This is a site of community-owned and shared, stories and history - the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender, sistergirl, brotherboy, inter-sexed and queer community from Nations wide, their partners and their families.;xNLx;;xNLx;This timeline will always be under construction and dependent on community input. To respond to the timeline and contribute your stories, knowledge, feedback and photographs, join the private facebook group for this site, by clicking on this link:;xNLx;;xNLx;[Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mardi Gras History](https://www.facebook.com/groups/1507173312924165/);xNLx;;xNLx;To connect with the community organising the 2023 entry in the Mardi Gras parade for Sydney WorldPride, email [aboriginal@acon.org.au](aboriginal@acon.org.au);xNLx;;xNLx;;xNLx;To view in 3D, click on the 3D icon bottom left of screen. It looks mad in 3D! Your tools for viewing are bottom right of screen.;xNLx;;xNLx;Project initiation, Tim Bishop.;xNLx;
The affirmative actions of the 1960s social movements in America (Black Power, anti-Vietnam War and worldwide Women's Liberation) inspired the radicalisation of the Gay Solidarity Movement that arrived in Sydney early in the 1970s.
In June of 1978, a night-time celebration followed a morning protest march in the city and an afternoon's rally at Paddington Town Hall, as Sydney’s contribution to international Gay Solidarity celebrations. Organised by the Sydney Gay Solidarity Group, the evening culminated in a festive procession down Oxford Street to Hyde Park, leaving from Taylor Square at 11pm. The 1500 revellers were later met with unexpected police violence. Fifty-three people were arrested. Aboriginal women, Chris Burke (dec) and Annie Pratten were there in solidarity.
The following year, 1979, up to 3,000 people marched again, in an incident-free, evening parade of Gay Solidarity down Oxford Street. The event was now locked in as one heart-pumping night of love every year that hasn't skipped a beat since.
There are many anecdotal reports from blackfullas of spontaneous participation in the parade during the 1980s, when you could just jump on in and join 'em.
In 1980 the decision was made to move the 1981 parade forward to summer and to name the parade, Sydney Gay Mardi Gras.
In 1982, Narrandera man, Roger McKay, marched alone in the parade wearing the Aboriginal flag. This significant moment is widely acknowledged as the first time the Aboriginal flag appeared in the parade.
The first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander float entered in the Mardi Gras parade was in the year of Australia's Bicentenary celebrations, 1988. Only one month prior to this parade 40,000 people protested in Sydney against the celebrations - the largest march in Australia since the Vietnam moratorium.
At an Extraordinary General Meeting in 1988, post the parade, the Board of Sydney Gay Mardi Gras elected to re-name the event, 'Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras'.
High on the ride of his audience reception in the 1988 parade, Malcolm Cole was determined to enter the parade again the following year. But all didn't go to plan.
Koorie Wirguls was an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lesbian support group during the early 1990s.
Birthed in 1989, Bangarra Dance Theatre is proudly one of Australia’s leading performing arts companies, widely acclaimed nationally and around the world. And they entered a float in the 1993 parade - a vibrant show on a truck of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and support for community.
An eight tonne, flat tray-truck, with lights and sound, depicting the figure of a skeletal spirit, that carried as many blackfellas on it as it could.
Closely following the 1995 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community entry, was the black and indigenous community group from the Illawarra, INDIGENOUS or WHAT?
The entry was a very large and very spectacular, shiny lamé Aboriginal flag on wheels, pulled along the parade route like a Trojan Horse.
“Queers for Reconciliation was formed in response to the federal Government’s Wik legislation. It was hoped that the publicity accorded the parade could convey the message about the importance of Reconciliation Australia-wide.” (Q4R, 1998)
After the success of their participation in the parade the year before, the mob from Moree contacted Mardi Gras again in 1999, with the offer of a very special Rainbow Serpent.
A very significant year and a very memorable entry, with quite a story to tell. All eyes were on Sydney as hosts of the 2000 Summer Olympics.
We know you were there and we'd love to hear your story. Please get in touch and send us some pics!
A very large walking group of over 400 people of all backgrounds, sexualities and gender identities, marched to demonstrate community commitment to Reconciliation.
The entry was a very proud nod to Cathy Freeman’s gold medal win at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and to the significance of her achievement.
