Multicultural Australia Day

It was Australia Day here yesterday, and I spent the day with my boyfriend's family eating delicious Aussie food (damper, anyone?) and then going into a food coma (obviously). Afterwards, a walk down at the beach was had, and some fun photo's taken.

But seeing all the different types of people celebrating, and the controversy surrounding Australia Day (some know it as Invasion Day, as it was the day James Cook landed in Sydney in the 1700's; the indigenous community was treated appallingly) got me thinking about how multicultural Australia has become. And then, a friend on facebook said this:

Thanks Joanne Murphy.. Yay for immigrants! Yay for sushi and hommus and pizza and olives and wonton soup and edamame and curries and calamari.

Yay for all the people who came to a strange country and made a new life, built houses, started businesses, were given opportunities and helped developed this awesome country. thank you...

Yay for all the indigenous peoples of this beautiful land, many who are still struggling with our paternalism and affected by us fitting them into one small, ridiculous, stereotypical box.

Boo to ridiculous racist Australia Day status updates (many just stolen from American myths and repackaged as Australian scaremongering) and pop media culture perpetuating xenophobia.

Happy Muticultural Australia Day!!!!

 

 - Tiffany Louise

 

Many people who are Australians weren't necesarily born here, but they put in the hard work to become citizens and they have every right to call Australia home, and to celebrate with us. As for the indigenous community, I can understand how hard it must have been to see foreigners come in and take over, and be treated the way they were. But hopefully one day, we can all live here in peace.

 

So, in the words of my friend Tiffany, happy Multicultural Australia Day!