Camp Sovereignty, 2026. Photo: Andy Plumridge
Camp Sovereignty, 2026 Photo: Jonathan Green Photos
256 years ago on this day, the 29th April 1770, Lieutenant James Cook first set foot on this continent, marking the beginning of the coming of colonisation and the crimes of genocide against Aboriginal people that continue to this day. The frontier wars of the resistance movement across the continent remain largely unacknowledged and invisible to many settlers to this day.
On Saturday April 25th, we gathered at Camp Sovereignty to commemorate these Fallen Warriors, and to shed some light on this largely unacknowledged history.
The fire burning at Camp Sovereignty is a sacred and powerful force, and everyone who gathered with us on Saturday felt the pull towards the truth held in that eternal flame.
This earth under our feet holds the rematriated remains of many Indigenous people, warriors representing the 38 nations now wrongfully bordered by the ‘state of Victoria.’ We are so privileged to stand within this sacred burial ground, and experience the power and history that lies within the soil, the trees and the ash of the fire.
Every year on ANZAC day, ‘Australia’ stops to remember those who died representing this imperialist nation in the First World War. Often framed as the most important war in ‘Australia’s’ short history, ‘lest we forget’ has become a core part of the settler national identity. Yet the settler state mostly does not remember the many First Nations people who signed up to join the military as a means of access to education and qualifications, fighting and dying for a nation that had since its inception considered them less than human.
Those First Nations veterans who returned home were met with discrimination, disrespect and were denied the compensation offered to other veterans. In just one of many such abhorrent examples, Indigenous men who fought in the Boer War were denied entry back into ‘Australia’ because of the racist White Australia Policy. First Nations veterans were rejected from government initiatives for returned soldiers to ‘re-integrate’ into society. They were refused entry to Returned Service League (RSL) clubs and banned from marching on ANZAC day. And true to form, Aboriginal land was taken from its traditional owners to give to non-Aboriginal veterans.
At dawn ceremonies this year in Naarm, Gadigal and Borloo, respected Elders whose families served as ANZACS were verbally assaulted by the crowd with boos and heckling. While liberal ‘leftist’ settlers expressed surprise and outrage at this disrespect, many First Nations people were unsurprised that the white supremacist, colonial nation continues to demonstrate its overt racism towards Sovereign peoples.
Is ANZAC day really about recognizing those who fought in the First World War if Indigenous soldiers aren’t respected? Or does it serve to celebrate not only war, but genocide and colonialism perpetrated by this nation? Why are the Indigenous Warriors who defended their Country from colonial invasion not recognised by ‘Australia’? The frontier wars are still not recognised as warfare by the imperialist government that continues to attempt genocide against the Sovereign people of this continent.
This brings us back to Camp Sovereignty, a space taken back through the consistent, unwavering activism of First Nations elders and leaders. Saturday’s event stood in opposition to the colony’s selective memory, creating a space for Indigenous people and allies to commemorate the fallen warriors of the frontier wars.
Uncle Robbie Thorpe MC’d the event, welcoming us and reminding us about the gravity of the genocide here in ‘Australia.’ “We have truth on our side, we don’t need much more than that. It’ll defeat anything, this country is based on lies, monumental lies.”
We were privileged to be welcomed by Boonwurrung Elder Aunty Carolyn Briggs. “We are talking to Country and Country is within us. And how can we give back to the mother.” She reminded us of the importance of deep listening, and the significance of Camp Sovereignty as a burial ground and a site of Indigenous resistance.
Aunty Carolyn Briggs, Camp Sovereignty, 2026 Photo: Andy Plumridge
Yaaran Couzens-Bundle is a Gunditjimara and Djab Wurrung lorewoman; a strong Sovereign Warrior and firekeeper over the last year at Camp Sovereignty. She drew our attention to Jim Berg’s fight to rematriate ancestral remains to the site, and his victory in asserting First Nations peoples’ right to free the remains of their ancestors from colonial institutions such as the University of Melbourne.
“This is the law of the land, sky and sea, so it’s the past, present and future. This false colony, and this oppressive system that was built to genocide our people, this genocide continues today, and today is for a lot of different mob is about honouring and respecting the fallen. All of the fallen, all of our ancestors that fought and died for this Country. And we want everyone to know that this false colony was built on the blood and bones of our old people. So we got some very special mourning song for you today, and a beautiful performance from my brother Brent. And this is in the deepest honour of the foundation, who we are as First Peoples, is to sing up and dance up our country, like we’ve done since the first sunrise. We ask you to wanga, kanang wanga, wanga is listen, kanang wanga is deep listening through your heart. So if you don’t understand the language, you listen through your heartbeat and you might understand.”
These words, wanga, kanga wanga, come from Guditjmara language. Yaraan noted that the fighting Gunditjmara held the frontline of the Eumerella Wars.
Yaaran Couzens-Bundle reading the names of all the tribes on the memorial stone. Photo: Andy Plumridge
Brent Watkins and Keirnan Ironfield played yidaki, and the fire ignited in front of us as they began.
Brent Watkins/Culture Evolves, Camp Sovereignty, 2026 Photo: Andy Plumridge
Brent Watkins, A.K.A Culture Evolves, a Gunnai Kurnai man, shared these words with us before his powerful dance.
