Annual Indigenous Anzac Day

All Australians are being invited to attend the growing Indigenous dawn service at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Anzac Memorial in Canberra tomorrow. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commemorative Ceremony, which began informally around a decade ago, is conducted in bushland directly behind the Australian War Memorial. Each year, participants gather in a clearing in the bush and listen to stories from Aboriginal ex-servicemen and women. The site - simply a plaque fixed to a large rock - was erected by a local resident to acknowledge the contribution of Indigenous people to the various war efforts. The ceremony begins at 6:30am, immediately after the main service in Anzac Parade. It is hosted by members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans and Services Association.

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Contributor: Victor K. Mugarura
Published Date: April 29, 2008