Anniversary of Burnum Burnum’s Symbolic Claim of England

26 January

On 26 January 1988, Burnum Burnum planted the Aboriginal flag beneath the White Cliffs of Dover and symbolically claimed England on behalf of Aboriginal people. Timed to coincide with Australia’s bicentenary, the action used political satire to draw international attention to colonisation, dispossession and the treatment of First Nations people.

What happened at Dover

Burnum Burnum read a declaration that reversed the familiar language of colonial arrival and possession. By placing an Aboriginal flag on English soil, he asked observers to consider how such claims look from the position of the people whose Country is being claimed.

The action was a symbolic protest. It did not legally transfer England to Aboriginal ownership. Keeping that distinction clear helps explain both the humour of the performance and the serious argument it made about power and consent.

Checking the anniversary

The Australian Dictionary of Biography places the action on Australia Day in 1988. The Canberra Times reported it on 27 January, in a dispatch describing what had happened in England the previous day. NITV’s later account also identifies the bicentenary protest.

This anniversary uses the event date, 26 January, rather than the newspaper’s publication date. It shares the calendar with Survival Day, Invasion Day and Day of Mourning, and with the founding of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. The events are connected by themes of sovereignty and resistance, but each has its own history.

The person beyond the photograph

Burnum Burnum, also known earlier in his life as Harry Penrith, was an activist, writer, actor and sportsman. His public life included advocacy, storytelling and efforts to bring Aboriginal experiences to wider audiences. The flag-planting image captures one action within a much larger life.

His declaration used satire to confront histories of racism and mistreatment. Some of its references are distressing, so the full text and related media should be previewed before use with children or groups. A content introduction can explain what the protest addresses without repeating every confronting detail.

Ways to mark the anniversary

Read the contemporary report alongside later accounts. Ask how humour, performance and a familiar national symbol can expose assumptions about ownership and authority. Distinguish what is visible in the photograph from the background needed to understand its meaning.

Use the date as an opportunity to learn about First Nations political creativity and advocacy. Participants should have room to respond differently, and nobody should be expected to speak for all Aboriginal people. Where using historical photographs or footage, respect the collection’s permissions and advice about images and voices of people who have died.

Sources and further reading

Burnum Burnum. Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University. A researched biography placing the Dover action in the context of his life.
Burnum Burnum

Burnum Burnum lays claim to England. The Canberra Times, 27 January 1988, via Trove. Contemporary reporting; publication date differs from the event date.
Burnum Burnum lays claim to England

Burnum Burnum’s flag-planting protest. NITV. A First Nations media account of the symbolic action at Dover.
Burnum Burnum’s flag-planting protest

A Warrior for Peace: Burnum Burnum. Marlene J. Norst, 1999. A longer biography listed in the Australian Dictionary of Biography’s bibliography.
A Warrior for Peace: Burnum Burnum