The Australia Day identity crisis

In the ongoing controversy over the celebration of January 26 as Australia Day, it has been suggested by opponents of the day that it is a recent invention. In my childhood in Hobart in the 1950s, it was very much celebrated – we had a long weekend holiday on the nearest appropriate dates, and a re-enactment was staged at the Sandy Bay regatta which was always held on that weekend. Men in red-coats would come ashore from a rowing-boat challenged by other men in black make-up shaking spears who would retire when a volley of musket fire was discharged and a flag would be raised. At this distance in time, I cannot remember exactly what flag was raised, but most probably the Union Jack, which was in common use at the time in Australia. In retrospect, I was witnessing a perfect enactment of dispossession by force.