Guards tear down Aboriginal protesters' shelter

[reu_jkt]

April 16, 2006 - 3:37PM

Security officers hired by Melbourne City Council have removed a makeshift shelter from an Aboriginal camp near the city centre, protesters say.

Protester Reggae Weston said up to 16 security guards entered the camp site at King's Domain at 2am (AEST) and removed the shelter, made of eucalypt branches and known as a gunyah.

They also took a plastic tarpaulin used as a wind break.

Mr Weston said the guards were hired by Melbourne City Council by-laws officers.

The camp, named Camp Sovereignty, was set up as a protest by Aboriginal people during the Commonwealth Games. The domain is just south of Melbourne's CBD.

About 10 protesters were at the camp when guards arrived, Mr Weston said.

"They just said, 'We've got to tear down your camp site'," he said.

The guards did not remove a second gunyah.

Another protester, Ronald Terrick, said by-laws officers from Melbourne City Council extinguished a cooking fire about 8am (AEST) today.

"I've lit my fire as per tradition and I've explained that to them, that I'm doing this as part of my cultural rights and cultural heritage, so I pointed out that they were prohibited from entering herewith and I pointed out these points of our lore to them," Mr Terrick said.

"They entered here on to our land and they poured water over our fire and extinguished it."

The fire was rebuilt about noon today to cook lunch. Mr Terrick said the council or police had no right to extinguish the new fire because it was allowed under cultural provisions in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act (1984).

"I consider it my cultural right to practice my cultural heritage here in the state of Victoria ... in the city of Melbourne," he told about 30 onlookers at the site.

"This is a sacred site. I feel especially privileged to be able to do this.
"This reinstates our culture, reinstates the dance, reinstates the corroboree, reinstates our fire."

Mr Terrick reclaimed the land on behalf of Aboriginal people and the Wurundjeri tribe of Melbourne.

"I hereby take possession of this site, this area that belongs to the Wurundjeri people of Melbourne."

The group has been allowed to stay in the park, and the burning of a sacred fire is permitted after it was given emergency heritage protection for 30 days.

A traditional hut built on the camp has also been allowed if it is used only to house fuel for the fire.

AAP

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national...testers-shelter/2006/04/16/1145125996441.html

 

[MoeBro]

for fucks sake, they already have a street named after their tribe, what more do they want?

 

[preacha]

it's my cultural heritage to die via potato consumption
doesn't mean i exercise that right

 

[up all night]

Plur?

 

[endlesseulogy]

it's my cultural heritage to die via potato consumption
doesn't mean i exercise that right

Yes but that’s your choice..
At least you have one..
Treaty? I see no treaty.
Until there is a treaty I see no room for white man to budge.
Let them have their camp. Why do people become so insecure and fidgety with such a small site that really doesn’t change much. Whiny old ladies you all are! Go hang out at the RSL or something you jaded fucks. The world has enough of you. Who cares about the technicalities of having it and how it impacts white man's rights. Let them have their camp! Its the absolute least we could do to reconsile with the people who were stolen, marginalised and morally corrupted by the dividers and rulers of this nation.

 

[ButrosButros_Grantos]

Hmm, they seem to want to make a point and it has gotten across, however I question the actually intregity of their rituals if the are using steel pots to cook with as clearly they didnt have such items until we stole their land. Perhaps they could dance around a public barbeque instead, then everyone would be happy, except for people waiting to use the barbeque of course

 

[Shnouzerpuff]

Go build a gunyah in your backyard - not in the middle of the city.

 

[up all night]

Well a protest in their backyard isn't much of a protest now, is it.

 

[drEaMtiMe*@#]

Hmm, they seem to want to make a point and it has gotten across, however I question the actually intregity of their rituals if the are using steel pots to cook with as clearly they didnt have such items until we stole their land. Perhaps they could dance around a public barbeque instead, then everyone would be happy, except for people waiting to use the barbeque of course

yes, and of course their point being that this is their land which english settlers stole from them, by rapping, murdering, and torturing their ancestors! the aborigines who you see there now are a product of their new found society i.e. that is why they're wearing clothes instead of little cloths, and why they use steel pots to cook their food in. and good on them for utilising these introduced items, i say! smart people are the ones who, amongst other things, have the ability to see what is a good idea and use it to their advantage.

i say let them stay there for as long as they want.

