The Mabo Act And Rudd's Fight For Self Determination Of Indigenous People
Throughout Australian and international history, indigenous people have had their future chosen for them. This dates back millennia, when the Romans would sell the indigenous off as slaves, or when the Aboriginals of Australia were stolen from their families. Until only recently, indigenous people were living at a lower standard than other people, and no-one fought for their rights. However, there have been significant advancements in the Aboriginal fight for self-determination, such as the Mabo act, and Rudd’s apology to the stolen generation. Self Determination is the ability for a group of individuals to make their own decisions, thus improving the quality of life for those individuals. Take that right away, and they have a significantly
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Wave Hill Station is located approximately 600 km south of Darwin, run by a British Pastoral company, called Vesteys. The workers, mostly from the Gurindji, were not being paid or living in equal conditions to white workers. This caused the walk off. These maps show the location of the station, and of the Gurindji tribe. This is a classic example of Aboriginals fighting to gain equality, and there is a famous photo of Gough Whitlam, the Prime Minister of the time, pouring soil into the Vincent Lingari’s …show more content…
But, as time went on, their protest’s demands added. Their protest then became about land rights. He created a petition, presented to the Governor General, asking for 500 square miles to be returned to the Wave Hill Pastoral Company. The government tried to strike a deal, promising a new township, but they refused. In January of 1972, however, the government announced that money would be available for Aboriginals to buy land, and the Gurindji were given the place that they camped at for the past 6 years, Daguragu, back to their ownership. At a ceremony in 1975, Gough Whitlam made a speech, and poured the soil into Lingiari’s hands, symbolizing the fact that the Aboriginals had their land back.
"Vincent Lingiari, I solemnly hand to you these deeds as proof, in Australian law, that these lands belong to the Gurindji people and I put into your hands part of the earth itself as a sign that this land will be the possession of you and your children
Wave Hill Station is located approximately 600 km south of Darwin, run by a British Pastoral company, called Vesteys. The workers, mostly from the Gurindji, were not being paid or living in equal conditions to white workers. This caused the walk off. These maps show the location of the station, and of the Gurindji tribe. This is a classic example of Aboriginals fighting to gain equality, and there is a famous photo of Gough Whitlam, the Prime Minister of the time, pouring soil into the Vincent Lingari’s …show more content…
But, as time went on, their protest’s demands added. Their protest then became about land rights. He created a petition, presented to the Governor General, asking for 500 square miles to be returned to the Wave Hill Pastoral Company. The government tried to strike a deal, promising a new township, but they refused. In January of 1972, however, the government announced that money would be available for Aboriginals to buy land, and the Gurindji were given the place that they camped at for the past 6 years, Daguragu, back to their ownership. At a ceremony in 1975, Gough Whitlam made a speech, and poured the soil into Lingiari’s hands, symbolizing the fact that the Aboriginals had their land back.
"Vincent Lingiari, I solemnly hand to you these deeds as proof, in Australian law, that these lands belong to the Gurindji people and I put into your hands part of the earth itself as a sign that this land will be the possession of you and your children