Still We Rise!

“50 years on, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy is the oldest continuing protest occupation site in the world. Taking a fresh lens this is a bold dive into a year of protest and revolutionary change for First Nations people.” – Still We Rise

Film art and historical accuracy

In ‘Still We Rise‘ there is an interview with Chicka Dixon (Waterside Workers Federation) in which he states: “They (aboriginal protestors on the lawns of Parliament in Canberra) were shivering with a bit of plastic over them. An old lady got sorry for them and gave them this big blue tent that became the tent embassy … Despite being allowed to have an encampment on the lawn we were not allowed to light a fire. And so, as the winters set in, many residents of Canberra would turn up whenever the temperature got below zero or something with blankets and little old ladies would come with hot soup. So there was enormous support from the ordinary Australians.”

1. What is the name of ‘the little old lady’ who provided the blue tent which served as the tent embassy in Canberra in 1972 (pictured)?

2. Was the support from ‘the little old ladies’ bringing soup and food during the cold of winter of 1972 an organised thing? In his commentary in the film, Chicka Dixon makes it sound like the support was spontaneous when he refers to “little old ladies”. Is this correct?

3. Was the Communist Party or unions like the Waterside Workers (WWF) or Seamen’s union providing monetary or other support to the Aboriginal Tent Embassy?

These may sound like small points. But historical accuracy is important especially if, in this case, the group or individuals who rendered support were organised. For example the Waterside Workers Federation (WWF), the Seamen’s Union and the Communist Party (CPA) all gave a lot of assistance to first nations struggles at Wattie Creek, Mapoon, and Kirrala. In the circumstances I think some attempt should be made by the researchers of the film to identify these persons rather than refer to them as “little old ladies”.

What do you think?

Still We Rise
People can watch this excellent documentary on the struggle for Land Rights on ABC iView at the following address. It comes at a time when people are trying to establish the voice in parliament which began from the Statement from the Heart. This is a good led up to this significant change that was vetoed by the Turnbull Liberal government.

The filmmakers asked LeftPress if we would provide a short clip from our “1982 Land Rights Marches” shot by Lachlan Hurse and myself during the Commonwealth Games protests in Brisbane (Meanjin). I remember shooting the sequence in Adelaide Street and saw this ‘Boomerang Tours’ bus pass in front of the lens of our Super 8 camera. It struck me as being ironic that tourism would upstage a struggle for land rights. It took 40 years for someone in the mainstream media to come across this clip and to want it for a documentary on the historic 1972 land rights struggle. Here is the sequence the filmamkers were after (click to enlarge):

In the end they did not use the footage however graciously credited LeftPress and myself at the end of the documentary. They weren’t to know but it was Lachlan Hurse who shot most of the film.

Another irony is how the mainstream picks out certain ‘gifted’ aboriginal people to act as spokespersons for mob.

Sadly, nearly all our black brothers and sisters who participated in the land rights struggle have passed away. Gary Foley and Paul Coe are two of the leaders of the 1972 tent embassy who are alive and struggling still.

From Queensland, we have lost many who led that struggle: Sam Watson, Denis Walker, Oodgeroo, Bobby Sykes, Faith Bandler and many others. If you look at LeftPress footage you will see how Brisbane blacks, Cheryl Buchanan, Lionel Fogarty and Bob Weatherall set up a tent embassy in King George Square in 1976. On this occasion, money for the tent used as an embassy in King Geoge Square was provided by the University of Queensland Student Union after Cheryl Buchanan and Lionel Forgarty asked for support. See this sequence in the LeftPress film “1982 Land Rights Marches”.

On the positive side, the tent embassy still exists at the sacred fire in Musgrave Park and a whole new generation have taken up the struggle in their own way, using methods appropriate to today.

The struggle for Land Rights is still strong … in 2013-4, I was charged with 5 instances of maintaining the sacred fire as requested by a Yuggera elder, Kevin Vieritz, who was banished from the park under the Bail Act and could not maintain the fire himself. There was a written agreement between myself and Kevin Vieritz who said that he wished to challenge in court the actions by council of putting out the sacred fire. Under that agreement signed by Kevin Vieritz, I carried wood to the fire for two years and did my best to keep it burning. Black brothers and sisters were arrested at that sacred fire.

The Sovereign Grannys was started at that fire by women like Kristy Lee Burch, Toni MacPherson, Karen Fusi, and Cephia Williams. They led a national campaign against DOCs stealing first nations children.

*Text from Cephia Marie Williams, a strong Badtjala woman*

The judge accepted the evidence given by elders, Sam Watson and Kevin Vieritz, that the sacred fire was cultural business on aboriginal land. I was acquitted of two of the charges and Brisbane City Council was asked why it should not pay my costs. Council did not appeal the decision. Since that time the sacred fire at the top end of Musgrave Park has been left alone because of the resolve of Brisbane Blacks to keep the fire burning.