Indigenous pride flying high

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Tags: Indigenous, winter-2011

Members of the UQ community watch as the Indigenous flags are raised permanently atop the Forgan Smith Tower

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags are flying permanently at UQ, representing the University’s support of Indigenous cultures.

The flag ceremony was a highlight of Orientation Week in February, and included a Welcome to Country and performances by Indigenous dancers.

Dr Col Dillon, from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit, said although the flags had been flown before, this was the first time they would be permanently displayed at St Lucia.

“This is a historic event and provides very powerful symbolism to staff, students and visitors about the University’s commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and that the University is doing its part in closing the gap,” Dr Dillon said.

“More particularly, it is a formal recognition by the University that the land on which the University sits is land for which the nation’s first people provided custodianship.”

Dr Dillon said international students would have no doubts about the important role first peoples played in Australian society after noting the pride of place allocated to the flags.

UQ has erected additional staffs on the Forgan Smith Tower to accommodate the Australian National Flag, the Queensland Flag, the Australian Aboriginal Flag, the Torres Strait Islander Flag and the UQ banner.

To support Indigenous education and scholarships at UQ, contact Marina Ostash on (07) 3346 3900 or m.ostash@uq.edu.au

By Jan King

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