Ditch the date: 5 ways to support First Nations people

Tim Sculthorpe

January 25, 2022

For Tim Sculthorpe, a proud palawa man from lutruwita (Tasmania) and head of marketing at Aboriginal-led not-for-profit Welcome to Country, it’s high time Australia stopped celebrating January 26th: a date that marks the beginning of invasion and colonisation of Indigenous land. Here’s what he thinks Australians can do to show their support instead.

Note: The following article discusses themes of invasion and colonisation that may be distressing to some readers. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Welcome to Country’s position on the issue, nor that of the broader First Nations communities.

It’s time to ditch a date built on land theft, dispossession, generational trauma and widespread oppression.

For most Aboriginal peoples like me, the 26^th of January isn’t known as ‘Australia Day’, but Invasion Day or Survival Day. And with the 26^th of January it’s good to remember that Australia is, was and always will be Aboriginal land. Sovereignty was never ceded.

In case you missed it: The First Fleet sailed into Sydney Cove in 1788 and declared Terra Nullius, justifying the acquisition of Australia by British occupation without treaty or payment. In the 10 years that followed, it’s estimated that the First Nations population was reduced by 90%.

Sunrise at Uluru, Northern Territory. Photo: Mitchell Cox, Tourism NT

“In less than 20 years we have nearly swept them off the face of the earth. (…) We have made them outcasts on their own land, and are rapidly consigning them to entire annihilation.” – Edward Wilson, Editor, The Argus, 17 March 1856

No wonder this is a day of mourning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

It’s also important to remember that the 26^th January was only formally recognised as a national holiday under the banner of ‘Australia Day’ in 1994. Before this time, we didn’t emblazon ourselves in Australian flags, encourage the worst aspects of colonialist past, and celebrate division and systemic racism.

‘Australia Day’ not only excludes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from the “celebration”, but all of our migrant population are left out too. ‘Australia Day’ should really be called ‘White Australia Day’.

So get behind the cause and ditch Australia Day if you want a national day that truly celebrates us all. Let’s find a new date to celebrate, have a day off, enjoy a cold beer and a dip in the ocean. You can bet that beer will go down better without the bitter aftertaste of guilt.

Tim Sculthorpe, Three Capes Track, Tasmania. — Tim takes a breather along Tasmania’s renowned Three Capes Track walk. Photo courtesy of Tim Sculthorpe

Five simple ways to show your support

Until Australia Day is ditched, there are many ways to show and voice your support for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities on the 26th of January (and beyond).

Reflect and educate

Choose not to celebrate the day and instead use it as a day of reflection and education. Take time out to learn the truth about Australia’s history and reflect upon the loss, trauma and oppression of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples since colonisation. You can even join an Invasion Day rally to show your support.

Learn the land

Learn whose land you are on and pay your respect to its Traditional Custodians by including an Acknowledgement of Country in your day.

“When we travel, we recognise the need to be culturally aware. We like to learn some facts in advance about the place we are visiting, even memorise some pleasantries in the local language. It’s time to treat Aboriginal Nations with the same respect.”

Stand up for language

Language is powerful; it expresses identity, culture and belonging. Use your voice to speak up for First Nations languages. There are more than 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, including about 800 dialects. Know the First Nation language of your local area and actively engage in learning that language.

Support First Nations voices

Supporting self-determination is another action we can all take this 26th January. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples need to be in charge of decision-making and leadership for themselves and their communities. Raise your voice in support.

Have a First Nations experience
Get out and have a First Nations experience. Go to the source and learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people directly. Hear our true history, the wealth of stories and knowledge we hold. Indigenous knowledge—including the practice of architecture, land management, enterprise, astronomy, mathematics and physics—all existed in Australia for thousands of years before colonisation. Learn and celebrate this knowledge.

Tim Sculthorpe (middle) is the Head of Marketing at Welcome to Country, and a self-proclaimed "big-hearted eco-warrior" who puts community and culture first. — Tim Sculthorpe (middle) is the head of marketing at Welcome to Country. A tourism industry veteran, Tim’s sustainable obsession is linked to being a proud palawa man from lutruwita (Tasmania). Photo: Business Events Tasmania and Beetle Black Media

When we travel internationally, we recognise the need to be culturally aware. We like to learn some facts in advance about the place we are visiting… even memorise some pleasantries in the local language. It’s time to treat Aboriginal Nations with the same respect. It’s time to realise how important our First Nations peoples and cultures are to our country.

There are options right across Australia in every state and city for you to learn our joint history, celebrate First Nations cultures, and understand why it is not a good idea to celebrate Australia Day on January 26.

lutruwita/Tasmania
Learn from my cousin, Nunami Sculthorpe Green, about the true history of our people (palawa) and our ongoing connection to our county on this walk around nipaluna/Hobart.

New South Wales
Join Aunty Margret Campbell, Dunghutti Elder, to hear the true history of Sydney’s Gadigal people at the point of invasion, Sydney Cove.

Queensland
Learn Kuku Yalanji language, discover local place names and names for regional plants and animals with Kuku Yalanji man Juan Walker.

Tim’s cousin, Nunami Sculthorpe Green, leads a group with takara nipaluna (walking Hobart), the first and only palawa walking experience in nipaluna/Hobart. Photo: Courtesy of Welcome to Country

Victoria
Get involved in the sharing of Aboriginal culture with Worn Gundidj; the act of sharing and teaching culture helps to keep it strong and alive.

South Australia
We are not a new country; our history stretches back tens of thousands of years. Hear this ancient history from the Adnyamathanha of the Ikara Flinders Ranges.

Western Australia
See beyond the red sands and turquoise waters of Shark Bay with Darren ‘Capes’ Capewell and learn its significance to intercultural knowledge sharing.

Northern Territory
Learn about Aboriginal ecology from Tess Atie. Discover how to protect our incredible Top End Country and live in harmony with the landscape as Aboriginal people have done for millennia.

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Learn more

Head over to Welcome to Country and explore their full range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander travel experiences today.

Tim Sculthorpe

Tim is a proud palawa man from lutruwita (Tasmania) and the Head of Marketing at Welcome to Country. Tim loves to make, reuse and recycle all the things, all the time. A tourism industry veteran Tim’s sustainable obsession is linked to being a proud palawa man from lutruwita (Tasmania), ingrained in him is caring for the land, passing on culture and making strong communities.