The walking entry was accompanied by high-profile Aboriginal leader, Geoff Clarke, and Aboriginal activist Jack Beetson, to promote reconciliation between Aborigines and other Australians.
Not sure who were the organising group of this entry as there is some recollective confusion about it. But it definitely happened! Predominantly a parade entry of non-indigenous LGBTIQ support for indigenous Australians, the indigenous mob looking to join the parade this year, marched with this group in the united call for TREATY!
A 'Welcome to Country' procession was first invited into the parade by New Mardi Gras in 2003. A mob with flags walked ahead of the parade proper, in the foreplay (pre-parade) section of the parade, to the welcoming cheers of the enthusiastic crowd.
The year that an Aboriginal group officially lead the parade - for the very first time.
Following on from the previous year, the Welcome to Country retained its position at the head of the parade.
Another special moment in our history of participation, this was the year we top and tailed the Mardi Gras Parade.
This year didn't see a 'Welcome to Country' at the front of the parade. Instead, the mob lead the ACON section of the parade, promoting the Aboriginal Project at ACON.
The Black Booty float was a flat tray truck, with a mounted lighting rig and sound that carried eight choreographed performers, representing eight different drag identities.
This was the year the mob first marched under the banner of 'First Australians'.
A walking group in their rightful place at the head of the parade. Everything well organised - A shiny blue truck, flags, banners, printed t-shirts and multi-coloured torches. But as can happen, things went a little array on the night.
An award-winning walking group at the front of the parade. Lots of flags, colour and movement, a ute with lights and sound and Uncle Max on the back with a fire bucket.
The Love Heart was the featured icon of this year's entry. It rained a little in the afternoon but that only brought out even more decoration - multi-coloured umbrellas!
The walking group entry at the 'front of the parade' took inspiration from the fabulous 1960s look of the hit 2012 Australian movie, ‘The Sapphires’.
The 'first in parade' entry was a creative mix of the traditional and the contemporary, led by Destiny Haz Arrived in her now-famous Rainbow Serpent-inspired, body-painted creation.
The First Australians 'head of parade' entry for 2015, marked and celebrated the 50th anniversary of The Freedom Ride with a ride of its own, on a big red bus.
In pride of place at the front of the parade, now referred to by the organisers as the ‘protocol’ section, our community dazzled in our fourty-minute walk of fame, proving we are ‘2Deadly 2Gether’.
Responding to the 2017 Mardi Gras theme of Creating Equality, the First Nations leading parade entry, Step by Step, highlighted the journey and the distance still to travel towards achieving equality for all First Peoples of this country in all areas, politically and socially.
In their third year of entry in the parade, ‘The Northern Territory Stars’ got a lot of well-deserved media attention and a wildly enthusiastic response from the crowd. Creatively themed to represent the uniqueness on offer in the Northern Territory, as diverse as the NT night sky, the entry was led this year by 30 Tiwi Island sistergirls.
Inspired by this timeline, a public exhibition and community celebration of the proud history of First Peoples' entries in the Sydney Mardi Gras parade. Produced for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival 2017. A highlight of the festival - Koori Gras @ 107 Projects. Feb 21-26, 2017.
2018, the 40th year of the Mardi Gras Parade also marked a very significant milestone for First Peoples entries in the parade - 30 years since the first organised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander float in the parade in 1988. The 2018 entry proudly acknowledged and celebrated this history with the theme of 'Revolution'.
Responding to the year's theme of 'Fearless' the First Nations mob branded themselves with an interpretative take on the well-known statement of Aboriginal sovereignty, Always was, Always will be, Aboriginal Land.
The entries response to the parade's 2020 theme of What Matters? was sharp as - We Matter! Our health, our women, our Deaths in Custody and our Trans community - the four key areas of social justice carried by the group in the parade.
Homage to the BLM movement. Protesting Deaths in Custody. Rising for their brotherboys, sistergirls and positive mob.
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Big ups and heartfelt thanks to the many contributors and contributions of photographs, stories, archival records, history, gossip, yarns and memories that have so far crafted this timelined record of a community's history. Above all else, thank you to those who got out there in the first place and created this history of First Peoples presence in the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade. We are indebted to you and will forever acknowledge you.
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