Keicha Day is a Gunditjmara Yorta Yorta woman, crèche owner and educator. She urges the Victorian government to do more than just accept all recommendations made by the Yoorrook Justice Commission. She is a vocal leader in the national truth-telling movement. Her mission is to de-colonize Portland’s landscape, working to remove colonial monuments and rename public spaces named after colonial leaders. Diana Day stresses the need for accountability. After the commission’s report is released, the state government has a responsibility to act and follow through on making the changes called for in their report.
Day’s work reminds viewers of the everyday effects of colonization in Victoria, particularly in spaces adjacent to her Wet’suwet’en ancestors. Like the rest, she has passionately become an advocate for her community. Clad in a colorful black and red jacket emblazoned with the word “Treaty,” her fierce dedication to justice and recognition leaps off the screen. As she stares into the water, she thinks over her trip. Her dedication and work ethic have left her an influential leader at the forefront of changes to come.
Historical Context and Advocacy
This anti-colonial turn in the story of colonization in Victoria started on lands connected to Day’s lineage. It is Bird’s own experience of trauma and injustice, however, born from a shared history of colonial violence toward Indigenous peoples, that further informs her advocacy. Uncle Jack Patten was arrested in 1939. His relationship to the land reminds us of the deep and continuing resistance to colonial domination still today.
Day has made clear her anger towards the existing systems as they’ve been formed from the “depth of the colonial past.” She states, “Before I wrote the submission, I was always asking wider community and the local council to engage in mature conversations around the true history of this country — it was never forthcoming.” This lack of engagement has motivated her to fight for transformative change in her community.
Her dedication to this cause is on par with Commissioner Travis Lovett’s commitment. He’ll be participating in the Walk For Truth, taking part in a 400-kilometre journey from Portland to Parliament House in Melbourne. Lovett explains that this trip is inspired by the legacies of Indigenous people. As custodians, they have walked and cared for these lands for over 60,000 years.
The Walk For Truth
The Walk For Truth becomes a corporeal representation of Day’s activism. She describes participating in the event as “a physical release of all the anxieties I’ve had along the way.” This journey is intended to shine a light on the injustices that Native communities are facing. It further requires transparency and accountability from the federal government.
As an environmental justice commissioner, she stands by Day’s comments about just how crucial this initiative is. He says, “Our people have walked on country for 60,000-plus years. This Walk for Truth that I’m doing builds on those legacies.” Together, they hope to make a difference and raise awareness about the long-fought movement to address inequities within their communities.
As they prepare for the walk, Day reflects on her experiences: “I’ve seen despair, unhealed people in my community that turn to suicide and I’ve seen the continuance of black deaths in custody and that’s just unacceptable to me.” This painful truth fuels her passion to engage other communities and increase empathy and understanding.
A Call to Action
Day’s advocacy work has not only raised awareness, but sparked important international discussions about Indigenous rights and recognition. She’s adamant that it’s up to decision makers to get moving. These are precisely the kinds of recommendations the Yoorrook Justice Commission has made and continues to make. “Yoorrook has done the work, they’ve done the really hard yards and now it’s up to you fellas to put action behind those recommendations,” she asserts.
The urgency of these discussions is further highlighted by Day’s observations regarding family separations within her community: “We’re coming up to Sorry Day and in this process I’ve seen three lots of family groups have their children taken away from them.” She’s adamant that these concerns aren’t just in the past, but that they still hurt people’s lives in the present.
As a national leader, Keicha Day continues to push for systemic reform. Her experiences in this work have brought both challenge and healing as she walks with others through the painful realities of colonization and its legacy. “This process has really catapulted me into having those conversations and I’ve found it challenging but healing,” she shares.
