HISTORIC: Exhibitions outreach officer Joe Hextall. Picture: JODIE DONNELLAN
An exhibition showcasing the stories of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander soldiers opens in Bendigo today.
The Indigenous Australians at war: from the Boer War to the present touring exhibition will be on display at the Phyllis Palmer Gallery at La Trobe University, presented by the Shrine Trustees.
Shrine of Remembrance manager of exhibitions and collections Jean McAuslan said the stories presented were drawn from across Australia, including two from Bendigo veterans.
“The opportunity to serve in Australia’s armed forces gave many the experience of liberation from racial stereotypes for the first time,” she said.
“Oral histories reveal that while racism might emerge behind the lines, when serving at the front line, all were alike in their concerns to survive and consider one another.
“The history of conflict between Aboriginal and non-indigenous Australians, combined with the lack of equal rights, throws into perspective the subject of this exhibition.”
The exhibition will be formally launched at 5.30pm on January 24 and will be on display at the Phyllis Palmer Gallery until February 22.
