Tue, 21 May 2024 03:37:28 +1000
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<https://theconversation.com/first-nations-anzacs-sacrificed-life-and-limb-for-country-why-arent-their-stories-shown-onscreen-227230>
"Since the 1860s, thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
have served in the Australian Defence Force. They have fought in every major
war from the Boer War to Afghanistan. More than 1,000 Aboriginal and Torres
Islanders served in the first world war, with at least 70 stationed on the
front lines and in the trenches at Gallipoli.
At the outbreak of WWI, the 1910 amendment to the Australian Defence Act of
1903 prevented persons “not substantially of European origin or descent” from
enlisting. In addition, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders weren’t yet
considered Australian citizens and were therefore automatically excluded from
enlisting.
Despite this, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders answered the call to
defend their country by hiding their racial identity to enlist.
This Anzac Day, we can point to many examples of mainstream media projects,
both fiction and non-fiction, dedicated to the Australian experience of WWI.
But within these stories is a striking lack of Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Islander people or characters that represent the wartime sacrifices made by
First Nations peoples.
Why have their contributions been erased? And when will they be remembered?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
"Since the 1860s, thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
have served in the Australian Defence Force. They have fought in every major
war from the Boer War to Afghanistan. More than 1,000 Aboriginal and Torres
Islanders served in the first world war, with at least 70 stationed on the
front lines and in the trenches at Gallipoli.
At the outbreak of WWI, the 1910 amendment to the Australian Defence Act of
1903 prevented persons “not substantially of European origin or descent” from
enlisting. In addition, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders weren’t yet
considered Australian citizens and were therefore automatically excluded from
enlisting.
Despite this, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders answered the call to
defend their country by hiding their racial identity to enlist.
This Anzac Day, we can point to many examples of mainstream media projects,
both fiction and non-fiction, dedicated to the Australian experience of WWI.
But within these stories is a striking lack of Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Islander people or characters that represent the wartime sacrifices made by
First Nations peoples.
Why have their contributions been erased? And when will they be remembered?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
