Rising Passion

• Karla DICKENS
• Brenda L. CROFT
• Fiona FOLEY
• Laurie NONA

rising: the act of a person or thing that rises; an insurrection; rebellion; revolt; passion: any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, such as love or hate.

A simmering rage of discontent at the injustices and conditions that Indigenous people were, and still are, forced to live under will always be present. Throughout history awareness of Indigenous issues has fluctuated in peaks and troughs, like the incoming and outgoing tides of time, with both black and white people of this country working together for change. The rising passion for activism within the Australian psyche has slowly developed as more and more issues have become public.

The lead-up to the 1967 Referendum saw Indigenous and non-Indigenous people come together to champion for equal rights. This collaborative relationship was a significant breakthrough for race relations and encouraged a better national understanding of the injustices against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in 1972 similarly demonstrated a shift in the Australian consciousness. While it stirred up emotions for and against, this key landmark in Canberra is still a focal point for artists and activists to remember our sovereignty and rights.

Art and activism have always gone hand in hand. Contemporary Indigenous artists continue to ensure that the rising passion for justice is always present.