Briggs and Aamer Rahman propose 'safari' to navigate 'Australia Day'

Yorta Yorta rapper Briggs and comedian Aamer Rahman say ‘Australia Day’ could do with a ‘white safari’.

Aamer Rahman and Briggs

Aamer Rahman (left) and Briggs. Source: VICE

"It'd be interesting to have like a tour bus that drives around and just watches what they do," rapper Briggs says in a VICE video where he muses over the way mainstream Australia celebrates January 26.

"Like a safari," agrees Bangladeshi-Australian comedian Aamer Rahman Aamer. "Like a white Australia safari."
Briggs says the Australia Day public holiday lends itself to socialising at events such as the typical Australian barbeque.

But he adds he can't bring himself to join in, "like, it’s a wrongful barbeque."

Instead, he shuts himself in his house.

"I pull all my blinds, I shut everything down ... look out, peek out maybe, and see what they're doing."

Many Indigenous Australians find January 26 a difficult day to celebrate, as it was the same day in 1788 that British settlers arrived at Botany Bay and took the land  from the people who had been living on the continent for thousands of years.

“Basically we’re saying is that white Australia will never really stop celebrating genocide,” Aamer says.

Both personalities agreed there are many other parts of Australia they can't celebrate, such as the national flag and the National Anthem.

Briggs says he doesn't sing the National Anthem because, "number one, it doesn't represent me or my people, it doesn't pay respect to my people. Number two, I’m mad lazy, I'm playin' on my phone."

Aamer believes the day does not provide opportunities to build much culture.

"Yeah it’s just a day off for people to get smashed," says Briggs.


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2 min read

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Updated

By Andrea Booth
Source: NITV News


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