 

[up all night]

yes, and of course their point being that this is their land which english settlers stole from them, by rapping

I would love to see that.

 

[drEaMtiMe*@#]

i fucking knew i spelt that wrong. it was just a typo, i swear!!! had absolutely nothing to do with my bad spelling

 

[endlesseulogy]

I park my car near that site everyday and walk to work. Several times on the way to work I have gone and visited the camp and it is such a great idea! Often I complain to other Melbournians that there isn’t enough Aboriginal culture on display. Unlike other Australian cities like Sydney and Perth, you very rarely see Aboriginal people.. ANYWHERE.. We are taught a bit about their culture in school, but as usual its politically correct, inaccurate and bland. This is the perfect place to talk to people who know and I encourage them to keep up their fight and spread the word to other Aboriginal people in the area and further a field. If the authorities want a confrontation they will get one. What is all this chatter about rights? I didnt see white man who took away the rights of aboriginal people scream and moan about rights. Never appologising for what happened to the native people of this country gives more reason to label the authorities as insensitive and un-trustworthy. Id love to see how most of the jaded wah wahs in this forum (who hide behind the vail of realism) would feel if the government came and stole their rattles!

Seconded. I will also take a shining to green clothing and wear all-green garb to work. If they complain, I will say it is part of my cultural heritage and will then get emergency heritage protection on my clothing for 30 days while I sue work for being discriminatory.

LET ME HAVE MY GREEN GARB!

No keej, your simplistic attempt at trying to justify this doesn’t really work.

Unlike the aboriginal people of this nation, your green garb wearing fraternity hasn’t been obliterated, domesticated, slaughtered, marginalised and hated for over 200 years. If you claim it has, you would have grounds to wear the garb at work. There are certain conditions that should enable groups to be given special treatment over other groups based on that what was taken away, should be given back.

 

[lostpunk5545]

Seeing an upper class white woman complaining about how she was accosted by them and attacked with a stick on her morning jog made my week last week.

 

[endlesseulogy]

LOL.. it made me laugh too. The guys there are some of the most peaceful, respectable people ive ever talked to. Really, a great bunch of people. Dealing with upper class white women daily as a part of my job, it would be easier for me to believe she was mouthing off to them or the entourage of homeless people that live in that park and she exaggerated the story for dramatic effect or to feel more important.

For gods sake those who are able to visit this site, do it before you come on here making judgements.

 

[KemicalBurn]

Viewers at home are undoubtedly on the edge of their seats wondering whether EndlessEulogy will be utilising his soap-box or his high horse this episode...

Don't touch that dial!

 

[Wacky]

Until there is a treaty I see no room for white man to budge.
Let them have their camp. Why do people become so insecure and fidgety with such a small site that really doesn’t change much. Who cares about the technicalities of having it and how it impacts white man's rights. Let them have their camp! Its the absolute least we could do to reconsile with the people who were stolen, marginalised and morally corrupted by the dividers and rulers of this nation.

Totally agree with this .

 

[endlesseulogy]

Viewers at home are undoubtedly on the edge of their seats wondering whether EndlessEulogy will be utilising his soap-box or his high horse this episode...

Don't touch that dial!

Opps im sorry.. I didnt know i was supposed to tow the party line.

Lets all be good little boys and girls that all think the same.

Think before you speak. As if the majority of replies to this thread havnt been made from a cultural high-horse and/or soap box.

 

[KemicalBurn]

I could care less whether you toe an imaginary line. You just spout out opinions and never do anything about them.

You sir, are a blow-hard.

 

[endlesseulogy]

You dont know what i do. If you bother to READ what is said and reply from some sort of knowledge base you numb skull you will see that I have actually visited this said camp on a number of occasions, unlike the majority of people who have replied here. Say what you want but you will find most people will see you for what you are.

 

[KemicalBurn]

wow! you actually visited the camp? that mustve taken a good 5... maybe 10 minutes out of your day.

and you consider that "standing up for what you alledgedly believe in"? what am i thinking? you're also posting on the internet!!

For one who claims to be so passionate about so many controversial issues... you dont seem to do an awful lot besides pissing and moaning about "how things just arent so gosh-darn fair!"

To summarise: There are people who complain about the darkness, and there are those who change the fucking light-bulb.

Guess what you are?