Aboriginal war veterans no longer forgotten

IN JULY, Murdoch's Nexus Theatre hosted the launch of The Forgotten, a 40-minute documentary telling the story of the Aboriginal soldiers who fought and died for Australia.

The film examines the prejudice faced by these soldiers in the armed forces and the honour they felt representing their nation.

The Hon Sheila McHale MLA, Minister for Culture and the Arts and Professor Kateryna Longley, Executive Dean of SSHE, presented the documentary to a crowd including WA Aboriginal war veterans and influential members of the Aboriginal community.

The President of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Veterans & Services Association (WA) Phil Prosser spoke about the contribution of Aboriginal Veterans to the defence of the country.

Writer, producer and director of The Forgotten, Glen Stasiuk, was inspired by his family's history and the respect he felt for the ANZAC "black diggers".

"I had members of my family fight and die in both World Wars, and my great uncle was one of the first Aboriginal soldiers to receive a war medal," Mr Stasiuk said.

"This film is for them and all the other Aboriginal people who have fought for our country and not gotten the recognition that they deserved.

"Not a lot of people know about the contribution made by Aboriginal people, particularly during the earlier wars. I hope The Forgotten can help get these stories across."

The Forgotten features war veterans and family member's personal experiences and thoughts from both World Wars, as well as veterans who served in Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and East Timor.

The film took two years to make and included extensive research throughout Western Australia and in Canberra.

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) kindly provided funds and research support.