For our Country – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander memorial

For our Country recognises the military service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is a space to commemorate their service in all conflicts in which Australia’s military has been deployed and a place to contemplate that Indigenous Australians have made and continue to make in defence of Country.

Concept rendering of For Our Country.

In 2018 artist Daniel Boyd , a Kudjala/Gangalu/Kuku Yalanji/Waka Waka/Gubbi Gubbi/Wangerriburra/Bandjalung/Yuggera man with Vanuatu heritage from North Queensland, and Edition Office Architects were commissioned to design a new sculpture that recognises the military service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

For our Country is a sculptural pavilion set behind a ceremonial fire pit within a circular stone field of basalt shards. Its striking façade, a two-way mirrored glass wall adorned with thousands of transparent lenses, reflects visitors, the surrounding landscape and the Australian War Memorial’s (the Memorial) Hall of Memory. These lenses, a signature of Daniel Boyd’s work, powerfully represent perception and the fragmented nature of our understanding of time, history, and memory.

Behind the wall is an intimate, contemplative area enclosed by a curved wall and seating made of black pigmented rammed earth. This space invites reflection, mourning, and quiet gathering. As they sit, visitors witness light filtering through the glass lenses, creating a profound visual link between the inner contemplative area, the ceremonial fire and soil chamber, the landscape and the Memorial itself. This space is described by Boyd as “Blackness - an opaque space where the world we see is not in our own reflection, but the reflection of many”. The layers of rammed earth remind us of the important spiritual connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have with the land. Reaffirming that “black is beautiful”, the pavilion recognises that Indigenous Australians have and will continue to protect their Country.

“[The memorial] is a manifestation of a deep connection to the land and responsibility to future generations: how they will inherit this relationship; generational exchange of knowledge that has happened hundreds of thousands of times, from parent to child, grandparent to child, great-grandparent to child, and so on. It is about our respect for the land, how we would like our children to experience that connection, while understanding the sacrifices made to seek a system in equilibrium.” - Daniel Boyd, 2018

‘Daniel Boyd’, courtesy of the artist and Liz Ham, photographer

In front of the mirrored glass panels, encircled by the stone field, the ceremonial fire pit invites visitors closer. Walking over the stone field, visitors are reminded that the road to recognition and equality has been a difficult path to walk. Once visitors arrive at the fire pit they are cleansed by the smoke. In front of the fire pit lies a ceremonial soil chamber, dedicated to holding soil from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations from across Australia. The artist intended that each Nation be commemorated in this place, where a piece of real Country joins the many lands our ancestors have defended, and from which they came to serve Australia.

The way that visitors engage with the memorial changes each time: from the weather, to the time of day, to personal reflections. Their active participation, rather than passive admiration, is fundamental.

Connection to landscape is important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. With permission from the United Ngunnawal Elders Council, and in consultation with national Indigenous military personnel, curators, and local Elders, an open invitation is going out to every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Nation to donate soil from those lands to be placed in the ceremonial chamber at the centre of the pavilion.

Communities are invited to make deposits of soil during Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week celebrations by submitting the request form at https://www.awm.gov.au/form/for-our-country-form or by emailing forourcountry@awm.gov.au

“For our Country was created by one of our country’s most gifted artists and is dedicated to my Country, my family, my mates, and me. It is a dignified art installation, full of meanings and symbolism. It pays respect to the deep connections and long, proud history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women and their defence of Country. As an Australian soldier and veteran, descended from the Gomeroi Nation, I am proud to see this very special public art piece open here in the grounds of one of our most sacred national institutions.” - Corporal Garth O’Connell, Army History Unit, Royal Australian Infantry

The pavilion was dedicated by Dr Jackie Huggins AM FAHA (Bidjara/Birri-Gubba Juru peoples) in a public ceremony on 28 March 2019.

Acknowledgements

The For our Country memorial was created by Daniel Boyd and Edition Office Architects, proudly supported by the Australian government.

The Memorial acknowledges the support of the following advisory Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sculpture commission group:

Aunty Roslyn Brown, Co-Chair, United Ngunnawal Elders Council;
Ms Vanessa Seekee, Curator/Historian, Torres Strait Heritage Museum;
Uncle David Williams, Royal Australian Navy (Retd);
Uncle Harry Allie, Royal Australian Air Force (Retd);
Corporal Tara Enchong, Royal Australian Air Force;
Uncle Roy Mundine, Australian Army (Retd);
Gary Oakley, former National President, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans and Services Association;
Ms Tina Baum, Senior Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, National Gallery of Australia;
Ms Nici Cumpston, Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, Art Gallery of South Australia, and Artistic Director of TARNANTHI.
Mr Tim Sullivan, former Assistant Director National Collection, Australian War Memorial;
Mr Michael Bell, Indigenous Liaison Officer, Australian War Memorial;
Mr Ryan Johnston, former Head of Art, Australian War Memorial.

