South Australia's Aboriginal communities have nominated more than 100 people to be remembered with a statue, as part of a new government program to recognise Indigenous heritage in the state.
The Aboriginal Affairs Minister has now been asked to form a selection panel to decide on criteria and work towards a shortlist from which six people will eventually be chosen.
"The community were very clear and very passionate that it was 'about time' and they fully supported this initiative," SA's Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement, Roger Thomas, said.
Dr Thomas has been talking to Aboriginal organisations and communities across the state to explain the government's plan — a million-dollar commitment Labor made before the last election to erect monuments of Indigenous leaders.
He said many people thought the initiative would also help non-Aboriginal people appreciate South Australia's First Nations history.
"If we had more Aboriginal statues and monuments with plaques with details of those people and what they brought to the community, that will facilitate and enhance the education of the broader community," Dr Thomas said.
But some South Australian Aboriginal elders are worried about the plan, fearing statues are not culturally appropriate or that six is too few.
Tim Agius, who is the CEO of the Kura Yerlo community organisation at Port Adelaide, said there had been conflicting opinions on the initiative.
"An initiative like this, while it is well-received, it is also being divisive because it's splitting the community about identifying six heroes and six people of the community," he said.
"Some people aren't in support because it doesn't recognise all the founding people that were responsible for what we have today.
"I think we're heading down a path of difficulty if we're only going to recognise six people."
'Not one legend is on their own'
Senior Aboriginal women from the Port Adelaide community told the ABC they wanted the recognition to be broader and ongoing.
"There needs to be more than one acknowledgement, there needs to be a different lot of options for acknowledgement, and we need to be more involved," Roslyn Weetra, a Narangga, Kaurna and Ngadjuri elder said.
"We believe that not one legend is on their own, they're all connected to each other, that made the community the way it was in them days," Ngadjuri elder Patricia Waria Read said.
"A book with a page of each person on it would be better than six statues," Joan Clark, a Adnyamathanha and Narangga elder said.
Dr Thomas said the fact many people had expressed a desire for such recognition to be ongoing was part of his report to the government.
'We have to live in two worlds'
Other elders from around Adelaide are in favour of statues, saying they could recognise significant Aboriginal figures, including from before colonisation.
"They can showcase their leadership and their contribution to society. I think it's really important that we acknowledge that," Kaurna elder Frank Wanganeen, who leads Aboriginal history tours around Adelaide, said.
Ngarrindjeri and Kaurna elder Major "Moogy" Sumner, who works to preserve and promote Aboriginal heritage, said statues would increase pride amongst young Indigenous people.
"Building statues and stuff like that is not really our way in culture… but we live in a different time now, we have to live in two worlds," he said.
"I think if you're going to honour someone, why not put up a statue to that person?
"Why not honour them in a way where people will see them, walk past them, recognise them?"
"We could just go and sit out in the bush and no-one knows we're there, or we can stand up and be recognised for what we do."
The Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kyam Maher is now considering a report from Dr Thomas, which recommends the government form a selection committee to define the criteria and next steps to deciding who will have statues built of them.
"We thank Dr Thomas for his work, the report is very useful and has taken into account the views of many Aboriginal South Australians and the wider community," a spokesman for the minister said in a statement.
"The government will now consider how to implement the recommendations, including seeking the views of the elected First Nations Voice, should the legislation pass early next year."
