Aboriginal Tent Embassy: 50 years of indigenous protest | Indigenous Rights News

It has lasted 50 years, one of the longest protests for indigenous rights on the planet.

However, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, ​​as it is now known, was originally intended to be a vigil.

“It simply came to our notice then. We went there for a permanent vigil, ”Ghillar founder Michael Anderson, now 70, told Al Jazeera.

“When we got to the camp we said, ‘Well, it’s basically going to be a permanent vigil and if people ask us what it’s about, it’s about land rights and now we’re occupying this land and reclaiming the land. Like whites.’

It was January 26, 1972, the day An official memorial to the founding of the Australian colony.

In the meadow in front of the parliament, four young Aboriginal activists planted an umbrella on the beach and put up a handmade sign: ‘Embassy of the Aborigines’.

The four youths – Anderson, Billy Craigie, Bertie Williams and Tony Coorey – considered it necessary to make a public statement on the plight of Indigenous people across the continent.

“As soon as they wrote the name of the embassy and hung it up and saw it the next day, it resonated with a lot of people around the world,” Anderson said.

“The embassy itself was basically a representation of everyone [Indigenous] nations. We set up this block of land so that it could be seen as neutral land, where Aboriginal people could come and express their views on the occupation of the British. ”

Euahlayi and the Gumilaroi man, who grew up in the small rural town of Anderson Walgett, almost 650 miles northwest of Sydney, at a time when indigenous marginalization was extreme.

Although his parents lived in “tin huts on the banks of the Namoi River”, Anderson was successful in high school and in 1969 moved to Sydney to attend university.

It didn’t take long for the same-minded activist to connect with young Aboriginal activists and “since we were all enthusiastic, it didn’t take us long to start a movement.”

“Basically, we attacked the Vietnam March,” he told Al Jazeera. Although Aboriginal activists acknowledged the injustice of the Vietnam War, they stated that “they still kill us on our land.”

“So we turned the mentality of many of these college students around to focus on Australian Land Rights and stop killing Aboriginal people.”

Surprised at the action

The establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in such a prominent place – the House of the Australian Parliament – was essential to the success of attracting attention to a number of issues raised by protesters, such as land rights, self-determination and sovereignty.

“All these foreign dignitaries came and went to parliament and saw this embassy sitting there asking these questions. So we were embarrassed by the Australian government in front of the international community, ”Anderson recalled.

“What he did was surprise Australia by having to deal with unresolved issues.”

The group was invited to a series of international embassies where foreign officials wanted to discuss the problems facing indigenous peoples.

“That was the impact it had. It really touched on the essence of Australia’s peaceful existence. And then all of a sudden, the embassy and our presence opened this wound that was hidden from the general public. And then the international media focused on that and said, ‘Well, wait, what the hell is all this?’ ‘

The embassy quickly attracted more young activists, who would become prominent figures in Indigenous politics in Australia – including Gary Foley and Isabel Coe – who resisted the government and police in an attempt to break and move this. protesters forward.

Ghillar has been a member of the Michael Anderson Aboriginal Tent Embassy since its inception in 1972. [Valerie Bishard, Enlightning Productions]

However, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, ​​as it became known, was maintained and continues to play a leading role in indigenous politics and activism across the country.

Hope for the future

Dhani is from Gilbert Kalari (Lachland River) and Wiradjuri and his family grew up as part of the Tent Embassy.

The 20-year-old is determined to continue his fight for justice.

“One of the things that always came to me when I was growing up at the embassy was that hope and that was the hope for a better future,” Gilbert told Al Jazeera.

“We can really get things done if we come together as a strong community.”

He says the continued existence of the embassy is a testament to that lack of progress solving the ongoing problems affecting indigenous peoples.

It’s important to “have a growing understanding nationally and internationally of what Aboriginal Tent Embassy is and why being one of the oldest protest sites in the world is so significant and what it tells you about Australia’s inaction,” he said. he said.

“Although the embassy has achieved a lot, there are still four men and the people who helped them where they hoped,” he said.

In particular, Gilbert acknowledges that indigenous land rights are inherently linked to environmental justice, and that indigenous peoples continue to have high incarceration rates. deaths in custody.

At the site of Anderson Aboriginal Tent Embassy. He says the protest will continue. “My work is not over” [Belinda Pratten/Enlightning Productions]

Although currently only 3.3% of the population, Indigenous people make up more than 28% of people in Australian prisons.

While acknowledging the importance of the past 50 years, Gilbert has decided that the Aboriginal Tent Embassy remains the main focus of indigenous activism.

“By the 100th anniversary, I hope to see a serious change in our attitude toward First Nations and First Nations justice.”

Founder Anderson agrees.

“We’re not going anywhere to fix the problems,” he said. “A lot of facades have been put up, but when you go beyond those facades you start to realize that aborigines are worse off than they have been so far.

“My job is not over. We still have a long way to go. ”