Aboriginal Soldiers

Aboriginal Soldiers (Rita Lindsay)

Aboriginal Soldiers was written for the Aboriginal men who fought for Australia in all conflicts. It tells an untold story of the injustices inflicted upon these men. The Aboriginal men were not regarded as citizens of Australia at the time of enlistment. Many had to deny their Aboriginal heritage or had to be of mixed European descent in order to enlist. Although Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Soldiers fought as one under the badge of the Rising Sun, upon return their service for fighting for their country was not to be recognized. It is only in contemporary society that some recognition is beginning to be given to the Aboriginal servicemen. Whilst visiting museums in the battlefields of France, I came across an Aboriginal flag and a display recognizing the war effort made by Aboriginal men in the war.

http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/aborigines/indigenous.asp
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/messagestick/stories/s820390.htm
http://www.det.wa.gov.au/education/abled/apac/lessons/pdfs/apac113.pdf
http://www.aboriginaleducation.sa.edu.au/files/links/Aboriginal_people_and_arme.pdf
http://www.awm.gov.au/research/bibliographies/aboriginal.asp 
 
Doreen Kartinyeri, Ngarrindjeri Anzacs (Adelaide: Aboriginal Family History Project, South Australian Museum, and Raukkan Council, 1996)

Camp Coorong, Race Relations and Cultural Education Centre, nlpa@bigpond.com