When we asked Guardian readers which forgotten heroes they thought deserved to have statues erected in their honour, a strong thread developed arguing that no new statues should be erected; that statues in themselves were anomalies. Those that did suggest new statues often put forward strong calls to properly acknowledge Australia’s past including its impressive Indigenous history and its brutal frontier wars.
Who needs a statue anyway?
JCollins3 wrote: “I’m not a fan of monuments; elevating one thing over another just reminds me of what was ignored.”
Another reader, Josue_Taylor, put it this way: “The whole idea of putting up statues is very European and the idea that we are going to put up statues of the Indigenous is somewhat awkward and condescending. Why are we only commemorating the Indigenous who helped Europeans? Shouldn’t the Indigenous have a right to memorialise their own who fought off colonisers and defended their home? I’d like to see a resurrection of the Indigenous cultural artefacts that were up before colonisation. An Indigenous cultural re-colonisation of their homeland is a far more tasteful than a tacky statue.”
Adding to that sentiment, BGreaves wrote: “The article implies monuments as a didactic collective memory. Monuments are static and isolated. Perhaps recognise and commemorate song lines that trace our whole nation, some underlying key arterial routes today.
“A much more dynamic way to learn about the landscape where we live, about a culture that lived so long in the landscape it became part of it, and possibly understand and evaluate the changes that have occurred.”
Jack Latimore, Guardian contributor and editor of IndigenousX, also felt there were more pressing issues in Australian history than who gets his or her own statue: “The return of sacred and significant landmarks to their traditional names and the care of local mob is more important than any manufactured edifices,” he wrote.
One suggestion to overcome this problem was a new walk of fame for different cities.
“Statues represent a moment in history, mostly marked by the winners. Could our towns and cities each have a ‘walk of fame’ comprised plaques referring to significant First Nation people? Imagine, it could become a unique lesson in history for New Arrivals, from which respect and greater understanding could grow,” wrote aquariann.
Mabo and Whitlam the popular picks
Of the more than 500 responses the Guardian received to our call out, however, strong themes did develop among a field of contenders. Eddie Mabo, the Indigenous land rights activist, and Gough Whitlam, the Labor prime minister toppled by Malcolm Fraser and the governor-general Sir John Kerr, stand out as having the most support. Mabo’s grave was visited by Tony Abbott in the Torres Strait when he was prime minister; and there is already a bust of Whitlam on Prime Ministers Avenue at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens in Victoria.
And there was certainly a strong case for more monuments and memorials to represent the country’s Indigenous history.
sydneyiskyblue wrote: “I suggest a statue of the local Guringai men who scared the Europeans due to their Manly appearance as they sailed by what is now known as the Manly peninsula. These locals are deserved of a strong bronze sculpture peering out fearlessly to the sea with the Corso in the background.”
Other than Whitlam and Mabo, the most commonly cited heroes included:
- Frontier war warriors including Pemulwuy, Windraydyne, Jandamarra, Yagan, Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner.
- H V Evatt, former president of the United Nations general assembly
- David Unaipon (born David Ngunaitponi), preacher, writer and inventor
- The artist Albert Namatjira
- Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman
- Opthamologist Fred Hollows
- Les Murray, the poet
- Caroline Chisholm, 19th century welfare worker
- The journalist, anthropologist and welfare worker, Daisy Bates
- Dorothy Tangney, the first female member of the Australian Senate
- Aboriginal rights activist, Vincent Lingiari
- Faith Bandler, an Indigenous civil rights activist
- Edith Cowan, the first Australian female MP
Among sporting greats Shane Warne, Sir Donald Bradman and David Boon were high among the mentions, not always with the same degree of gravity. And it wouldn’t be Australia without quite a few votes going the way of Steven Bradbury. But it was Charles_Maine’s concept that really caught our eye: “A statue of US speed skater Apolo Ohno, but at the unveiling it falls over and cracks open to reveal a statue of Steven Bradbury.”
Give the dog a bronze
Our readers seem to be fond of dogs, with Guardian cartoonist First Dog on the Moon (not a real dog) receiving numerous nominations, as well as the esteemed former resident of Ramsay Street, Bouncer.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Guardian Australia comment thread without some #auspol banter. Tony Abbott and Alan Jones were both subject to numerous nominations, although more to remind us #neveragain than to honour their great deeds. Readers also seemed to get behind an idea to erect a monument of the political foursome Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull – which consensus decided would sit quite nicely outside Parliament House: “to remind politicians what their job is NOT”.
But the final word goes to ifyousay:
“I’d like to see a statue commemorating all of those who perished fighting section 44 of the constitution.”
