Gowland to march in spirit
New Mardi Gras has guaranteed the ’78ers a spot in this year’s parade and will help them put together a walking tribute to Lance Gowland.
Mardi Gras instigators, the ’78ers who marched and fought in the first-ever Mardi Gras, will once again make their presence known as they march in the tribute to Gowland, the founder of CAMP NSW and long-time gay rights activist who died last year.
The entry was conceived by Gareth Earnst, a close friend of Gowland’s.
Mardi Gras will also provide financial assistance to ensure the piece is a fitting tribute, said NMG Parade co-chair Liz Dodson.
Several ’78ers had said to me, -˜what about a tribute to Lance’ and it turned out that Gareth was doing it, so Mardi Gras is assisting him with the entry and will be contacting all the ’78ers.
While they haven’t expressed a great interest in the past, except on the anniversary, quite a few of them have expressed their interest after having such a good experience last time so it’s definitely something we’re interested in helping them facilitate in the future, she added.
One ’78er, Kye Poirier, who recently wrote a public letter calling on Mardi Gras to further involve the original group of protesters was more than pleased to hear of the decision.
We’re absolutely happy and at least we’re marching again. I can pretty safely say that every ’78er who can be there will be there.
I’ve spoken to so many people who have always said -˜you ’78ers should be in every year because you started it,’ and I agree with that -” right until it gets to the time when there’s only one person standing, he said, adding that it would be a particularly moving experience to walk in Gowland’s memory.
He was an unbelievable man, so it’s going to be very emotional walking when he’s not there.
It was emotional for us last year, being the 30th anniversary. There wasn’t a dry eye marching and this year it’s going to be worse, but I think Lance will be there in spirit.
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I am 49 and was very fortunte to be @ Taylor Square on the night of 25th June 1978. I remember it extremly well from Taylor Square screaming out down Oxford Street “out of the bars into the street’ it was a wild night, cold but exciting, people were hanging out of windows and bars and joining the march, we made it to Hyde park, I remember Lance driving the little truck with a megaphone with the song :”Sing if your glad to gay sing if your happy that way hey”: Tom Robbins English singer sang it, the cops pulled out the keys and dragged Lance to the paddy wagon, it was on the corner of Hyde Park, we had premission to march to there, and that song played all the way.
I was accompanyed by my sister and some gay friends, there were university students lots of woman in amry greens, they then lead the march screaming out”keep going keep going” so we did, we made it to William street and no police stopped us, we walked up to the coca cola lighted up sign with sucess and them turned left into Kings Cross, still no problem from the police, the bikers and night girls cheered us on and it was so exciting. When we had it to the fountain. We sing for awhile then the girls shouted “keep going” I was scared by this stage and the boys and my sister pulled my out of the march and we stood @ the 36 flavours ice-cream shop opposite were the bikies would hang on their bikes outside the strip clubs. We all got an ice-creams, then we witness police paddy wagons coming both ways, the marches were blocked in the middle of the street, the police started attacking the marches with much heavy handed violence, the bikies and the working girls joined the fight, it was the police against everyone stuck in the middle. We watched and couldn’t believe the riot, police dragging woman and men into paddy wagons it went on for some time, lots got away, like us, when they drove the marches who got caught to the Darlinghurst police station, whoever was left including me, walked to the police station and yelled out “let them out” it was freezing cold, we sat on the road and passed around the hat, we managed to bail everyone out, then we all walked back to Oxford street and headed to celebtate the night. We called it Stonewall March. I found Ruby Reds and danced all night it was completely backed out, that was my experience on the 25th June 1978.
I have been to many Mardi Gra since and partie, I was in the Lance Gowland truck with Madame Lash whipping up a storm on the roof of the truck, I was the one in red with the hot boots holding onto madam Lash Gretel Pinnerger, who made the first costumes in 1978, Peter Lehner and myself are making a Doco on the 78’s, he filmed 2008 with Lash and I leading the parade in a Silver Saab, Peter interview many 78’s that afternoon on the Pride rooftop and our stories will be told.
We will be putting the Doco into Queer films this year.
Gareth is supporting us with this project.
Lance was a very brave political human rights activist and Mardi Gra would not be here if it wasn’t for all those brave woman and men who believe in basic human rights.
Peace and love to all.
Christine Devine
Gary Burns, How do you know that “It doesnt mean a great deal to those under 50” Gay activists beleive their own publicity at times. Im sorry that I was only 8 years of age in 1978 Gary. You just need to accept younger peoples thinking.
For all Lance’s fine achievements, being the “founder of CAMP NSW” was certainly NOT one of them. CAMP was established between July 1970 and February 1971 by, among others, John Ware and Christobell Poll, the first openly self-proclaimed homosexuals in Australia, especially when a photograph of them appeared prominently in the Weekend Australian on 19 September 1970.
The Pride History Group intends focusing on these events over the next two years so that Ani Lamont and others in the community will be assisted in getting the history correct.
Robert French
Secretary, Pride History Group
This is not only a tribute to Gowland but it is a recognition of all the other gay civil rights activists who participated in the 1978 protest.
It may not mean a great deal to those under 50 but I can assure the readership the significance of that protest is still very raw with me.
It steered me into becoming a gay crusader.
The 78’ers should always lead this 21st century gay civil rights demonstration that people fondly now know as the gay mardi-gras parade.
I hope Judge Virginia Bell will be one of them!!