Indigenous Veterans Commemoration Service

During Reconciliation Week, we were privileged to attend this ceremony with student representatives from 52 Sydney schools and 3 country schools to honour the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women who fought for Australia in every conflict since the Boer War.

We heard from Lieutenant Colonel Joseph West who spoke about his great great uncle who fought and died in PNG during WWII. His regiment was the same one that Yr 11 student, Maya Robinson, discovered her great great great uncle also fought in. They met afterwards and the Lieutenant Colonel was very interested in their connection.

It was a solemn occasion where we all participated in a smoking ceremony and heard from soldiers about the way Aboriginal soldiers were treated as second class citizens when they returned from war even though they served alongside their Australian mates. It was similar to other ANZAC services where a catafalque party forms a guard of honour while the bugler plays the Last Post and Reveille, which was made extra special by being at the Hyde Park cenotaph.  

I asked the students for their lasting impressions of this event:

Angelina – It was a really eye-opening experience because we got to recognise the soldiers who were not recognised when they returned from war and why this happened.

Amira – I found out why we have Reconciliation Week and its importance.

Aisha – It was a very engaging experience for me to hear about how Aboriginal soldiers should always be recognised.

Makayla– My first time watching and learning about Aboriginal dancing – they posed like native animals which shows how nature is such an important part of their culture and they really connect to the land.

Ella– I found it really eye-opening to see the full scale of Aboriginal people who laid down their lives for us in war and I had no idea about this which is I guess what I came to learn.

Zoe– I found the service really moving especially considering their sacrifice. Plus I learnt more about their culture – I’ve never been that close to a smoking ceremony and didn’t realise it was about cleansing and welcoming.

Lucia– The event was very educational about history and Aboriginal people in the military.

Marion– I’ll never forget the very symbolic placing of the wreath in the pond of remembrance.

True – I liked the poem written by the friend of the Aboriginal soldier explaining how his grin cheered everyone up during the war.

Violet–  I found the precision of the catafalque party very interesting.

Maya– It was a pleasure meeting Lieutenant Colonel West because I like connecting back to my ancestors and discovering more about the past.

Charlotte – When they put the wreath in the pond it was a really beautiful way to commemorate the fallen Aboriginal soldiers.

Karen Horder
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Student Support Teacher