National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander War Memorial

Details

Location Torrens Parade Ground - Victoria Drive , Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Type memorial
Description

This memorial honours the bravery of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders during wartime. It was the first such national memorial when it was unveiled in 2013. It recognises a part of war history that until recently has been largely ignored.

Indigenous Australians served in every conflict and peacekeeping mission the country has been in, from the Boer War at the start of the 20th century to the present-day theatres of war such as Afghanistan. Indigenous people were not considered Australian citizens until 1967 and in the first half of the 20th century, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were actually banned from the armed forces. Many enlisted in spite of this.

Tony Rosella, Lee-Ann Tjunypa Buckskin and Michelle Nikou designed this bronze sculpture. It shows a World War I male soldier and a World War II female nurse standing above a coolamon, a traditional Indigenous Australian holding vessel. The Rainbow Serpent surrounds the two figures. This creature is part of the Indigenous Australian creation story and the Dreamtime.

A walkway of honour leads to the memorial. It bears the names of those Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander men and women who served.

At the official unveiling on November 10, 2013, former Governor General Quentin Bryce said of the memorial “It stands in noble testimony to the service of Indigenous personnel across Australia in peace and war.”

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Built Tony Rosella, Lee-Ann Tjunypa Buckskin and Michelle Nikou designed this bronze sculpture.
Opened 10 November 2013 by Her Excellency The Governor General of Australia, Quentin Bryce, AC
Inscription

Condition

Excellent

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