Thirty-five years ago, ostentatious displays of nationalism blanketed the continent, marking the bicentenary of the British arrival.
As the nation geared up for a celebration that would not concern itself with the suffering that arrival had caused, Aboriginal people from around the country made their way toward Sydney.
By January 26, Sydney Harbour was blanketed in white sails, and an Aboriginal tent embassy had formed at Yurong Point (Mrs Macquarie’s chair).
Ernie Dingo was there, megaphone in hand.
“We had Yolngu people, we had desert people… Indigenous people from all across the country had gathered together,” the Yamatji man told NITV.
Aboriginal flags displayed prominently on the point were a reminder to the passing boats and television cameras of the stolen land on which their celebrations were taking place.
The megaphones were used to remind attendees of the genocide that had been swept under the rug for the occasion.
Activists at Yurong Point in 1988, the bicentenary of white arrival on the continent. Around 40,000 people are believed to have gathered in Sydney to protest the celebrations.
“There were thousands and thousands of people that marched that day,” said Dingo.
“They were singing, they were shouting… we celebrated our survival. We celebrated our existence. We celebrated our culture, our language, our law, and our children.
“That was an acknowledgement of the presence of Indigenous people.”
Now, mass gatherings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and allies on January 26 are common in cities and towns across the continent. This year there may be heightened emotions .
“The Voice to me is important. But it's got to go to a referendum first," Dingo said.
“People don't know what the Voice means or what the Voice entails. But some people are saying, ‘We don't want Indigenous people to have a Voice. So we're gonna vote against it’ Well, they haven't even tried it!”
Dingo says the conversation is the same one he had in 1988, the same one that began two centuries before. It’s also one that will continue after the referendum, no matter the result.
“230 years later, and we're still not acknowledged as being a part of the Constitution? Whose fault is that?
“If the Voice comes to fruition… well, next [January 26] will probably be the same as this year, as probably was last year. We will still gather together, and we will still acknowledge each other's existence.”
As the annual public holiday rolls around again, and First Nations people prepare to navigate the complexities the occasion creates, Dingo will be returning to Yurong Point on January 25 for NITV’s Sunset Ceremony.
The two-hour program will see hosts Narelda Jacobs and JP Janke joined by First Nations identities as well as multicultural personalities and allies on a panel to discuss what the day has meant for them over the years.
For Dingo, the meaning of the day remains much the same as it was 35 years ago.
“We still gather, we still sing, we still dance, we still do our cultural stuff. It's a great day for Indigenous people to get together.
"We get painted up and fly the flag... we have a day with our own mob and we feel safe. You won't get a whole bunch of Blakfullas going down to a white barbecue... because the police will be there.
"We know we're not welcome so we don't go there. We go where we are welcome, and that's with our own mob."
While the discussion around changing the date of the national day continues with strongly held opinions on all sides, Dingo, a desert man who professes to having a multicultural social circle, has a suggestion.
"You know what the best day for Australia Day is? The first day of Spring.
"That's when everything is in bloom: every different flower, every different tree, even the ones they brought from overseas to be on this beautiful country.
"[Everything] can show its true colours."
Watch the Sunset Ceremony on NITV and SBS on Wednesday January 25 at 7.30pm.
