En Passant

For the past few years an group of Aboriginal people and their supporters (including an ex-serviceman) have marched on ANZAC Day in Canberra to remember those killed in the Frontier Wars. This year the police stopped them from marching and postured aggressively at them. As New Matilda put it:

‘A former Aboriginal ex-serviceman who’s great uncle was the inspiration for the famous poem ‘Coloured Diggers’ was told “this day is not for you”, threatened with arrest and refused permission to march with his non-Indigenous colleagues after joining a procession to mark the ‘undeclared Frontier Wars’ intended to shadow the official ANZAC day march in Canberra.’

We couldn’t have Aboriginal people pointing out the truth about the Frontier Wars from 1788 to 1920 in which tens of thousands of Aboriginal warriors fell defending their land against the invaders could we? That would expose the reality of the essentially white character of the celebration of ANZAC Day and its reinforcement of white Australia.

Stopping Aboriginal people marching in memory of their brothers and sisters who were killed during the Frontier Wars exposes that white Australia reality too.

What did those mainly working class soldiers slaughtered in the First World War die for? The ongoing genocide of Aboriginal people?  The suppression of their continuing resistance? Their repression echoes down the ages to today.