Monday 26 January 2009

G'day g'day on Australia Day

Found this at http://www.australiaday.com.au/ and thought you might like it.

G'day

Came the Dreamtime, came the Black Man, came the Serpent, came the Dingo
Came the Tears down from the Moon to give the Life.
Came the Emu, Kookaburra, came the love for one another
Came the White Man, came the Heartbreak, came the Strife.

Came the Sunshine, came the Harvest, came the Nation, came the Battle
Came the Famine, came another world-wide war.
Came the Migrants, came the Good Life, came the Power, Came the Present,
Come the Treaty. Unity for ever more.

So here we are in the two thousands and there's more of us than cows
And over half of us have come from foreign lands.
Jews and Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Bondi sheilas with big bosoms
And there's still one mob or two don't understand.

Multiculture as a standard means you must be even-handed
Say g'day and give a bloke a go.
You can lend him your lawn mower, if you think that he's a goer
And if you really truly like him let him know.

Ask him where he used to come from, before he was an Aussie
Fill your head with knowledge from his side.
Get to know him like a brother, till you're used to one another
And you'll find you'll start to feel good, deep inside.

Have him over on a Sunday, sit and watch as all the kids play
'Cause they're the answer to the game you see"
They don't know the past from Adam, knew no Hitler, Stalin, Saddam
As far as they're concerned the world is free.

But make sure in what you're doing, that those kids know what to do
In times when Hatred raises its great head.
Tell them stories of the Anzacs and of Auschwitz and the Race Acts
Say the Age of Evil Deeds is never dead.

Tell them; always keep a vigil, or the ghosts of Lone Pine Ridge will
Come to haunt them in the hour before the dawn.
We must keep the watch fire burning as the years keep slowly turning
'Lest We Forget' and darkness be reborn.

Tell your kids they share a great land, nurtured by the mighty Koori
And the Dreamtime is our true Eternal Flame.
Tell them thanks for all the wonders, in this wonderland Down Under
And say, 'Sorry that we once denied your name.'

Keep the billabongs and ridges far removed from kitchen fridges
Use the power of the wind to light your way
Guard the land with all your passion; make things plastic out of fashion,
Let the healing powers of Nature have their way.

Share this land with all who dwell here, let the world know we are well here
In this place of promise and diversity.
Shout 'G'day' and 'Howyagoin' 'neath our flag that's proudly blowing
O'er this land of peace and love and liberty.

Written by Bruce Venables who is one of Australia's most noted film and television writers.

Mike from Brooms

* GuestSpeak is a feature of North Coast Voices allowing Northern Rivers residents to make satirical or serious comment on issues that concern them. Posts of 250-300 words or less can be submitted to ncvguestspeak@live.com.au for consideration.

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