To have your event included in our 'What's on in 2007' section contact Simon MacDonald at simon.ksgac@iinet.net.au
What's On for the Tenth Anniversary of the Bringing Them Home Report
This year there will be events taking place all over Australia and beyond. Use the links below or scroll down the page.
A commemoration will be held in the Great Hall of the Federal Parliament, Canberra on 24th May, 10.30am – 12.00 noon. Speakers will include the inaugural Chair of ATSIC Lowitja O'Donoghue, HREOC's Indigenous Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma, historian Henry Reynolds, Minister for Health Tony Abbott, and Jenny Macklin, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs. Information: (02) 6281 0940. Click here for the brochure as a PDF file.
Friday 25 May – Conference: Are we bringing them home? - 10 years later. 8.45 am to 4 pm at Havelock House, 85 Northbourne Avenue, Turner ACT; a conference for service providers, Indigenous people, policy workers, and others interested. What action on the recommendations has there been in the ACT area. What still needs to be done? What are the priorities for action? Cost: $50 for organisations, $30 for individuals, $5 concession. Registration forms from Nicky Coles or download at: www.johact.org.au/events. Click here for the brochure as a PDF file.
Saturday 26 May – 7.00 am: Remembering the children. At the Stolen Generations Memorial near Reconciliation Place, Parkes Place, Parkes – opposite the entrance to Questacon. A simple ceremony for members of the Stolen Generations will be led by Cecil Dickson, a Ngunnawal Elder. Open to all who wish to take part. Limited seating available. No cost or registration needed.
Saturday 26 May – 10.30 am - 3 pm, Celebrating Survival: A free family festival at Albert Hall, Commonwealth Avenue, Yarralumla. Traditional food and games, sausage sizzle, fresh food & coffee, community and information stalls – plus lots more. Children’s activities, traditional dance workshops, story telling, jumping castle, face and body painting. Performing Live: Bart Willoughby Rodger & Buddy Knox, Marcia Howard, Wiradjuri Echoes, MC Carts 2, Deadly Dale Huddleston, Michael Weir and Johnny Huckle. Click here for the brochure as a PDF file.
NSW State march, Sydney Town Hall to Circular Quay (1.5 kms). 9am assembly for 10 am start. Community Gathering; First Fleet Park, Circular Quay West. 12 to 5 pm. Official Welcoming 12 midday with Stolen Generations speakers, Koori performers and a community BBQ. Compere - Paulette Whitton. Guest speakers include: Linda Burney - Minister for Fair Trading, Youth and Volunteering, Tom Calma - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Peter Garrett - Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment, Heritage and Arts, and Paul Lynch - Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Local Government. Performers include: Bobby McLeod, Emma Donovan, The Donovans, Mirror Child, Murawina Dancers. Click here for the flyer as a PDF file.
For further information: contact Sandra Newham, NSW Sorry Day Committee, on 0437 100 121.
Wheelchairs available but prior booking required. Please contact the NSW Sorry Day Committee now to book a wheelchair for the march.
10am, 25th of May - Flag raising ceremony and morning tea at the Liverpool Regional Museum. To book please contact Ivana Pepic on 9824 1121 or email pepic@casulapowerhouse.com
The Mount Annan Botanic Garden / Liverpool Council event is on Friday the 25th of May 11am-3.30pm. Information: Les Jenkins on 9821 7758 or 0408 336 711 or email l.jenkins@liverpool.nsw.gov.au . Click here for the flyer as a PDF file.
A march bearing the Marrickville Banner will begin at the square steps of Marrickville Town Hall at 10 am Saturday May 26. This is on the south side of the Town Hall, not the main steps on George St. Please join in, especially if you carried the banner across the Bridge so long ago. Also, Sunday June 3rd - "Yes to Reconciliation" 3pm at Tempe Public School, Unwins Bridge Road, Tempe. - Peter Dixon, Marrickville Residents for Reconciliation. Click here for an image of the Marrickville Banner.
26 May, 10.30am; Meeting at Melbourne Town Hall, for the launch of Stolen Generations Victoria. 11.30am; Walk to Parliament. 12.00; noon Parliament steps. 12.30pm; Walk to Federation Square. 1.15pm; Sorry Day speeches at Federation Square. For further information call Rob on (03) 9486 6122 or email stolengensvicsorryday@hotmail.com. Click here for the poster as a PDF file.
This will be followed by the Long Walk, starting at 4.30pm, led by Michael Long to the MCG in time for the 'Dreamtime at the G' AFL match. For information email kate.bowman@thelongwalk.com.au.
Brisbane: Bring a flower to the Bringing Them Home plaque at one of the following locations on 26 May: Orleigh Park, Riverside Drive, West End. Wynnum Creek (PDF), Waterloo Esplanade / Breakwater, Wynnum. Kalinga Park, Kalinga Street, Nundah. Teralba Park, Osborne Road, Everton Park. Mitchelton Sherwood Forest Park, Jolimont Street, Sherwood. This year the Bringing Them Home Plaque which has been located in King George Square will be on display at Council’s Brisbane Square Library, Brisbane City, during the week leading into National Sorry Day. Click here for more information as a PDF file.