“It’s a huge honour to be here, to do ceremony for our old people. The ones that paved the way. I would not be dancing if it wasn’t for the Old People. I wouldn’t be dancing if it wasn’t for their resistance, the first wars that happened here. You know they wiped out clans but we survived. And we’re here, we’re strong and we’re taking back our dreaming.”
Keirnan Ironfield, proud Darug man from “where the blue mountains meet the plains” played the Yidaki as Brent danced, his movements sparking deep emotions for all those watching. We are reminded of the immense privilege of witnessing traditional lore and culture.
Next, we were joined by a group of strong Kanak women, who came to visit Camp Sovereignty to learn more about the First Nations people of this land. The women shared a customary gesture with Uncle Robbie Thorpe and Yaraan Couzens-Bundle. Cathy from Free Kanaky Solidarity Naarm translated this beautiful cultural exchange.
“We have come from Kanaky, which is the land also known as ‘New Caledonia,’ and the gesture we have placed on the ground here asks for protection from your ancestors. We were cleansed by the fire, and we were cleansed for a long time because the smoke stayed for a long time on our group. We seek to create connections with people all around the world, but we are here today by your side to show our support against the genocide which started a long time ago but continues today…. We have this cloth that is symbolic of the link that joins us together, and the flag of our nation of Kanaky.”
Yaaran received these gifts with gratitude and thanks. She taught us about how the gum leaf represents safe passage as well as cleansing, and that the emu feather represents the lore in Sky Country through the dark emu in the stars.
Uncle Robbie Thorpe introduced Professor Tony Birch who joined us to give more of a historical understanding of the Frontier Wars. These stories are heavy and important, and I will not attempt to summarise them, but please view the linked resources below.
Tony Birch, Camp Sovereignty, 2026. Photo: Andy Plumridge
Adolf Mora, a West Papuan man, joined us to share his people’s perspective on the ongoing genocide that Indonesia is committing against them.
Adolf Mora, Camp Sovereignty, 2026 Photo: Andy Plumridge
“What we recognise clearly as West Papuans is that Indigenous people resisted here not because they wanted war, but because they were forced to maintain the Sovereignty of the land of these people. This truth is familiar to us in West Papua. We live through occupation and the theft of our land. Our resistance is labelled illegal. Our problems are dismissed. Our grief is ignored. This is why I recognise that First Nations resistance here is legitimate. At Camp Sovereignty we see something we understand, deeply, we see that Sovereignty is life. We defend despite every attempt to deny it…. Lest we forget the frontier wars. Lest we forget the resistance. Lest we forget that Sovereignty lives on in this land and in our country. In Papua we say Merdeka is freedom.”
Tasya Manong and Rode Wanimbo, West Papuan women visiting Naarm, also took the mic. Gispa Warijo, a powerful young West Papuan woman, shared the following words with us as the last light was leaving this beautiful place.
“It is a huge privilege for me to be with you in this sacred space. I was in tears when I listened to the stories. Your story will be my story. I’m coming from West Papua, now more than 100,000 Indigenous West Papuan are internally displaced. 2 million hectares of Indigenous land are being taken away by the government. So what you shared, it really encouraged me to go back, that we are not alone, we have brothers and sisters.”
Gispa Warijo, Camp Sovereignty, 2026 Photo: Jonathan Green
Gispa Warijo, a powerful young West Papuan woman, shared the following words with us as the last light was leaving this beautiful place.
“We don’t have a place to speak about our situation in West Papua because if we do we could be killed. And to be here with you guys today, in Naarm, I’m so grateful to be here. And when we land here this morning we spoke about the tree (gum trees) . We have the same one we call it ‘bush tree.’ I really hope that by us being here tonight we could offer our respect but also our love. And may you guys receive our love and our respect.”
The crown chanted “Papua Merdeka!”
Sonia Tonga, Camp Sovereignty, 2026 Photo: Jonathan Green
“We are forced to stand up because the government has organsied a genocide against us the Indigenous people, and us as women. We have to stand up, we’re forced to cross the mountains and cross the seas to plead our cause. Even though all we aspire to is a peaceful life with our children and grandchildren. Together with the blessing of our ancestors, we’re going to finish with victory.”
Those present at Camp Sovereignty on Saturday felt the true strength of the connection between Indigenous peoples united in their fight for justice.
I would encourage everybody to listen to the full speeches on 3CR radio, and also check out the resources below.
The Kanaky Delegation are hosting the following talks, an incredible opportunity to learn about the Free Kanaky resistance movement. Follow the links below to book your spot at these talks and spread the word:
Thursday 30th April – Decolonial Feminist Meeting (For First Nations women from this continent and the Pacific)
5-9pm, Community at the Dock, Docklands
Friday 1st May – Decolonial Conversations
2pm, Kwong Lee Dow Building, University of Melbourne
Saturday 2nd May – Western Imperialism in the Pacific
5-9pm, Balam Balam Place
Instagrams:
@Freekanakysolidarity.naarm (you can book here!)
@crimesceneaustralia
Resources:
Frontier War Stories Podcast – Boe Spearim
Fallen Warriors Ceremony, Camp Sovereignty, 2026. Photo: Andy Plumridge