South Australia’s indigenous community to lead Adelaide’s Australia Day parade for first time

Proud members of the state’s indigenous community will for the first time lead Adelaide’s Australia Day parade — billed as the biggest in the country — to highlight unity and recognition, organisers say.

• Opinion: An Australia Day that gives voice to all

Proud members of the state’s indigenous community will for the first time lead Adelaide’s Australia Day parade — billed as the biggest in the country — to highlight unity and recognition, organisers say.

A float called “Kumangka, Mukapainga, Tampinga — Together, Remember, Recognise” will lead thousands of people from 100 different community groups through the streets of Adelaide to Elder Park (Tarntanya) on Saturday.

Australia Day Council of SA CEO Jan Chorley said Adelaide would celebrate and unite a nation by joining people in a “unifying and reconciled spirit”.

SHOW OF SPIRIT: Terry Lyons, left, Leah Lyons, Rosemary Wanganeen and Fred Agius will be involved in Australia Day Council of SA’s Australia Day celebrations. Picture: TOM HUNTLEY

But it also would not shy away from addressing the significant challenges experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

“This year it will be led by Aboriginal people acknowledging this is a day of mourning,” she said. “This float will be followed by the many dozens of communities celebrating their own diverse cultural identities and their shared love for this great country.”

The day will start with a Smoking Ceremony at Elder Park, at 7am, led by Ngarrindjeri elder Major “Moogy” Sumner and Rosemary Wanganeen, the founding director of the Australian Institute for Loss and Grief. The parade, which is expected to attract more than 40,000 people, starts at 6pm.

Ms Wanganeen told The Advertiser she would introduce her concept of “Grief Forgiveness” into the January 26 lexicon.

MELTING POT: Last year’s Australia Day Parade in Adelaide. Picture: Emma Brasier/AAP

“(It comes) from my own life experience of it when I went through my own healing process in 1987 and came out in 1992,” Ms Wanganeen said.

“I realised that the final layer to it is have you got the strength to forgive what happened in 1788. I’m not going to condone what happened, I’m going to become more empowered and strengthened as an Aboriginal person. And it also applies to non-Aboriginal people, can they forgive their ancestors for what they did in 1788.”

Her niece, Natasha Wanganeen, whose image will light up Elder Park from 8.30pm onwards from January 24 to 28 as part of a installation projecting Aboriginal elders and Aboriginal leaders by renowned Australian artist Craig Walsh, said her aunt was “such a brave woman” for the role she will play on Saturday.

The Veronicas will headline a free concert and fireworks in Elder Park, from 7pm.

Natasha, an AFI award-winning actor known for her roles in Rabbit-Proof Fence, Redfern Now and recently in the Storm Boy film, said she would be at the “Survival Day” event at Semaphore Beach on Saturday. But she said it was pleasing that indigenous culture would be a key part of the events in the city: “It’s good on their part (the Australia Day Council) that they want to show the installation there (at Elder Park)”.

The Veronicas will headline a free concert and fireworks in Elder Park, from 7pm.