Lest we for/get over it

“We pay our respects and dedicate the Unsettled exhibition to the people and other Beings who keep the law of this land; to the Elders and Traditional Owners of all the knowledges, places, and stories in this exhibition; and to the Ancestors and Old People for their resilience and guidance.

We advise that there are some confronting topics addressed in this exhibition, including massacres and genocide. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be advised that there may be images of people who have passed away.”

Laura McBride and Dr Mariko Smith, 2021.

"Lest We Forget” and “Get Over It”.

These are two of the most popular phrases said in Australia. The first imploring us to honour our history and those Australian men and women who fought in international wars, which the second not only ignores a comparable history but aggressively dismisses it and admonishes those who would honour it. To have such positions held simultaneously, as defining elements of our national identity, deserves scrutiny. Often, First Nations peoples are told to get over the past and move on, but healing needs truth, and we must show proper respect to the fallen and the wronged.