National Sorry Day 2021: History, Significance And Ways To Celebrate

Every year, National Sorry Day is observed in Australia on May 26 to ask forgiveness from the indigenous Australians, in particular, the Torres Strait Islander communities, for the mistreatment and loss they had suffered at the hands of the Australian federal and state government agencies.

The day, which has come to be celebrated in Australia since 1997, provides Australians an opportunity to reflect on the irrevocable harm caused to the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander communities by imposing faulty government policies and urges them to contribute to the healing process of the nation.

History of National Sorry Day:

National Sorry Day falls on May 26 because on the same day in 1997 The Bringing Of Them Home report was tabled in Australian parliament. The report detailed the trauma suffered by the indigenous people during a 20th-century practise which saw Aboriginal children being forcibly removed from their families to blend them into the mainstream. The publishing of the Bringing Them Home report was followed by a lengthy government inquiry into the 20th-century breach of ethics.

The Aboriginal and mixed-race children who were separated from their families between 1910 and 1970 are now referred to as the Stolen Generations. The traumatic removals left a lasting impact on the future descendants of the underprivileged people and The Bringing Them Home report recommended the state and federal governments issue formal apologies to the Australian people and provided funding to deal with the perpetuating damage caused by the policies. The report also urged Australians to stoke up reconciliation between the indigenous people and the settler population.

How the day is celebrated:

The day is celebrated by organizing concerts, events, barbecues, reconciliation walks, and street marches.

Elderly descendants from Australian indigenous tribes are also invited to deliver speeches on the current issues faced by their communities.