National Sorry Day has almost slipped by as days often do. The stories keep coming. Horrifying deeds done to the First Nation in an effort to eliminate them and their culture are still being told. The massacres, stolen children, dispossession of lands, intergenerational trauma, the list goes on.
How did this happen? Were our ancestors that evil? Only a self belief based on arrogance and ignorance, backed up by consenting authority, allowed this horror to happen. Still there are those who don’t accept acknowledgement of country. It is a sad business. There are however rays of hope.
A couple of locals are on a Walk 4 Stolen Children Land and Lives. On Sorry Day, they reached the Great Dividing Range, having left Lismore 12 days earlier. Ann Jarman and Geoff Reid are walking to the infamous Myall Creek massacre site, one of the few recognised sites of the murders that took place all across Australia.
Here’s a quote from Ann as she enters the halfway point of their long meaningful journey on foot:
‘I am participating in the 474 km walk from Lismore to Myall creek to let people know that 90 per cent of our Indigenous population were killed by the Europeans and the Indigenous people that were left were put into missions as they were not allowed to live on their own country.
‘When on the mission the children were stolen and many repercussions have occurred due to children being taken away. The walk is to make people aware of the above issues but most importantly the massacres that have occurred all around the state.’
You can follow the epic walk at this YouTube playlist.
What next?
There are things we can do now. You can support the continued work to protect and save what we have left of ancient Aboriginal heritage.
The North Lismore Plateau Protection Association is currently in the last week of a fundraiser to cover court costs.
These costs were incurred in the legal fight to save Widjabul Wiabal heritage on Banyam Biagham (North Lismore Plateau).
Supporters can go to this Chuffed.org page to learn more. The fundraiser closes on 1 June.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
