions the motives of these Aboriginal soldiers and their experience in the Australian Armed Forces – further exploring that indeed, Aborigines and Islanders showed that the “digger legend” – one of the most profound and positive of Australia’s self images – encompasses black Australians as well. Wartime censorship contributed to the poor coverage of the Aboriginal war effort, and in doing so, an opportunity to cast Aborigines and Islanders in a new and positive light was lost – THE FORGOTTEN attempts to rectify this.
I am a maternal descendent of the Kaniyang Nyungars of the South-West of Western Australia and my paternal family are immigrates from post-war Russia. These rich and varied cultural backgrounds has allowed me, through my filmmaking - Black Russian Productions - to explore culture, knowledge and diverse narratives. This was evident with my latest film: The FORGOTTEN documenting and examining the Aboriginal community's contribution to the Australian Armed Forces in the 20th Century. The FORGOTTEN was voted the best documentary at the 2002 Screen Academy Festival whereby it recieved an Award for Excellence - Achievement in Documentary. The FORGOTTEN was also honoured with the BEST DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION award at the 2003 West Australian Screen Awards (WASA) on Saturday 8th March 2003. I am currently Director of the Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre and Lecture at Murdoch University in Media studies, University Studies and Cultural Issues. Director, Glen Stasiuk Phil Prosser - President of the WA Aboriginal & THE FORGOTTEN is a film about Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander servicemen & women who have served, fought and died for their country in all of the wars and peace-keeping missions that the Australian Armed Forces were involved in the 20th Century. It also contains a personal story about my Great Uncle who was the first Aboriginal Soldier to recieve a military medal in the First World War. I produced, wrote and directed THE FORGOTTEN as part of my Honours studies (which I received First Class Honours and was invited to give the Valedictory Address at Murdoch University’s 2002 September graduation) and it has also benefited the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Services & Veterans Association (ATSIVSA) WA who have made me their honoree research officer - and through Kulbardi and Murdoch's contribution have made them the most profiled Indigenous Veterans association in Australia. The funds for THE FORGOTTEN were provided by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) - Canberra. Murdoch contributed resources, and expertise, and the Kulbardi Centre provided some initial research funds and time to produce and edit the film. ATSIVSA helped coordinate interviews and various documentation. For Glen Stasiuk it started as a dream – an ambition to provide for current and future generations the true story of the contribution of Indigenous Australians fighting for Australia. That dream became a reality last month when Glen launched a documentary titled The Forgotten at a function attended by more than 200 people at Murdoch University. The Forgotten is probably the first serious work committed to film that explains the contribution of Indigenous men and women for Australia during times of conflict. It is also a work that explains what prompted Indigenous people to risk their lives fighting to defend Australia even though they had every reason not to given the backdrop of racism and intolerance they and their family members were forced to endure at home. As Glen says, The Forgotten is a film about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service men and women who have served, fought and died for their country in all of the wars and peace keeping missions that the Australian Armed Forces were involved in during the 20th Century. The documentary does not ignore the truth of the way Indigenous people were treated but it does provide some sense to it all. The making of The Forgotten was also a journey for Glen because it allowed him to learn about the courage and resilience of his own family members who were among the Indigenous people who fought in both World Wars. “Personally, this was a huge journey for me because it allowed me to reinforce my Aboriginality,” Glen said. “To meet my Aunty and to talk about my family and what they did was really something. “To hear their stories about their amazing courage, despite the racism they were forced to endure, provided me with another insight into the strength and resilience of my people. “I also pay tribute to AISTSIS who showed faith in me and this project by providing the funding to allow me to produce it.” While making the documentary Glen was able to hear the stories about his great Uncle, Augustus “Peg” Farmer who fought in World War One and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery. It was also while Glen was making the documentary that he learned of the hypocrisy that existed during both World Wars when Aboriginals were prevented from enlisting. There were only two ways Aboriginals could enlist – either they claimed they were of another nationality or they had to denounce their Aboriginality. That is why to this day there are no accurate records to tell us just how many Indigenous men and women actually enlisted and fought in either of the two World Wars. Glen believes it is unlikely there are any surviving Indigenous World War One veterans and he says there is