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Sorry Today
This morning I was part of the 3000 strong crowd who gathered at The Esplanade in Perth at dawn to listen to the new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd offer an apology from the government and the parliament to the stolen generations of Australian Aboriginal people.
I am not a crowd person, nor am I a particularly political person, but I wanted to be a part of this in some small way as a minor witness. Whatever your personal feelings, it was an historic moment, and they don't come along very often. A little piece of me was there for BB, who has worked so hard for native title.
I arrived at about ten minutes to seven, much too late to fit inside the temporary stage area where big screens were set up. I formed part of the squeeze near the entrance, but the crowd was positive and focussed, and there was no crush. Some parents had brought their school-aged children. I could hear most of the broadcast quite clearly, although not the words of the Welcome to Country ceremonies.
We didn't actually hear the first part of the speech, for one of the ceremonies was still in progress, but it was halted as the broadcast was turned up.
The crowd listened intently. I am so accustomed to video that it felt unusual to use my ears alone and not my eyes. It seemed to lend the event more a sense of historical occasion, like Churchill's WWII speeches. I have not before appreciated Kevin's voice as much, it really is lovely to listen to. The woman next to me had goosebumps. Some cried, some applauded spontaneously.
Dawn broke as the beautiful words flowed. I would like to know who wrote that speech, for it flowed with substance and grace like the best of poetry.
And then came the reply from Dr Nelson. Flat-footed, flat-voiced Dr Nelson. Seconds in, hecklers were making snoring noises. These shortly escalated to scoffs and exclamations of disbelief. The mood didn't turn ugly or angry; people honestly couldn't seem to believe how much of a hash he made of it, and it seemed to go on and on. In his determination to keep to the "it was done with good intentions" theme he failed to sound the least bit sorry. Somehow he wandered off into speaking of white Australia's sacrifices in war. WTF? For a speech theoretically expressing partisan support he managed to sound very off message indeed.
Some wandered off. Some stalked off. I was tempted to turn my back, and then the slow clapping started until it drowned out the broadcast and he was shut off.
The organisers then attempted to restart the abandoned Welcome to Country ceremony, and unfortunately the minute of silence that followed was largely lost in the general shuffle of the departing crowd. It was a such a shame the event had to end on such a deep anti-climax, but the positive force of the main speech won the day.
I walked up to the office but found it difficult to settle to mundane life. I had witnessed something special, a rite of passage. And now we see what happens next.
I am not a crowd person, nor am I a particularly political person, but I wanted to be a part of this in some small way as a minor witness. Whatever your personal feelings, it was an historic moment, and they don't come along very often. A little piece of me was there for BB, who has worked so hard for native title.
I arrived at about ten minutes to seven, much too late to fit inside the temporary stage area where big screens were set up. I formed part of the squeeze near the entrance, but the crowd was positive and focussed, and there was no crush. Some parents had brought their school-aged children. I could hear most of the broadcast quite clearly, although not the words of the Welcome to Country ceremonies.
We didn't actually hear the first part of the speech, for one of the ceremonies was still in progress, but it was halted as the broadcast was turned up.
The crowd listened intently. I am so accustomed to video that it felt unusual to use my ears alone and not my eyes. It seemed to lend the event more a sense of historical occasion, like Churchill's WWII speeches. I have not before appreciated Kevin's voice as much, it really is lovely to listen to. The woman next to me had goosebumps. Some cried, some applauded spontaneously.
Dawn broke as the beautiful words flowed. I would like to know who wrote that speech, for it flowed with substance and grace like the best of poetry.
And then came the reply from Dr Nelson. Flat-footed, flat-voiced Dr Nelson. Seconds in, hecklers were making snoring noises. These shortly escalated to scoffs and exclamations of disbelief. The mood didn't turn ugly or angry; people honestly couldn't seem to believe how much of a hash he made of it, and it seemed to go on and on. In his determination to keep to the "it was done with good intentions" theme he failed to sound the least bit sorry. Somehow he wandered off into speaking of white Australia's sacrifices in war. WTF? For a speech theoretically expressing partisan support he managed to sound very off message indeed.
Some wandered off. Some stalked off. I was tempted to turn my back, and then the slow clapping started until it drowned out the broadcast and he was shut off.
The organisers then attempted to restart the abandoned Welcome to Country ceremony, and unfortunately the minute of silence that followed was largely lost in the general shuffle of the departing crowd. It was a such a shame the event had to end on such a deep anti-climax, but the positive force of the main speech won the day.
I walked up to the office but found it difficult to settle to mundane life. I had witnessed something special, a rite of passage. And now we see what happens next.