Day of Mourning - Sunday 26th January 2025
Walking Together in the MUD is organising a free educational stall at the Lion’s Club Mollymook Beach Markets. Click ‘contact us’ to volunteer or stay up to date.
Background
Many Australians now know that January 26th is a Day of Mourning because of the Aboriginal protests that finally captured the attention of wider Australian society in the 1938 Day of Mourning protest in Sydney, organised by the Aborigines Progressive Association (APA). A dignified protest took place in Sydney and more than a thousand people silently march through Sydney. They announced a new newspaper “The Abo Call” to give them a voice, and published a Ten Point Plan for changes to laws, policies and practices affecting them. The Ten Point Plan was given to the Government. APA leaders met with the Prime Minister for hours. The Government didn’t address the Ten Point Plan though many of its excellent recommendations still apply today.
The 1838 Day of Mourning protest in Sydney brought the nation’s attention to the fact that First Nations People mark 26 January as a Day of Mourning.
But, take a read through our 2025 Day of Mourning brochure, and you’ll see that it has been a Day of Mourning for much longer.
Our 2024 Mollymook Day of Mourning
In 2024, about 20 of our non-Indigenous volunteers ran an education stall at Mollymook Beach during the ‘Australia Day’ markets sharing thousands of free stickers and 500 pamphlets with adults. We talked with hundreds of people about how to consider another perspective on this Day of Mourning with empathy and kindness. It was important to the Aboriginal members of Walking Together that allies showed up on this first significant national date after the tragic outcome of the 2023 referendum.