nothing that can tell us how many fought in World War Two because the enlistment forms used for the Second World War did not make allowance for people to declare they were Indigenous Australians. In fact those enlistment forms were only changed in the 1980s allowing people joining the Armed Forces to declare their heritage. At best guess, Glen says about 400 Indigenous Australians enlisted and fought in the First World War and perhaps 4000 in the Second World War not including the many thousands of Indigenous Australians who volunteered and served for the home service. For example, the pride among Indigenous families for the contributions made to Australia’s war effort is clearly shown in this documentary with Beryl Dixon, Marie Butler and Shirley Wooding. They are the daughters of Lennard Keen who served in the volunteer garrison during the Second World War. “He didn’t want to be left out. He wanted to make a contribution and we are all very proud of what he did,” they said. This documentary carries some powerful messages for us all. Quite apart from the courage of those who fought and sacrificed for this country, The Forgotten also gives us reason and hope that attitudes toward Indigenous Australians is changing, albeit ever so slowly. The irony is not lost on the viewer as you hear these Indigenous ex-servicemen tell how racism stopped when they joined the armed forces. It is a common thread throughout the documentary as you listen to Norm Harris, who fought in the Second World War, Gavin Mallard and Len Ogilvie who fought in Korea or Graham Taylor and Phil Prosser who fought in Malaya and Vietnam and Bill Thompson and Paul Hansen who fought in Vietnam and Jason Garlett who was a part of the INTERFET forces in East Timor or Charles Isaacs, an ex National serviceman or Ron Bradfield who is a member of the Royal Australian Navy. They all tell a similar story. War presented and still presents an opportunity for Indigenous men and women to enjoy an equality between black and white that was not available to Indigenous people at home and remains elusive to this day. When Norm Harris signed up to fight for Australia in the Second World War he found the racism he endured at home as a civilian disappeared in the trenches. “I was anxious to join up,” he says. “There was no colour bar. We were treated equally.” Phil Prosser joined up “because it would benefit me, it allowed me to get away from the welfare mentality. It was a way out and there was no racism.” Perhaps the most telling comment comes from Jason Garlett who served in East Timor.“There was no racism at all because everyone pulled together,” he says in the documentary. “There was only one skin in the army and it’s pretty much green.” Glen Stasiuk, who also works as Acting Director for the Kulbardi Centre at the Murdoch University assisting and helping about 100 Indigenous students grow and develop, has done us all a great service in producing this documentary. He hopes to do more work for West Australian Noongars and he would desperately like to see his documentary taken up by SBS or the ABC so the story of the Indigenous soldier can be seen by as many Australians as possible. It is a story worth telling and it deserves to be told to all Australians because within the story of the past glories of our Indigenous soldier perhaps rests the answers to a better future for us all. Source: ABC Messagestick Australia's only World War Two Aboriginal fighter pilotLeonard Victor Waters was born on the 20th June 1924 at Boomi, NSW. He was educated to the 7th grade at the Nindigully State School in Queensland and worked as a Shearer with a contractor in the Goondiwindi district. However, growing up in the era of Kingsford Smith, Hinkler and Lindbergh, Waters from the start, in his own words, had his 'head in the clouds'. Len Waters enlisted in the RAAF on the 24th August 1942 as a trainee flight mechanic. Within a year he was applying for a transfer to aircrew. His interviewing officer described his appearance and manners as 'a bit rough' but concluded favorably that Waters 'should make a fighter'. Although exceptionally adept at Morse Code - a skill which he feared might see him allocated to wireless operator's duties-Waters wanted only to be a fighter pilot. He succeeded in his ambition and, after training on Tiger Moths and Wirraways, completed an operational conversion onto the P-40 Kittyhawk, one of the war's outstanding fighter-ground attack aircraft. Described as a 'gaunt, genial figure, humble despite his daring feats', Len Waters saw action with No78 Squadron. He flew ninety-five operational sorties from Noemfoor, Morotai and Tarakan, bombing and strafing Japanese ground positions. Waters's most frightening, moment came when a bomb dropped by another aircraft hit his plane and, unexploded, lodged behind him. Comparing the experience to having a loaded gun held to his head, Waters had to fly some three hours back to base with the bomb likely to detonate at any moment. 'I'll tell you what', he said afterwards, 'that was on of the best landings I ever made'. In addition to his courage in air fighting, Waters won RAAF's middle-weight boxing title in the Islands. Demobilised after the war, Len Waters spent thirty-five years in the most Australian of occupations, shearing, and estimated that he must have sheared a million sheep. He died on the 24th August 1993 aged 69 in Cunnamulla and is buried at St. George Cemetery. Source:RAAFA related links :
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