For our Country – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander memorial

Commemorating the military service and experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who have fought to protect their country.

In 2018 artist Daniel Boyd, a Kudjala/Gangalu/Kuku Yalanji/Waka Waka/Gubbi Gubbi/Wangerriburra/Bandjalung man 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 circle of stones. Behind the fire pit is a wall of two-way mirrored glass that reflects the viewer and the Australian War Memorial. This wall is set with thousands of transparent lenses, representing our perception and highlighting our incomplete understanding of time, history, and memory.

Behind the wall is an intimate, contemplative area. 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.

At the centre of the pavilion is a ceremonial chamber for the depositing of 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.

“Only four or five generations after the arrival of the British First Fleet, having endured discrimination, brutal social exclusion, and violence, many Indigenous Australians denied their Aboriginality and kinship to enlist, serve, fight, suffer, and die for the young nation that had taken so much from them. Having enlisted from a desperately unequal Australia, many found military service to be their first experience of equality. In Australia’s Defence forces they were equals – equal in life and equal in death.” -  Dr Brendan Nelson, Director, Australian War Memorial

Connection to landscape is important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. 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  

The pavilion was dedicated by Dr Jackie Huggins AM FAHA (Bidjara and Birri-Gubba Juru) 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, National President, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans and Services Association;
• Ms Tina Baum, 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 also announced 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.

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

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.

Previous soil deposited in For our Country sculpture in 2019 includes Ngunnawal, Bidjara, and Birri Gubba Jurru.  Communities are invited to make deposits of soil during Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week celebrations by submitting a request form, or by emailing forourcountry@awm.gov.au