Awards and Recognitions

On 5 June 2020 For Our Country was the recipient of the highest accolade at the 2020 Australian Institute of Architecture ACT Chapter Awards – the Canberra Medallion. Reserved for only the most exceptional projects, this is only awarded if there is a worthy recipient. For Our Country was also the recipient of the following awards:

The Cynthia Breheny Award for Small Project Architecture
The Pamille Berg Award for Art in Architecture
The Robert Fisher Award for Light in Architecture

On 13 August 2020, For Our Country received an Honourable Mention at the INDE Awards. These awards celebrate the best architecture from across the entire Indo-Pacific region.

Due to its success at the ACT Architecture Awards, For Our Country progressed to the 2020 National Australian Institute of Architect Awards. Announced on 5 November 2020, For Our Country was awarded The Nicholas Murcutt Award in the Small Project Architecture category.

The Design Files + Laminex Design Awards were also announced on 5 November 2020, where For Our Country was the recipient of the Collaboration Award. Collaboration judge Jeremy Wortsman stated that For Our Country is ‘An incredibly powerful and sobering visual statement, telling a vital part of our First Nations people’s stories which has been long overdue.’

On 12 November 2020, For Our Country was announced as the winner of the Urban & Landscape category at the Sustainability Awards Digital Gala 2020. This is awarded to for a building or amenity design which primarily services, or is used by, the public that adheres to and promotes the concepts of sustainability, renewability and regenerative design.

In 2021, the memorial received the Places – Cultural, Art & Educational Spaces Award as the Design Anthology Awards.

The Memorial gratefully acknowledges the support of the Chairman of the Australian War Memorial, Mr Kerry Stokes AC, and the Drummond Foundation.

Royal Australian Air Force Centenary Welcome Ceremony at the For Our Country memorial, 29 March 2021.

Photograph taken by Marcus Fillinger AWM2021.4.17.35

Soil deposits

To initiate the week-long celebration of the Air Force Centenary, on 29 March 2021 RAAF Indigenous Liaison Officers deposited soil and sand collected by traditional custodians at RAAF bases around the county, and shells from the Torres Strait Islands, in the For our Country sculpture. The ceremony was overseen by Uncle Harry Allie, Indigenous Elder of the Air Force. Soil, sand, and shells were deposited by the Indigenous Liaison Officers as follows:

Leading Aircraftman James Evans from RAAF Base Wagga, on behalf of Wiradjuri Country;
Flight Lieutenant Patricia Thompson from RAAF Base Tindal, on behalf of Dagoman Country. We would also like to acknowledge the Jawoyn people;
Flight Lieutenant Jab-Ah-KAI Shaw from RAAF Base Richmond, on behalf of Dharug Country. We also acknowledge the Gundungurra People in the vicinity of RAAF Base Glenbrook;
Flight Lieutenant Aimee McCartney from RAAF Base Point Cook and RAAF Base Williams, on behalf of Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri of the Kulin Nations and from RAAF Base East Sale, on behalf of the traditional owners of Gunaikurnai Country;
Flight Lieutenant Steve Warrior from RAAF Base Edinburgh, on behalf of Kaurna Country and the Googatha from RAAF Base Woomera;
Flight Lieutenant Kristal House from RAAF Base Amberley, on behalf of the traditional owners of the Yuggera and the Ugarapul people;
Flight Lieutenant Tramaine Dukes, from RAAF Base Pearce, on behalf of Noongar Country and the Ginigoodareah people from RAAF Base Learmonth;
Flight Lieutenant Matt Roberts from RAAF Base Williamtown, on behalf of the Worimi people;
Flight Lieutenant Normie Grogan from RAAF Base Darwin, on behalf of Gulumerrdgen Country;
Flight Lieutenant Dave Williams from RAAF Base Townsville, on behalf of Gurumbilburra and Wulgururkaba Country;
Flying Officer Gabrielle Read, from RAAF Base Tindal, on behalf of Wardahmen people; and
Leading Aircraftman Pryce Mareko on behalf of the Torres Strait Islander people.