Aboriginal Tent Embassy and Invasion Day Ashes

Invasion Day 2019. 

Crew from Sail4Justice freedom flotilla joined in solidarity with the First Nation leaders and activists at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. The camp on the lawns of old parliament house has been running 47 years making it the longest running protest in Australia. It is a place where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mob can come to bring their message to parliament and take action against the ongoing genocide.

Invasion Day started with a march from Canberra city to the Embassy. Well done everyone that walked the whole way in 40 degrees heat! The march was followed by talks from activists, elders, and supporters. À massive fire was lit at sunset to the backdrop of dark clouds and a wild lightning show that out sparkled the ‘aus day’ fireworks by far. Well done to all the organisers that put in weeks of work preparing the camp.

The next day Sail4justice crew were presented with ashes from the sacred fire that was lit by Uncle Kevin Buzzacott in 1998 and has been burning the flame for peace and justice ever since. Charlie Brown and the daughter of Aunty Isabel Coe (one of the founders of the Embassy) Nioka, collected the ashes and uncle Kevin blessed them for our journey. Each boat on the flotilla will carry the ashes on the journey to Manus.