Admittedly, I have no clue about Australian
history or politic. When I read the article about Damien Hopper wore the shirt
featuring Aboriginal flag into the ring, I wondered why he wore the “black,
yellow, red” flag, instead of the well-known Australian flag. “Confusing”,
that what I said.
As an international audience, I believe The
Olympic Games is largely interpreted as competitions between nations. Flags and
anthem make it special, and yes, they foster national unity. So, it’s obviously
understood Damien’s action breaches rule of the Olympic charter. Many public
reactions claimed that he inappropriately brought politic into a nonpolitical
space. But, is it actually just sports in international competition?
So I’m start looking backward into the past.
Aboriginal arrived in Australia around 45,000 years ago prior to the arrival of
Europeans, they keep their proud history alive by passing from one generation
to another. They have maintained an identity as a community and a sense of
peoplehood, tradition and history while at the same time engaging in the wider
world. In 1995,
the Australian Government proclaimed the Aboriginal flag as an official 'Flag
of Australia'. Indeed, it is a symbolic of Aboriginal people. The Aboriginal
community has a distinct identity that has been accepted in Australia and they
should have their right to carry their flag as a symbol of pride, honor. They
are still Australian. So why is it that of all the flags in the world, the
Aboriginal Flag is by far the most political and not recognized as a symbol of
pride. What is wrong if someone wears the symbol just to being proud of his
heritage? What if Damien’s shirt had featured a boxing kangaroo, not a team uniform, would it be
that bad?
I don't think the Aboriginal flag is a political statement as much
as a statement of pride, of unity. So if someone now ask me “Do you agree with
Hooper’s stance?”, I would say “Good on you, Damien”.
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