From One Day to Truth Telling

In 2024, the City of Fremantle will focus on a year-long program of Truth Telling in place of its One Day event.

One Day in Fremantle was first held in 2017 as an inclusive alternative to Australia Day.

The event evolved each year, but typically started with a smoking ceremony at Bathers Beach, followed by other aboriginal cultural activities, and culminated with a headline concert at Esplanade Reserve.

Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said the award-winning event had played a significant role in the shifting national conversation about reconciliation.

"One Day in Fremantle successfully ignited debate around the country in questioning the celebration of Australia being held on the 26th of January each year.

"Many local governments and businesses now hold inclusive celebrations on a different date," Mayor Fitzhardinge said.

In 2019, One Day in Fremantle won a Promoting Indigenous Reconciliation Award at the National Awards for Local Government.

It wasn’t held in 2022, due to concerns about COVID.

In 2023, the smoking ceremony moved to Walyalup Koort and featured a keynote speech by Uluru Statement advocate Thomas Mayo.

Whadjuk Nyoongar Elder Gerrard Shaw said the change was discussed and supported at the inaugural meeting of the new Walyalup Reconciliation Action Plan (W/RAP) working group earlier this month.  

"We will never abandon our dream of walking together. So, we begin again resolved to try harder to make Australians aware of all the things that happened to us in the past. Truth telling is the way we will do this.

"Unless our past history is understood by all Australians we will never walk together as one country," Dr Shaw said.

The new program of Truth Telling will launch in March 2024, coinciding with the release of the new W/RAP (2024-2027), which will include the three pillars of Voice, Treaty and Truth.

"The City of Fremantle is committed to the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which called for Voice, Treaty and Truth – a series of processes for reconciliation.

"Now, post-referendum, we are responding to the request from Elders to shift our efforts towards learning more about the truth of our shared history.

"We are one of an increasing number of local communities who are working together to acknowledge previously untold or unrecognised parts of their local histories," Mayor Fitzhardinge said. 

Creative Arts and Community Director Pete Stone said rather than a one-off annual event, Truth Telling will be embedded across the annual program.

"Our aim is to present a year-long program of opportunity, with some key events, for the community to engage in Truth Telling.

"The program could manifest itself in many ways. It may be an exhibition, a walk and talk tour, one on one personal story telling, recorded oral histories, a residency, a weaving and yarning session, published material, poetry readings, a gig – there are no restrictions on format," Mr Stone said.

More details about the Truth Telling program and its launch will be shared in early 2024.

Image: A smoking ceremony at Bathers Beach as part of One Day in Fremantle in 2021