KEVIN Rudd offered a broad apology to all Aborigines and the Stolen Generations for their "profound grief, suffering and loss" that was greeted by a standing ovation in February 2008.
Thousands of Aboriginal Australians gathered in Canberra to watch the historic apology, which was televised around the nation and shown at special outdoor settings in remote indigenous communities.
What of continuing with that commendable act and having a version of our national anthem bringing together Indigenous culture and a modern Australian theme. The alternations may be minor but the impact profound. Uniting a nation, preserving the unique culture, it’s people, and sound.
The national anthem gets played at many important events around the country and around the world. The minor alteration may include some of the words of Advance Australia Fair sung in perhaps Pijantjatjara, Western Arrernte, Eastern Arrernte, or Luritja, with the didgeridoo as an accompaniment.
After all, many words of Australian Aboriginal origin are almost universal in the English-speaking world, such as kangaroo and boomerang. Many such words have also become loan words in other languages beyond English, while some are restricted to Australian English.
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