What a day

Today is the 26th of January. It means many things to many people globally.

My list for the day's significance is growing.
It is India's Republic Day.
It is called Australia Day but as it represents the forcible takeover of a whole continent from its rightful indigenous owners, I prefer the other term of reference which is Invasion Day.

In all the years I've lived in Australia, I've never been to a 'celebration' of the 'creation' of this country that existed for millennia but since the arrival of Captain Cook and the First Fleet is known in the modern world as Australia, because the first people still have not been given their due recognition or reparations made to the harm done to Aboriginal Australians, who weren't even counted in the national census until 1968. Until then they weren't allowed access to public facilities, education or have the right to vote. Many children were forcibly taken away from parents the colonisers deemed unfit and there is a huge gaping hole in the collective heart of Aboriginal people for the enduring damage done to the 'stolen generation' and the effect that has had on subsequent generations.

Australia had Chinese and European migration for the prospecting of gold and post WWII respectively to develop the country, yet the wealth of knowledge and traditions of the very owners of this land weren't considered of value.

There is a campaign to change the date for Australia Day. The Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said today that people who want to change the date are 'miserable' and 'should crawl under a rock'. What we need to do is apologise, but instead we are a sorry nation.

On this day 4 years ago, a dear friend Philip died. Today many of us gathered to remember him together and celebrate the gift we received of his friendship.

Philip shows up often in my thoughts on other days of the year.

Lulu and Hazel gave us a soulful performance of pop songs. Lulu has her own Instagram account at the age of 11.