There will be a dinner at the University of Queensland on 25th May. Information about the Stolen Generations and Bringing Them Home will be carried in a four-page supplement in all Brisbane local papers in the week leading up to Sorry Day. There will be films and events at libraries. Information: (07) 3360 8444.
At the Caloundra Courthouse on Saturday 26th of May there will be a Welcome to Country and Sorry Day Commemoration where members of the Sunshine Coast Indigenous Community will welcome Magistrate Di Fingleton to the region. Contact: Darren Manns (Walpara Office 54 775468) or David Hollinsworth (0409 004 740). Click here for the media release as a PDF file.
The State Library of Queensland in Brisbane has an exhibition marking the 10th anniversary of the "Bringing Them Home" report into the Stolen Generations. Broken Links: the Stolen Generations in Queensland will be on display for the next four months.
Alice Springs will have displays in all schools, and in the public library. The Central Australian Stolen Generations and Families Aboriginal Corporation will hold a family fun day at its offices. The Centre for Appropriate Technology is making DVDs of Stolen Generations stories and distributing them to work places and remote communities. Information: (08) 8953 3899
Darwin 19 May; screening of ‘Rabbit-Proof' Fence at Deckchair Cinema, Darwin.
On the afternoon of 25 May the Darwin office of the Northern Territory Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation will be open to the public, featuring displays of Stolen Generations history, photos and artwork. It will be open every day until Friday 1 June.
26 May 10.00am at George Brown Botanical Gardens, Darwin; Service of Remembrance at the memorial plaque followed by barbecue and activities for all ages. 9.30pm ‘Rabbit Proof Fence' will be screened at the Deckchair Cinema.
2 June - Dinner at St Mary’s Football Club, Darwin to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Bringing Them Home report and the 40 th anniversary of the 1967 referendum. This is being supported by the Northern Territory Government and the Australian Workers’ Union. Information on these events: 08 8985 1133
In Perth the Day will be commemorated at a gathering in Wellington Square, with Kate George and Archbishop Barry Hickey as guest speakers. Information: (08) 9486 1577. Click here for the brochure as a PDF file.
In Regional WA The Kimberley Stolen Generations have launched a campaign asking everyone to wear a native hibiscus around 26 May 'to commemorate the survival and resilience of those taken away from country, culture and language.' The campaign is being advertised on the Golden West network (WA's Channel 7) reaching the whole of WA, and Imparja TV reaching the NT, regional Qld and NSW and parts of regional Victoria. Several thousand flowers have already been ordered, and more orders are coming in steadily. Information: (08) 9193 6502
There is also the Marribank Celebration of Survival Gathering from Friday 25th May 2007 to the Sunday 27th May 2007 at Marribank Mission, Katanning. For all mission, reserve, orphan children and trans-generational people who have been affected by stolen generation issues and past government policies. Click here for the brochure as a PDF file.
In Broome there will be a Sorry Day celebration at Barker Street on Saturday, May 26th, from 5.30 pm. There will be a Welcome to Country, a movie showing, hot food, refreshments and the Tafe Band will be playing.
In Adelaide a commemoration will take place at the Migration Museum, Kintore Ave, Adelaide, 10.30am to 4.00pm. The Minister for Education is urging schools to hold commemorations. Information: (08) 8379 3211. Click here for the brochure as a PDF file.
2nd June 10th anniversary of Colebrook Home Memorial, Shepherds Hill Road, Eden Hills. 10.00am-3.00pm. Welcome to Kaurna Land - Karl Telfer Memorial service. 10.30am-11.30am unveiling of plaque and release of doves. Lunch; 12.30pm, Lighting of candles 'in memory', face painting, fairy floss and music. Contacts: Di Dent, (08) 8370 3026; Avis Gale, (08) 8336 2525; Doris Kartinyeri, (08) 8369 1901
25 May 2007, 6-8pm - Sorry Day Event - London, UK: Victoria Embankment Gardens Bandstand, London WC2N 6PB. Refreshments, disability access and seating are available in the Gardens. Free event, all welcome. Closest tube: Embankment. Click here for the media release as a PDF file. For more information email info@eniar.org.
Sorry Day in the UK will be celebrated on the 25th of May from 6 to 8pm and will conclude as dawn breaks in Australia, to remember the Stolen Generations of Aboriginal Children who were forcibly removed from their families.
Sorry Day UK 2007 will give an Indigenous perspective of Australian history through story, dance, song, poetry, art and music. Indigenous and non-Indigenous performers will outline Indigenous history with stories from the Dreamtime, portraits of Indigenous life and culture before white settlement, moving through post settlement experiences to current issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Musicians, poets and writers taking part will include Francis Firebrace, Brigitte Anderssen and Kay Walton plus speakers including Tristram Besterman and Joanna Lathan. Rikki Shields and his children will invite the audience to join them in the kangaroo hunt dance. The MC will be Chris Robinson, a former ABC and Koori Radio broadcaster.
Sorry Day UK is organised by the European Network for Indigenous Australian Rights (ENIAR), a volunteer group which aims to increase awareness of Indigenous Australian issues in Europe and the UK. This is the third London Sorry Day.