In recent times, the holiday of ‘Australia Day’ has been a cause of tension between white Australians and the Indigenous population, as our nation’s first people are often disregarded in the celebrations of our country. Amy McGuire wrote an article centred around this debate on the 27th of January 2014, titled “Australia Day: Indigenous people are told to ‘get over it’. It’s impossible”. McGuire’s contention is that the Indigenous population deserves better recognition on Australia Day, and she wrote in a passionate tone, in which she openly attacks the Australian government. On the same day, DownstairsEddie posted a comment in response to McGuire’s article online, sharing the contention that the Indigenous people cannot simply be told to ‘get
…show more content…
She uses a metaphor; “Australia tries to wash away its hidden history with displays of overt nationalism” to suggest that we decide to ignore the horrific treatment of our nation’s first peoples with the way we currently celebrate the holiday. After her introduction, McGuire shifts her style of writing to one which is less formal, but demonstrates the passion she has for her argument. She uses an anecdote of her visit to Mt Wheeler, a “site of extreme significance to my nation” in illustrating the way white Australians have disregarded her people over time. Mt Wheeler is named after Sir Frederick Wheeler, celebrating a man who “chased a mob of Darumbal people up the top (of the mountain) and herded them off like sheep” and in doing so, McGuire attempts to shame white Australians for making a hero, even knighting, a man who is responsible for such an awful massacre. From here, McGuire then references John Pilger’s film ‘Utopia’, a production that depicts how Australia’s “First Peoples have inherited a legacy of disadvantage that has compounded since the very first days of invasion”. By referencing the film, McGuire cleverly uses an authority to further strengthen her contention that Indigenous Australian’s are severely disadvantaged in our modern society, and deserve greater recognition on the day we celebrate our nation. The author concludes the article with the strong statement “That’s what …show more content…
The statue of the Indigenous man next to the statue of the ANZAC solider is intended to be provocative, but also allows the audience to seriously rethink the heroism the two depicted men possess. Both the Indigenous man and the solider are carrying weapons in the statues, to highlight the fact that neither died willingly, nor without a fight. The two men are also depicted at the same height, suggesting that the pair aren’t too different. There is one significant difference between the statues however, with an age gap of almost 200 years being shown underneath the Indigenous man’s statue, whilst only a total of 9 years on the ANZAC statue. Johnstone does this to illustrate that the Indigenous people have been in battle for their land for far longer than the ANZAC’s were in the trenches, and therefore deserve the recognition and commemoration that our soldiers receive. Through the use of his cartoon, Johnstone visually represents the similarities between the ANZAC’s and Indigenous people who fought for the land we live on
She uses a metaphor; “Australia tries to wash away its hidden history with displays of overt nationalism” to suggest that we decide to ignore the horrific treatment of our nation’s first peoples with the way we currently celebrate the holiday. After her introduction, McGuire shifts her style of writing to one which is less formal, but demonstrates the passion she has for her argument. She uses an anecdote of her visit to Mt Wheeler, a “site of extreme significance to my nation” in illustrating the way white Australians have disregarded her people over time. Mt Wheeler is named after Sir Frederick Wheeler, celebrating a man who “chased a mob of Darumbal people up the top (of the mountain) and herded them off like sheep” and in doing so, McGuire attempts to shame white Australians for making a hero, even knighting, a man who is responsible for such an awful massacre. From here, McGuire then references John Pilger’s film ‘Utopia’, a production that depicts how Australia’s “First Peoples have inherited a legacy of disadvantage that has compounded since the very first days of invasion”. By referencing the film, McGuire cleverly uses an authority to further strengthen her contention that Indigenous Australian’s are severely disadvantaged in our modern society, and deserve greater recognition on the day we celebrate our nation. The author concludes the article with the strong statement “That’s what …show more content…
The statue of the Indigenous man next to the statue of the ANZAC solider is intended to be provocative, but also allows the audience to seriously rethink the heroism the two depicted men possess. Both the Indigenous man and the solider are carrying weapons in the statues, to highlight the fact that neither died willingly, nor without a fight. The two men are also depicted at the same height, suggesting that the pair aren’t too different. There is one significant difference between the statues however, with an age gap of almost 200 years being shown underneath the Indigenous man’s statue, whilst only a total of 9 years on the ANZAC statue. Johnstone does this to illustrate that the Indigenous people have been in battle for their land for far longer than the ANZAC’s were in the trenches, and therefore deserve the recognition and commemoration that our soldiers receive. Through the use of his cartoon, Johnstone visually represents the similarities between the ANZAC’s and Indigenous people who fought for the land we live on