January 26 1938 was the 150th anniversary of the landing of the First
Fleet in Australia, for some a day to celebrate, for others a day to
mourn. For those who celebrated there was a parade, a re-enactment
of the arrival of the First Fleet (Aboriginal men
from Menindee acted as the original Port Jackson mob) and
lots of partying. |
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Those who mourned, were kept waiting until the parade passed by before
they could march in ‘silent protest from the Town Hall to the Australian
Hall in Elizabeth Street, …they weren’t allowed in by the
front door – they had to come in through the back’ 7. On that
hot January day members of the APA wore formal black dress as a sign
of grieving, the men in thick worsted suits.
With the sesquicentenary parade delaying the marchers for so long, the
meeting, which was titled “Australian Aborigines Conference : Sesqui-centenary
: Day of Mourning and Protest to be held in The Australian Hall, Sydney
on Wednesday, 26th January, 1938” 8 did not start until 1.30 pm. “Aborigines
and persons of Aboriginal blood” had been invited and about 100
people attended.
Jack
Patten chaired the meeting. On his left sat Bill Ferguson,
and on his right were Doug Nicholls, William
Cooper and Jack Kinchela.
Some of the other people attending the conference were Margaret
Tucker, Selina Patten (Jack’s wife), Pearl
Gibbs, Jack Johnson, Mrs F. Ardler, Bert Marr, Frank Roberts,
Tom Peckham, Henry Noble, Jack Kinchella, Bert Groves, Bert Marr,
Ted Duncan, Robert McKenzie and Tom Foster.
Only four non-aboriginal people were allowed, two policemen and two
pressmen to write or take photos. Helen
Grosvenor served as minute taker.
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The first speaker was Jack
Patten, (The following quotes are extracts from The Australian
Abo Call, No. 1, April 1938 p.2)
‘On this day the white people are rejoicing,
but we, as Aborigines, have no reason to rejoice on
Australia's 150th birthday. Our purpose
in meeting today is to bring home to the white people
of Australia the frightful conditions in which the
native Aborigines of this continent
live. This land belonged to our forefathers 150 years
ago, but today we are pushed further and further into
the background. The Aborigines
Progressive Association has been formed to put before
the white people the fact that Aborigines throughout
Australia are literally being starved
to death. We refuse to be pushed into the background.
We have decided to make ourselves heard. White men
pretend that the Australian Aboriginal
is a low type, who cannot be bettered. Our reply to
that is, "Give
us the chance!" We do not wish to be left behind in Australia's
march to progress. We ask for full citizen rights, …’
(Mr. Patten): I will read the resolution as
on the notice paper convening this Conference:
"We, representing the Aborigines of
Australia, assembled in conference at the Australian Hall, Sydney,
on the 26th day
of January, 1938, this being the 150th Anniversary
of the Whiteman's seizure of our country, hereby make protest
against the callous
treatment of our people by the whitemen during
the past 150 years, and we appeal to the Australian nation of
today to make new laws
for the education and care of Aborigines, we
ask for a new policy which will raise our people to full citizen
status and equality
within the community. " |
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Mr. Connelly, (South Coast):
'In 150 years the white men have taken away the hunting grounds
and camping grounds
of our people, and left us with nothing. We must
have unity among ourselves or we will not succeed in the
uplifting of
our race. … On behalf of the Aborigines of the South
Coast, I want to thank the men who have started
this great movement of Aborigines Progress. If we are to succeed
we must
be united. Let us fight on to a successful end.’ 9
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The resolution was put to the vote and carried unanimously.
“ After the meeting some of the group went to La Perouse, where Pearl
Gibbs had prepared several memorial wreaths. These were floated out to
sea in a symbolic gesture of mourning for the oppression and defeat of the
Aboriginal
nations which
had began 150 years before.” 10
“ it seems like today meant really different things
to white people and to Aborigines. For white people it seems like celebratin’ progress,
but for Aborigines it was about mournin’ everythin’ they've
had to give up for white people's progress. I wonder if many white people
understand where Aboriginal people are comin’ from, eh?” 11
7. Sydney Morning Herald 17 May 2000
8. Australian Aborigines Conference [picture] : sesqui-centenary Day
of Mourning and Protest to be held in the Australian
Hall, Sydney ... on
Wednesday, 26th
January 1938
9. Our historic Day of Mourning and protest: Aboriginal
Conference. Held at Australian Hall, Sydney, 26th January, 1938, ‘The
Australian Abo Call’,
No. 1, April 1938, p. 2.
10. Brenda, Palma, Save our site:
the story of the campaign to save the Australian Hall, site of the
1938 Aboriginal Day of
Mourning and protest, in ‘Life
in Gadigal country’ / edited by Anita Heiss Marrickville, N.S.W.
: Gadigal Information Service Aboriginal Corporation, 2002, p. 80
11. Heiss, Anita, Who am I? : The
diary of Mary Talence : Sydney, 1937,
Sydney, Scholastic Australia, 2001, p. 166
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