Perth is trying to avoid the previous “tokenistic” inclusion of First Nations people in colonial celebrations and instead use the city’s upcoming bicentenary as a way to advance reconciliation.
The City of Perth is preparing a program for 2029 to mark 200 years since the establishment of the Swan River Colony with Perth as its capital.
According to the city, previous milestone colonial anniversaries in 1879, 1929 and 1979 had little or tokenistic involvement of Aboriginal people and “little place for varied perspectives”.
WA’s 150th anniversary events, attended by a then-Prince Charles, included the unveiling of a statue of Captain James Stirling and re-enactment of his Swan River landing, with some protesters captured in The West Australian photos.
Captain Charles Fremantle claimed the west coast of Australia for Britain in May 1829 and in August, Perth was deemed the capital, with Captain Stirling appointed as governor.
According to the National Museum of Australia, Aboriginal people had lived in WA’s South West for 47,000 years.
It said initially amicable relations between settlers and Noongar people deteriorated into armed conflict, including the killing of Aboriginal leader Yagan and his father in 1833, and the Pinjarra Massacre of up to 80 Indigenous people in an ambush organised by Captain Stirling the following year.
The city began bicentenary planning after engagement with Aboriginal elders who “played a vital role in setting the guiding themes and principles” for the 2029 program.
Its preliminary engagement report said the program aimed to commemorate the anniversary in a “respectful, inclusive and future-focused way”, saying a city-led initiative could advance reconciliation and strengthen relationships with Aboriginal communities, deliver lasting public infrastructure and improvements, acknowledge the area’s diverse history, and increase tourism.
It said the bicentenary would occur when the “city, State and nation are striving for reconciliation with First Nations people”, saying truth telling was vital, and it would provide an opportunity to listen and acknowledge First Nations voices and experiences.
The milestone also aims to celebrate Perth’s natural environment and focus on the city’s potential future in the next 200 years.
Possible events are listed as ongoing truth-telling initiatives, expansion of the Boorloo Heritage Festival as a community-led platform, intergenerational storytelling and oral history projects, major cultural exhibitions, river-focused experiences, and immersive light installations.
According to the city, it would also provide opportunities for “legacy projects” including revitalising Heirisson Island, improving connections between the Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Perth Concert Hall and surrounding public spaces, and lighting installations on civic buildings such as Perth Town Hall.
The city has now opened a community survey seeking feedback from residents, visitors and businesses to help shape the “inclusive and respectful program”.
The State Government has established the 1929 Bicentenary Planning Advisory Group, which includes Reconciliation WA, the Community Arts Network and Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company, and is also running a community survey to inform recommendations for the bicentenary’s themes and priorities.
Funding is being provided to the three organisations to run community consultation, with Reconciliation WA running a series of “big and little yarns” across the Kimberley, Pilbara, Mid West and greater Perth, as well as The Story of Us mobile studio capturing video and audio stories.
A statement from Premier Roger Cook said the government wanted the commemoration to be planned and delivered in a way that was respectful, inclusive and shaped by the voices of communities across WA.
“The 2029 Bicentenary is an opportunity for all Western Australians to reflect on our shared history, celebrate our State’s vibrant diversity and look toward a future grounded in reconciliation and unity,” he said.
“Before, during, and after 2029, our focus is on strengthening State-wide social cohesion and belonging, showcasing how Western Australia’s unique identity formed, including through the bonds between the traditional people of this land and the many migrants who have settled here over the last two centuries.”
“We want this bicentenary to deliver for the future, for it to be a lasting legacy for future generations.”
The government’s list of objectives include elevating WA’s “rich Aboriginal heritage” and Indigenous people’s unique experiences, recognising our shared history, showcasing the State’s unique identity, creating lasting legacies, and “championing the possible” by imagining and charting a shared vision.
In a statement, Yirra Yaakin said it was proud to contribute to the conversation shaping the bicentenary.
“This significant milestone is an opportunity to reflect on our shared history, recognise that Aboriginal history and culture stretches back far beyond 200 years, celebrate the diversity of our communities, and look towards a future grounded in truth telling, reconciliation and unity,” the statement said.
The company is engaging with Aboriginal communities, artists, elders, young people and key stakeholders to shape a “culturally respectful, inclusive and meaningful” commemoration, aiming to support Aboriginal voices, stories and culture to be heard and recognised.
“We believe the 2029 bicentenary provides an opportunity to listen, learn and share stories, to acknowledge the histories that have shaped this place, to celebrate Aboriginal culture and the diversity of Western Australia, and to imagine a future that honours the past while creating meaningful opportunities for generations to come,” it said.
Reconciliation WA chief executive Sharni Foulkes said the organisation encouraged people to be part of consultation and share their perspectives “so that the broadest possible range of community voices can help inform future recommendations”.
“Western Australia is home to many different communities, histories and experiences,” she said.
“Through this consultation, we are inviting Western Australians to consider how the bicentenary might be recognised in a way that recognises the pre-existing countries, cultures, lore and languages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, acknowledges the establishment of the Swan River Colony, celebrates the contributions of the many communities that call Western Australia home, and promotes the pursuit of a shared legacy beyond 2029.”
Perth’s community survey is open until November 15 via perth.wa.gov.au and the State Government survey runs until October 31 at wa.gov.au.