'I will march on Invasion Day': Cherbourg mayor speaks out
Cherbourg Mayor Arnold Murray will not be participating in any South Burnett Australia Day festivities.
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CHERBOURG Mayor Arnold Murray will not be participating in any South Burnett Australia Day festivities, instead he will be marching for his culture, land, and people.
"Australia Day is a sad sad day for our Indigenous culture, a day of mourning,” Indigenous leader and Cherbourg mayor Arnold Murray said.
"It's when Captain Cook found Australia they're celebrating. But he didn't find Australia. He just landed here. We were here when he came here. When they invaded our land.
"I refer to it as Invasion Day. A day that celebrates our culture and land being invaded.”
Mayor Arnold Murray said he sees Captain Cook's invasion as just the beginning of many injustices against his people, land, and culture.
"I'll be marching this Invasion Day,” he said.
"I go to Brisbane to march every year with my fellow brothers and sisters, and a lot of non-Indigenous people who support our cause.
"When we are all marching together I have hope for my culture.”
Mayor Arnold Murray has been a part of the Brisbane Invasion Day March since the very first march.
"It was nice to see so many people - indigenous and non-indigenous - marching last year. I hope this year there will be even more,” he said.
Last year there were an estimated 3000 people marching from Queensland Parliament house to Musgrave Park through the Brisbane CBD.
This year the Meanjin (Brisbane) Invasion Day March is hosted by Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, and WAR and Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy.
"For First Nations people, January 26, 1788 marked the start of genocide, dispossession, displacement, and oppression,” the march coordinators said.
"January 26 is not a day to celebrate a country built on these atrocities. It's not a day to embrace white nationalism or colonialism. January 26 is a day to protest.
"Join First Nations People in Meanjin and around the continent in our fight for justice and rights.”
The Meanjin (Brisbane) Invasion Day March will begin at Emma Miller Place (Roma St Forum) on Roma St at 10am. Speeches will begin at 10.30am. Marching will begin at 11.30am.
The gathering and march will be held on the lands of the Jagera, Yuggera, Yuggerapul and Turrbul people.
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