Ian Colvin passed away recently. He was fondly remembered at his wake by about 50 of his friends and acquaintances from XR Drum Rebellion, Extinction Rebellion and the wider environment and climate movements.
Ian was remembered for his activism, his quiet leadership and his gentle nature, and for his passion for tango, which has rubbed off on some.
We knew little of Ian’s past, but his children cast some light recently.
“Ian arrived in Australia from Scotland in 1973, stepping off the plane in Darwin with a spirit that would one day ripple through communities, art, music and eventually, the front lines of climate activism.
“His journey was as eclectic as it was passionate — first as a rock and roll musician, then as a builder of homes, a creator of art, a devoted tango dancer and, finally, as a fierce protector of this planet through his work with Extinction Rebellion.”
Friends at Ian’s wake certainly agreed with that last sentiment.
Ian connected with Extinction Rebellion in 2019 and was first remembered playing drums with XR outside NSW Parliament. Some conversation there connected to his tango passion and his enthusiasm for the role of drummers in South American protests.
Ian decided to get drummers together to amplify the impact of XR protests.
From then on drummers, eventually known as XR Drum Rebellion, became a common feature of many protests. They made the protests impossible to ignore and lifted the spirits of the protesters.
Ian was clearly the lead drummer, a good drummer, but with a gentle spirit he always encouraged the less talented among us.
Ian’s contribution was more than just drumming. He led by action and innovation. He not only formed XR Drum Rebellion, which has been very active almost every week for the years since, but creating other actions including: Silent Circles of climate protest, which attracted up to 70 people standing in silence with placards; Protest Parades around Sydney’s shopping areas on busy Saturdays; and protesting outside the NSW Art Gallery after it accepted fossil fuel sponsorship.
Ian also encouraged us to support union protests, LGBTIQ protests and so many Bob Brown forest and koala related protests — especially for a year at former environment minister Tanya Plibersek’s office in Redfern.
His deep commitment led to more than one arrest! It also led to his posthumous informal beatification as Saint Ian, by “Cardinal Grace Kelly” — John of Drum Rebellion.
The climate protests will continue and XR Drum Rebellion will amplify them and its own long running series of attention grabbing protests each week against banks and financiers of fossil fuels. This is Ian’s ongoing legacy.
Ian will be sorely missed, as he is fondly remembered by so many who are fighting for environmental justice, climate action and the protection of the planet.
Vale Ian Colvin, protest hero and gentle leader.
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