Prof. Mick Dodson, Aboriginal leader and academic was named last night as the 2009 Australian of the Year for his lifetime commitment to improving the lives of Aboriginal people. He has called for a "national conversation" about changing the date of Australia Day (January 26), which commemorates the landing of the first fleet at Sydney cove in 1788. "
To most indigenous Australians it (Australia Day) really reflects the day on which our world came crashing down. Many of our people call it invasion day."
So we had that 'national' conversation at the lunch table with the kids, about the meaning of 'Straya Doi', why its a holiday and what it could mean. 'Straya Doi is a public holiday and despite, inspite, of the politics around it, it calls for a BBQ lunch. The kids decided that The Apology was just the beginning.
The kids made foccaccia using a Jamie Oliver recipe and topping one with rock salt and rosemary from the garden and the other topped with the last of the rocket pesto made ...umm...a while back, and thinned with more olive oil.
and i made beetroot and horseradish relish to have with our 'snags' (sausages), made from a mix of chioggia and bulls blood beetroot and horseradish root from the garden.
The 'snags' were biodynamic beauties of fennel, chilli and pork (a veggie patty only for B2 as B1 declared an incredible craving for 'snags') and she did the fry up.
followed up with blackberries picked on the side of the road this morning on our walk with the beanboy and local honey ice cream .
The kids decided that invasion day was probably the most fitting descriptor of the day in 1788. Pretty hard to argue with that. Oh, and its nice to see that with a change of national government comes a commesurate change in the calibre of Australian of the Year nominees. Not A Cricketer.
8 comments:
Its great that you and the fam had this important conversation too... I just dealt with this, well, similar issues, in my daily blog-blurb (sans the fabulouso foodie pictures, and more detailed explanation of the meaning of Australai Day). Thanks Kel
I was so naive I thought it was the day Australia stopped being an English colony! Totally agree with discussion re if it is really a day to celebrate! Was a bit of a shock!
What a great choice for Australian of the year! Well deserving! I agree with his rational re the date.
The food looks delicious! Are you sure you can't send some over to England??!!
Im sorry,
but how many times does one man have to say sorry to his his fellow man. Now we have to reshuffle the calender as well.If white man had landed by way of exploration on April 1 would we have to change the name to Happy Day. Yes white man landed on this continent on Jan 26 but jeez, next Chrismas will have to be renamed, then the queens birthday, followed by Melbourne cup day.
Heres a bit of trivia...The Collins class submarines were nearly called the Tribal class , naming each on after one of the main Aborigional tribes, that was about the time the land rights debate was happening and the Tribal class became the Collins class in fear of losing our submarines in a land rights legal battle.
Yes I realiseand simpethise with some of the issues at hand but when is enough.
Phil
xx
Jen - its amazing what kids think Australia da actually is! its pretty funny what they come up with.
Annuska - you're not alone in your thinking...LOL
NFFT- i agree and thanks and would if i could...
Phil- we've only done it as a nation but the once mate and as for the subs...well i reckon the navy had some pretty piss weak legal instructions if they thought that! LOL
All I can say is yuuuuuuum. Oh and I think Invasion Day is apt. Maybe it's just me, but I find it a bit hard to 'celebrate' the day now...
I can't get past the foccacia. The kids made the foccacia?! I could almost take a bite of it from here on the other side of the world. I'm way impressed. Really.
Julie - it was yuuuummm, and i hope i didnt ruin ya day! ;-)
kale - they're great arent they? best things about focaccia , besides the taste, is its sooo easy to make. 15 min in the oven and viola! lunch. Theyre stoked with the feedback
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