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‘Continue the legacy of our ancestors’: Wulumbarra and Still Here January 26 service
As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the trees at Kaieltheban Park, a solemn crowd gathered to commemorate and reflect on the significance of January 26.
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For many there, January 26 was not seen as a day of celebration and national pride, it was seen as a day of mourning.
The Wulumbarra and Still Here Day of Mourning dawn service has been running for five years now, and this year was no exception.
Close to 70 people attended the event on Sunday to recognise that January 26 marks the start of genocidal impacts and generational trauma for First Nations peoples.
There was a lot reflected on at this year’s event, following on from several decisions from Greater Shepparton City Council last year that resulted in the re-implementation of Australia Day events and funding after their initial removal in a council decision back in 2022.
Chair of Yorta Yorta Nations Aboriginal Corporation and co-chair of Shepparton Region Reconciliation Group, Uncle Bobby Nicholls, said he was disappointed with the council’s actions.
“Now to me, that was like a slap in the face for myself and a lot of other non-Aboriginal supporters who I see here this morning have sat down with council and worked on a Reconciliation Action Plan, and part of that was to change the date,” Uncle Bobby said.
“Why would they turn around and change it back to what they wanted?
“We're a non-violent people when we march, we want to try and work peacefully with not only the state, but with the Commonwealth and local governments, but if that's what they're going to do to us, we're going to be protesting, until we get what we want.”
The morning saw two original songs by Yorta Yorta artist Scott Darlow performed, which included Deadly Heart and Sorry, with his daughter Kiah joining him for the performance of Sorry.
A minute’s silence was also held in reflection of the work past elders and First Nations leaders had done to fight for a better future and the right to be recognised.
Event organiser and executive director at Still Here Arts and Culture Neil Morris said acknowledging the past was the way to a better future.
“We come here today with the intention of moving towards a healed future, moving towards removing layer by layer, bit by bit, those pieces of damage, knowing that they are intergenerational, they continue to be intergenerational,” Mr Morris said.
“We continue to be imposed upon by colonial structures everywhere we set foot, in what was placed upon our sacredness that is now surrounding all of us.
“It now imposes itself in ways that our ancestors may have never imagined, but whether or not they imagined that, they did have that strength, and we have that passed down gratefully through the generations here today.
“So we stand here to continue the legacy of our ancestors’ work, knowing that it is not a choice to continue their work, it is our role as we continue to live and be and breathe and honour that as Yorta Yorta people.”
To listen to Scott Harlow’s music visit: tinyurl.com/7u45432x