Before coming to Australia 5 months ago I had an inkling of the existence of Australia Day. I knew it was 26th January, and in London that's the day where the Aussie pubs would don their flags even more proudly, sell cliched offerings such as kangaroo and crocodile burgers, and where you can catch a viewing of Strictly Ballroom or Muriel's Wedding. It's always been something I glanced over - I'm British, what would it matter to me?
Being here in Sydney it's obviously a very different story altogether. Over the past week there have been posters going up about Australia Day, banners on the lampposts in the CBD, and event information displayed too.
I had been told two very different versions of what to expect from Australia Day, with the common themes being drunkenness and community. The other elements touched upon a raw history I was sadly unaware of before coming here.
I learnt about the European explorers who visited Australia in the past. In the 17th century Dutch ships arrived on the western and southern shores. They named the land New Holland before basically abandoning it.
Then in the late 18th century the British did what they did all-too-often in those days; they came, they saw, they stuck their flag in the ground and called it their own. A controversial thing to do as British James Cook was told to not claim the land if people were living there, but he defied orders. He noted the Indigenous Australians who welcomed them, but claimed the land by stating that no permanent housing had been built, and nor were there clear leaders within the Aboriginal communities. Indigenous Australians saw the land as something you respect but you don't own. They moved around to get new nutrients and the food they needed, and their communities consisted of elders who were trained in a particular skill, as opposed to being the overall leader of the group.
It was very different from how the Brits understood society and leadership, but initial communications were friendly and civil. Both sides gifted food and resources to the other, and interestingly, the Indigenous Australians mistook the Europeans to be the spirits of their deceased ancestors because of their pale skin. Ancestors were worthy of great respect, which is why the Europeans were welcomed so openly. Tensions soon flared from a few misunderstandings on both sides, and the British claimed the land before spreading diseases and killing any Aboriginal people who they saw to be standing in their way.
A few years later the British decided to start a penal colony in New South Wales, and the first ships arrived on 26th January, 1788.
Now here's the contentious thing; that date is now considered Australia Day.
On one side I've had people telling me that it's a day to celebrate because Australia is still a new country (let's ignore the 60,000+ years of Aboriginal history, apparently), and Australia Day celebrates 98% of the population who derived from people arriving here within the past 241 years. It's a celebration of unity, diversity and the European history of the land which started as nothing and now has rich infrastructure. It's a chance to celebrate being Australian - the good, the bad and the ugly. In fact, I was told it was bigger than Christmas as it was more inclusive!
On the flip side, the date is referred to as Invasion Day, where Europeans took over and effectively initiated a genocide. I've had people tell me that you wouldn't expect Jewish people to celebrate the Holocaust, so why would you think that Aboriginal people would join in the celebration and not find the notion entirely offensive?
I noted this to those on the other side of the argument, who told me that there are 2 days of apology for the Indigenous Australians. Things got heated at this point, which shows there are clearly strong feelings on both sides which are nowhere near being resolved.
A workable solution, I have been told, is to change Australia day to a date which is inclusive for everyone who lives here. With the protests taking place on Australia Day (by people from a range of backgrounds), I suspect there will be pressure on the government to change the date within the next few years. From an outsider's point of view this seems like a good suggestion.
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Despite the history, I figured I couldn't have a solid view of Australia Day if I didn't experience it in person. I headed down to Circular Quay (Sydney) where the night before I'd seen stages being built and boats heading to the quays. Overnight a stage had popped up floating outside the Opera House, with speakers and pedestrian barriers up everywhere on land.
I arrived around 7.30pm and followed the crowds who were heading towards The Rocks and along the bank of the water. I was given a small Australian flag to wave, which blended in with the thousands of others I could see. Some people had dressed in red, white and blue, others were wearing skirts and tops made of flags. There was absolutely no doubt that I was in Australia!
The screen outside the Opera House was displaying people from other countries who had decided to make Australia their home. They told stories of new lives, new opportunities, some escaping from war and destruction. The ethos was that Australia is the land of hope and the chance to start over. I found it cheesy and actually highly Americanised (with due respect...), but a nice and cosy sentiment - if you like that kind of thing.
Next was a live performance of some Aussie singer I didn't know, but that got the crowd going. I kept on walking through the Rocks and walked past a street party with a live band. They were pretty good, and were playing Men at Work - Down Under with a great reception, mixed in with quite a lot of George Ezra (British singer. Random!).
The high humidity got the better of me and I decided to keep walking before I disappeared into a puddle of sweat. I found myself beneath the Harbour Bridge just as the fireworks started. A little underwhelming, if I'm honest, but perhaps it might have been more atmospheric mixed in with the crowds.
I left the area not long afterwards and headed towards Newtown where there was a slightly different feel. I saw many Aboriginal flags flying around, but there was still a definite buzz and the restaurants were even more packed than they usually are for a Saturday night. I was pleased to see the economic advantages the day has - especially with it being a public holiday.
So overall, I felt conflicted. I'm struggling with my cultural identity and what it means to be British in a place where my ancestors have caused so much harm to other communities, but conversely, have built a country from the ground upwards. I liked that the day offered an opportunity for people to come together, but it just seemed to result in drunkenness and disorder. And I'm pleased I get an extra day off work... But I do feel like there needs to be a different nod to the original owners of the land. That's just my two cents though, and very much an outsider's view of Australia Day.
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