Indigenous Australian hugs King Charles at birthplace of civil rights

SYDNEY: Britain’s King Charles was hugged by an Indigenous elder after a welcome smoking ceremony on Tuesday (Oct 22) at the birthplace of Australia’s Aboriginal civil rights movement in Sydney, a day after he was criticized by an Indigenous senator in Canberra.

Charles met with First Nations Elders at the National Indigenous Center of Excellence in Redfern town centre, including First Nations Elders and chef Aunty Beryl Van-Oploo, who served kangaroo pies.

The king was hugged by the elder Michael Welsh, and the woman introduced herself as a member of the “stolen generation” – a reference to Aboriginal children who were systematically removed from their families decades earlier. “Welcome to this country,” she said.

A day earlier, Charles had been criticized at Parliament House in Canberra by independent senator and Indigenous activist Lydia Thorpe, who shouted that she did not recognize his sovereignty over Australia and demanded a treaty for Indigenous people.

Although the atmosphere in Redfern on Tuesday was respectful, some people who came to see the king expressed sympathy for Thorpe’s actions.

“We have a story to tell and I think you witnessed that story yesterday,” said Capital Local Aboriginal Land Council chairman Allan Murray.

In a radio interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Tuesday, Thorpe said she “wants the world to know the plight of our people.”

Former Olympic athlete Nova Peris, who was the first Indigenous woman elected to federal parliament, wrote in a social media post that she was “deeply disappointed” by Thorpe’s actions, which “do not reflect the manners or approach to reconciliation of Aboriginal Australians at large.” .

Emotions around Indigenous rights and Australia’s colonial history have run high since a national referendum on changing Australia’s constitution to recognize Aboriginal people was rejected last year.

Charles referred to Australia’s “long and sometimes difficult path to reconciliation” in his speech on Monday before Thorpe criticized him.

Under glorious spring skies, the King later visited a social housing project developed with the support of his charity King’s Trust Australia in the inner suburb of Glebe.

He visited the construction site with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who grew up on a public housing estate, and met Indigenous actor Wes Patten, one of three construction apprentices involved in the project.

Patten played the son of an Indigenous politician in the television political drama Total Control, portraying the imaginary first Indigenous Prime Minister of Australia.

Claude Tay, a Glebe native who saw Lydia Thorpe’s protest on social media, said: “I want him to talk to the real Traditional Owners. There are many of us here.”

“She spoke for the Aboriginal people,” he added, referring to Thorpe.

Charles and Queen Camilla visit Sydney and Canberra for six days before heading to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.

The public will have the opportunity to meet the royal couple at the Opera House later on Tuesday.