Is There A Right Way To Celebrate Australia Day?

In light of Triple J’s decision to keep the Hottest 100 on January 26, we asked members how Australia should celebrate Australia Day. Here's one member's thoughts.

The 26th of January is a day that, to many, will always live in infamy.

I’m sure many of you are familiar with the annual controversy around Australia’s national holiday, Australia Day, and the question of whether or not its name – or date - should be changed.

Australia Day notes the anniversary of Sir Arthur Phillip raising the Union Jack on Sydney Cove in 1788, signalling the beginning of Australia’s colonisation. It was also the day that many Indigenous Australians saw their land taken by colonists.

The tradition of having Australia Day as a national holiday on January 26 is a fairly recent one. Not until 1935 did all the Australian states and territories use that name to mark the date, and only in 1994 did they begin to celebrate Australia Day consistently as a public holiday on it.

In the wider community, a conversation rages around whether we, as a country, should change our national day, so that our national holiday can be one in which all Australians can feel included; a new date that allows us all to celebrate and rejoice, rather than mourn and exclude.

The idea of changing the Australia Day holiday to another date seems unusual and yet so obvious and clear. It is surprising to me that we still celebrate Australia Day as a happy occasion. It seems especially surprising considering the fact that this conversation began in earnest in 1988 and not much has been said upfront or changed about it yet.

Australia Day is commonly associated with celebrations and barbecues and Australian pride. Wouldn’t it be much better if Australians could find a new National Day - one that is inclusive and special to all Australians? One that allows us to focus on our country's positive future and not its negative past?

Don't get me wrong: I love going to the beach, eating food and relaxing the whole day with my family and friends. But shouldn't we celebrate in an inclusive way? A respectful way?

Most people barely know the true meaning and history of what happened on that fateful day all of those years ago. Above all, we need to move towards true reconciliation.

Former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam recognised the injustice against the Indigenous people in our past. He stood up in front of a crowd, collected a handful of soil and gave it to a Gurindji man named Vincent Lingiari. Then he spoke: “I solemnly hand to you these deeds as proof, in Australian Law, that these lands belong to the Gurindji people and I put into your hands part of the earth itself, as a sign that this land will be the possession of you and your children forever.”

The meaning of Australia Day is misunderstood by many. Let us, as a country, be respectful and reach true reconciliation by celebrating a day of togetherness.

Congratulations to Katherine for winning this writing challenge, answering: How Should Australia Celebrate Australia Day? Katherine wins a $50 Westfield gift card for her submission. For your chance to win, check out our latest writing challenges in our Comps section. Also, be sure to follow this guide on how to win the writing challenge!

Photo: iStock.