"I just ask everybody out there to pause for a moment and honor those Elders in your own country, their the one's who created the pathways, their the one’s who walk the walk and their the one’s whose footsteps we’re walking in onetime"
Each year on January 5th at 11am, members of the Brisbane (Meanjin) Murri community gather at the Brisbane city Post Office to remember the life and execution of the great warrior Dundali in 1855 and other First Nations warriors who led the resistance to protect their people and country from the British invasion.
Wanjaiburrah Elder and political activist Uncle Sam Watson says that it is an important way to start the year with the commemoration of Dundali and other warriors leading up to January 26.
"We say this was a great crime, as I said he was given all the authority from our own mob to carry out that war of resistance that war of defense, to defend land and country, culture and people. The British colonist’s captured him, trialed him by British law and executed him by British law which was wrong." Image
Who was Dundali
Dundali was a Senior law man from South East Queensland who was given the responsibility and full authority by his Tribal people to carry out the war against the British colonists.
Sam Watson says he was captured under a law that had no jurisdiction over First Peoples.
"Unfortunately he was captured and taken before a British court which was wrong because that court had no jurisdiction over our mob, he was trialed and found guilty by British law and on this day Jan 5 at 11 o'clock in the morning he was executed by British law."
"Treaty number one, there has to be a Treaty. That's the only way forward, the federal government, state governments and local authority have to sign a contract to acknowledge Aboriginal Sovereignty. That is critical and we're all sovereign people."
Uncle Sam talks more on what he sees as injustices over the trial and execution of Dundali.
"We say this was a great crime. As I said he was given all the authority from our own mob to carry out that war of resistance that war of defense to defend land and country, culture and people." He says "The British colonist’s captured him, trialed him by British law and executed him by British law which was wrong."
Uncle Sam Watson says it's important to remember the thousands of warriors who fought for their homelands during the British invasion.
Young people today still have that fire in their belly.
Inspiration and the future
Looking towards the future at the next generation of First Nations warriors, Uncle Sam Watson says he draws great inspiration from the youth who attend the rallies.
"I draw an enormous deal of strength and good feeling about being around young people today, because young people today still got that fire in their belly." He says "Looking around at the crowd we've got over 100 people here today. We've got a lot of families that come here with their children, so they feel that it's important that their children are fully aware of their true history of their land, their culture."
Changes on a federal level for 2018
On a Federal level regarding politics in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Uncle Sam says the most important thing he would see regarding the relationship with the Australian Commonwealth is a Treaty.
He says "Treaty number one, there has to be a Treaty. That's the only way forward, the federal government, state governments and local authority have to sign a contract to acknowledge Aboriginal Sovereignty. That is critical and we're all sovereign people."
He explains that every Aboriginal speaker standing up at the memorial introduced themselves as sovereign Aboriginal people. they introduced their nation and their country. "That makes me feel real good, real strong to reach this point."
"So many people generations were punished if they spoke their tribal language, people were punished if they tried to tell their stories, do their dances and carry out cultural practice.
"This day and age our mob are very strong our Elders are very strong Elders, all our children must know the language, they must learn that culture one time."
Message for 2018 from Uncle Sam Watson to the community.
"All our love and support to all our mob across the country. I just ask everybody out there to pause for a moment and honor those Elders in your own country, there the one's who created the pathways, there the one’s who walk the walk and there the one’s whose footsteps we’re walking in onetime."
