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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/27/indigenous-personnel-who-fought-for-australia-deserve-their-monument-in-canberra

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Indigenous personnel who fought for Australia deserve their monument in Canberra Indigenous personnel who fought for Australia deserve their monument in Canberra
(about 2 hours later)
Do Indigenous Australian military personnel warrant a monument to their service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra?Do Indigenous Australian military personnel warrant a monument to their service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra?
I think so. Here’s why.I think so. Here’s why.
The memorial’s commemorative courtyard features the stone faces of an Indigenous man and woman. They are set amid other gargoyles featuring Australian flora and fauna – which is precisely how they were viewed when the memorial opened in 1941 and, indeed, until 1967 when the Indigenous were fully recognised as official Australian citizens.The memorial’s commemorative courtyard features the stone faces of an Indigenous man and woman. They are set amid other gargoyles featuring Australian flora and fauna – which is precisely how they were viewed when the memorial opened in 1941 and, indeed, until 1967 when the Indigenous were fully recognised as official Australian citizens.
The stone faces of that man and woman are the only specific statues of Indigenous Australians that I can find in the memorial. Some present and former staff reckon they should be removed, so pejorative is their continued depiction of the Indigenous at the memorial.The stone faces of that man and woman are the only specific statues of Indigenous Australians that I can find in the memorial. Some present and former staff reckon they should be removed, so pejorative is their continued depiction of the Indigenous at the memorial.
Regardless, the many thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who’ve participated in the plethora of conflicts involving Australia since are not about to win a specific monument on the grounds of the war memorial any time soon. The memorial, Australia’s secular shrine, has steadfastly rejected intense lobbying efforts for such a memorial.Regardless, the many thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who’ve participated in the plethora of conflicts involving Australia since are not about to win a specific monument on the grounds of the war memorial any time soon. The memorial, Australia’s secular shrine, has steadfastly rejected intense lobbying efforts for such a memorial.
But now the memorial director Brendan Nelson has commissioned work on a monument depicting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander personnel serving with non-Indigenous colleagues. Meanwhile, the memorial’s Indigenous liaison officer is pushing for a separate monument specifically to Indigenous Australian personnel close to, but definitely not on, memorial grounds.But now the memorial director Brendan Nelson has commissioned work on a monument depicting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander personnel serving with non-Indigenous colleagues. Meanwhile, the memorial’s Indigenous liaison officer is pushing for a separate monument specifically to Indigenous Australian personnel close to, but definitely not on, memorial grounds.
So, from a long-held position that there should be no official Indigenous monument, there might soon be two. Both would, in my view, be imperfect: Nelson’s, because it would not be dedicated solely to Indigenous personnel, the other because it would be sited outside the memorial when it might just as easily be within.So, from a long-held position that there should be no official Indigenous monument, there might soon be two. Both would, in my view, be imperfect: Nelson’s, because it would not be dedicated solely to Indigenous personnel, the other because it would be sited outside the memorial when it might just as easily be within.
A memorial spokesperson said Nelson “supported the establishment of a memorial on the AWM grounds which depicted the commitment of indigenous servicemen and women alongside non-indigenous service personnel”.A memorial spokesperson said Nelson “supported the establishment of a memorial on the AWM grounds which depicted the commitment of indigenous servicemen and women alongside non-indigenous service personnel”.
“The Australian War Memorial is a place where we treat all service people equally and that is reflected in the way the Memorial commemorates the commitment and sacrifice of all servicemen and women,” the spokesman quoted Nelson saying.“The Australian War Memorial is a place where we treat all service people equally and that is reflected in the way the Memorial commemorates the commitment and sacrifice of all servicemen and women,” the spokesman quoted Nelson saying.
The spokesman said Nelson was “currently getting some conceptual work done on a memorial which would depict the service of Indigenous Australians in the military alongside non-indigenous service personnel”.The spokesman said Nelson was “currently getting some conceptual work done on a memorial which would depict the service of Indigenous Australians in the military alongside non-indigenous service personnel”.
Confusing? Yes. It’s also a salient insight into the convoluted politics of war commemoration in a country about to spend at least $300m highlighting the supposedly nation-defining significance of Anzac.Confusing? Yes. It’s also a salient insight into the convoluted politics of war commemoration in a country about to spend at least $300m highlighting the supposedly nation-defining significance of Anzac.
In a recent interview with Shane Mortimer on the Sovereign Voices show on radio 2XX FM, war memorial Indigenous liaison officer Gary Oakley said he’d held discussions with the National Capital Authority “in relation to an Indigenous memorial and they don’t see a problem with it”.In a recent interview with Shane Mortimer on the Sovereign Voices show on radio 2XX FM, war memorial Indigenous liaison officer Gary Oakley said he’d held discussions with the National Capital Authority “in relation to an Indigenous memorial and they don’t see a problem with it”.
The authority oversees the planning and placement of national monuments in Canberra.The authority oversees the planning and placement of national monuments in Canberra.
