Invasion Day/Survival Day Rallies: Honouring Indigenous Sovereignty is Key to Addressing Environmental Crises
Tens of thousands of Australians took to the streets on Sunday to protest it’s national holiday on the day the British declared sovereignty over Australia. Protesters were calling for Indigenous Sovereignty to be honoured, to heal the injustices of this country and to protect the land, its ecology and the people.
For around 80 years, since Australians have celebrated the 26th of January as their national holiday, Indigenous people have disagreed, calling it A Day of Mourning, Invasion Day and Survival Day.
In the face of unprecedented bushfires, Indigenous leaders say Aboriginal people are the ones who are best equipped to address this crisis.
“Aboriginal people have protected and maintained these lands for thousands and thousands of years and for 250 years since we were colonized, the colonizers have not maintained or protected these lands,” said Lidia Thorpe, a Gunnai-Gunditjmara leader and former MP.
Since these fires started in September, 33 people have lost their lives, around 25 million acres have burned, and an estimated 1 billion animals have perished.
