26/04/2026
What happened this morning at the Dawn Service at Martin Place in Sydney was disgraceful on so many levels.
While delivering the Acknowledgment of Country at the Martin Place Dawn Service in Sydney, Uncle Ray Minniecon was booed by some people in the crowd.
Uncle Ray is a Kabi-Kabi, Gurang-Gurang and South Sea Islander man who has served his country. Not only that, Uncle Ray comes from a family of servicemen, who have fought in overseas conflicts since the First World War. His grandfather, Private James Lingwoodock was in the 11th Lighthorse Regiment 'QLD Black Watch' who fought in the Battle of Samakh.
There aren't too many people who have done as much for the Indigenous community and the Veterans community in Australia as Uncle Ray. He also started with Coloured Diggers Anzac Event at Redfern that acknowledges the service of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and South Sea Islander people who have served Australia. This event has been running annually for the past 19 years!
We need to stand with Uncle Ray in this moment and time and say "No" to racism. So many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women have served their country since the Boer War 1899. Many did so at a time when it was illegal.
They weren't permitted to serve until the Defence Act was changed in 1917. This is a history that not many Australians know about.
What many Australians tend to forget is that people have lived here for over 60,000 years. These were the First Australians. When Veterans serve their country, they’re protecting this sacred land and all of its history - not just its people and history since colonisation.
It’s a question we seriously need to ask ourselves…
When we talk about Australia and serving Australia, are we talking about serving a colonial empire or are we talking about serving this great land and all of its history?
If we’re serving Australia, then it makes perfect sense to have Welcome to Country and Acknowledgment to Country at Dawn Services and on Remembrance Day. What is more Australian than honouring our sacred land and paying respects to those who have taken care of it in the past?
It also makes sense to acknowledge the Frontier Wars as a conflict that the First Australians fought against.
Is Australia prepared to move forward as a country and break out of the shackles of our colonial impulses? Or will we hold onto an idea of Australia that is proud of its colonial past of genocide and disposession?
Why can’t all Australians be proud of its 60,000 years of history? The traditional owners protected this land for thousands of years. We need to honour and respect that if we’re serious about having respect for Australia.
Uncle Ray has also been a huge supporter of us at Yaluu (See You Again) and features in the film which you'll see on ABC Compass, April 26th at 6:30pm.
I'll finish this post with some words that Uncle Ray said in the film that bring home the significance of Indigenous service of this country:
“It wasn't their war. It wasn't our war. But they were willing to volunteer and sacrifice their lives, for you, for this country.”
That spirit of sacrifice deserves respect.
That history deserves recognition.
And Uncle Ray deserves our support.
If you stand for respect on Anzac Day, share this post.
Show solidarity with Uncle Ray and all Indigenous veterans by attending the Coloured Diggers Event in Redfern at 1pm today.
Picture adapted from NewsWire / Tom Parrish