“ ... I’ve said to them that that sort of national memorial needs to be in the sight line of the war memorial and parliament house, preferably on Anzac Parade . . . I would prefer it to be as close to the war memorial as possible because that is the connection, it’s about Indigenous service, it’s about Aboriginal and Torres strait islanders serving ...” he said.“ ... I’ve said to them that that sort of national memorial needs to be in the sight line of the war memorial and parliament house, preferably on Anzac Parade . . . I would prefer it to be as close to the war memorial as possible because that is the connection, it’s about Indigenous service, it’s about Aboriginal and Torres strait islanders serving ...” he said.
“It’s the start of the beginning of the centenary of Anzac. We could say ‘let’s get it started now’ and we could have it inaugurated in 2018 ... The good thing about it is that people want it. And it’s not just Indigenous Australians ... It’s everybody.”“It’s the start of the beginning of the centenary of Anzac. We could say ‘let’s get it started now’ and we could have it inaugurated in 2018 ... The good thing about it is that people want it. And it’s not just Indigenous Australians ... It’s everybody.”
Mortimer is an elder of the Ngambri, the people on whose land Canberra is built. He – along with Gundungurra Woman Lara Pullin, Aboriginal embassy founder Michael Anderson, and artist Ellie Gilbert – has been lobbying the memorial to erect an Indigenous monument.Mortimer is an elder of the Ngambri, the people on whose land Canberra is built. He – along with Gundungurra Woman Lara Pullin, Aboriginal embassy founder Michael Anderson, and artist Ellie Gilbert – has been lobbying the memorial to erect an Indigenous monument.
“As an allodial title holder to the land on which the Australian War Memorial stands and given that the Australian war memorial has never paid the rent, perhaps the AWM would like to rethink the design of yet another dedication, to make sure it is defintely one for allodial service personnel,” he said.“As an allodial title holder to the land on which the Australian War Memorial stands and given that the Australian war memorial has never paid the rent, perhaps the AWM would like to rethink the design of yet another dedication, to make sure it is defintely one for allodial service personnel,” he said.
Although officially prohibited from serving in the two world wars, several thousand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders did so. Many experienced social equivalence for the first time. They received equal pay and conditions. But upon discharge most met the same pre-war discrimination.Although officially prohibited from serving in the two world wars, several thousand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders did so. Many experienced social equivalence for the first time. They received equal pay and conditions. But upon discharge most met the same pre-war discrimination.
Some returned to find pay had not been given to families. In some cases authorities had taken children away. Some returned to find their traditional lands carved up for soldier settlements for white veterans.Some returned to find pay had not been given to families. In some cases authorities had taken children away. Some returned to find their traditional lands carved up for soldier settlements for white veterans.
It’s an inescapable fact that some fought for an empire that killed their antecedenets in the massacres that blighted the continent after British occupation. Douglas Grant is an exemplar; his parents were massacred and he served in the 1st Australian Imperial Force. It’s an inescapable fact that some fought for an empire that killed their antecedents in the massacres that blighted the continent after British occupation. Douglas Grant is an exemplar; his parents were massacred and he served in the 1st Australian Imperial Force.
“Black diggers” may have been treated equally, as Nelson says, in the ranks. But their circumstance was unique. That is why they warrant their own official monument in the war memorial.“Black diggers” may have been treated equally, as Nelson says, in the ranks. But their circumstance was unique. That is why they warrant their own official monument in the war memorial.
Instead on Anzac Day, people wanting to pay specific honour to Indigenous personnel go to an unofficial monument behind the memorial on public land. Instead, on Anzac Day, people wanting to pay specific honour to Indigenous personnel go to an unofficial monument behind the memorial on public land.
Oakley, a former submariner in the royal Australian navy, recounted how the previous war memorial director, Steve Gower, an ex-general, had said to him that he’d “had no problem with Indigenous soldiers. We’re all the same”.Oakley, a former submariner in the royal Australian navy, recounted how the previous war memorial director, Steve Gower, an ex-general, had said to him that he’d “had no problem with Indigenous soldiers. We’re all the same”.
Oakley explained: “And I’d go ‘Yes, we are but we’re not. We join the defence force for different reasons. We are a nation of people who’ve been around for a long time. We are not the same as everybody else. To us everybody else is a foreigner. We are the traditional owners of the land ... My service to the nation in the defence force, I see that differently. In my eyes I’m doing this for country. It’s different. It’s a different way of thinking’.”Oakley explained: “And I’d go ‘Yes, we are but we’re not. We join the defence force for different reasons. We are a nation of people who’ve been around for a long time. We are not the same as everybody else. To us everybody else is a foreigner. We are the traditional owners of the land ... My service to the nation in the defence force, I see that differently. In my eyes I’m doing this for country. It’s different. It’s a different way of thinking’.”
Which brings me to the war memorial’s continued intransigence on depicting frontier war. There has been a shift of sorts, however, with Oakley saying he (and by implication the memorial) now supports the concept of a monument to frontier war and a repatriation centre for stolen Indigenous remains, possibly on the site of the Aboriginal Embassy.Which brings me to the war memorial’s continued intransigence on depicting frontier war. There has been a shift of sorts, however, with Oakley saying he (and by implication the memorial) now supports the concept of a monument to frontier war and a repatriation centre for stolen Indigenous remains, possibly on the site of the Aboriginal Embassy.
It’s a subject to which I’ll return very soon.It’s a subject to which I’ll return very soon.