'STRALYA DAY

So, what does Australia Day mean to you?

January 26.  The day the entire nation celebrates being Australian.  ‘Stralyan.

It is our chance to celebrate our country, give thanks for all that this great nation offers, and have a beer with mates whilst we throw another shrimp on the barbie.

Yeah.  Australia Day.

To me, this day is just another day, to be honest.  I’ve never felt a real attachment to it before; however, recent developments have seen that change.

Over the past few weeks in the lead up to this day, I’ve seen articles and Facebook statuses and all sorts of shit condemning Australia Day, and demanding it be changed to ‘Invasion Day’.  A day that acknowledges the true meaning of January 26 to some people.

The day that white man first came to this country, and in the view of some, signalling the demise of our indigenous forefathers.  Ignorant do-gooders are standing up and demanding that the name of this national public holiday be changed to the rather negative ‘Invasion Day’, in acknowledgement of what ‘white man’ has done.

They say it’s not a moment to be proud, or to celebrate, because our indigenous brothers have suffered because of it.  Well, this could be true; however, I’m not going to get into that argument.

To me, Australia Day is about celebrating this nation as one, including the indigenous community.  There is no difference between any of us on this day, and we should open our arms wide and embrace everyone in thanks.

As I sit here typing this blog, I wonder what our indigenous family really think.  Do they want this day to be changed to ‘Invasion Day’?  Do they feel as hard pressed as we’re told they do? 

I have a mate that’s aboriginal, and I can confidently tell you this: he’ll possibly be standing behind his barbeque right now (it’s 12pm), in a t-shirt with either the Australian flag on it, or the Bundy Bear; tongs in one hand; beer in the other. He’ll be lovingly cooking the burger patties that he possibly made himself, whilst his wife organises some yummy salads, and his family and friends enjoy their pool. And he has a nice sunny day for it.

I wonder if he’s thinking about Invasion Day?  I wonder if he’s just thankful for the home he has, the family he loves and the job that keeps the money rolling through the door to pay for it all, just like the rest of us.

These ‘invasion day’ do-gooders seem to have lost the meaning of Australia Day, to me.  It’s not about singling out one race; it’s not about apologising for, or making good on historical events. 

It’s about acknowledging who we are now, and where we’ve come from.  What we’ve built up as a nation, as family and as human beings. 

We are the lucky country.  When you look around the globe, and see political conflict, civil wars, extreme poverty, violence, terrorism and cultural hatred, it’s a world very different from our own. 

It would be ignorant of me to not acknowledge that there is violence, hatred, terrorism and cultural discrimination here, but not to the extremes of other countries.  We seem to be sheltered from a lot of that.  Our easy-going nature creates a peaceful ebb and flow around us, and we have constructed a multicultural country of peace.

You may disagree with it, but that’s my view on it. 

Australia Day is about celebration.  It’s about getting together with family and friends, and enjoying a lamb roast, a barbie, a couple of frothy’s, a swim in the pool, fishing in the river, camping by the Lake Nagambie, riding a tube behind a boat at Echuca, strolling around Federation Square in Melbourne, visiting the Sydney Opera House, watching the tennis at Rod Laver Arena, or the cricket in Adelaide, wearing a t-shirt with an Aussie flag on it, slamming back a Bundy and chomping on a snag in bread with onion and tomato sauce.

It’s about enjoying and celebrating the Australian way of life; simple and peaceful.

I asked Charlie what Australia Day meant to him, and he said ‘What? Apart from a day off work?’ and smiled.  ‘Years ago, if you had an Australian Flag on your car, you were considered a wanker.  Now, it’s a clear symbol of pride.  We seem to be prouder of who we are and of our flag now.  We wear hats and t-shirts with Aussie flags on them, and paint our faces and have a good time. 

When we go to the footy, it’s a ‘them-and-us’ mentality, you know? Because it’s all for the love of sport and competition.  Push all that aside, and it’s just ‘us’.  At the end of the day, we don’t care what team we follow, or what political party we support; it’s just us.  You know, Aussies as one.’

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Happy Australia Day, Australia.

Peace out.