Take a holiday on June 3rd to celebrate a great Australian, Eddie Mabo, who overturned the two century fiction of Terra Nullius in a ten year campaign through the courts ending in the historic High Court Mabo Judgement.
Image: Photo of Eddie Mabo, superimposed
on the Torres Strait Islander flag
(in use since 29 May 1992)
June the 3rd marks the anniversary of Mabo Day, a day that has important ramifications for Australian Society. Mabo Day is a day that is virtually unknown and ignored by most Australians.
On the third of June 1992 the High Court of Australia rejected the ridiculous notion of "Terra Nullius", that this land was not occupied before European colonisation. Eddie Mabo a Torres Strait man born on Mer in the Torres Strait and living in Townsville in Queensland conducted a ten year battle through the courts that led to this historic judgement. The Mabo Judgement states in law that indigenous Australians have by prior occupation, ownership of land where native title has not been extinguished.
June the 3rd, 1992 marks the beginning of a reconciliation process between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians that is based in law, not charity. It opened up a new chapter in the often difficult relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.
The Mabo decision is arguable the most important decision that the High Court of Australia has made since Federation. It states Indigenous people have Legal Rights not just Symbolic Rights to all Crown Land in this country, as well as possible rights to pastoral leases. Mabo Day marked the beginning of a new era for Indigenous people. It changed Australian's views of themselves and their rights to this land. It has forced mining companies and the corporate world to take stock of Indigenous peoples' claims. It has radically altered the relationship between Indigenous and non Indigenous people in this country.
On the tenth anniversary, in 2002, Eddie Mabo's widow, Bonita Mabo, called for a national public holiday on the anniversary of the High Court's decision. Mrs Mabo said Eddie Mabo would be singing and dancing in delight over the progress made. "He would be dancing and singing - I can see him doing it," she said. "It's going to be a long time but at least we're starting to get somewhere which is great. Since '92 there was nothing like this around and you know people couldn't say, 'oh this is my land, this is my country, I'm a traditional owner', which makes them so proud of who they are." Mrs Mabo said a national holiday would be the most appropriate way of celebrating Mr Mabo's efforts. "You know we don't have to have the Queen's birthday weekend."
On the eleventh anniversary, in 2003, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) launched a petition to make June 3 an Australian Public Holiday. Eddie Mabo Jnr, for the Mabo family, said:
We believe that a public holiday would be fitting to honour and recognise the contribution to the High Court decision of not only my father and his co-plaintiffs, James Rice, Father Dave Passi, Sam Passi and Celuia Salee, but also to acknowledge all Indigenous Australians who have empowered and inspired each other.To date we have not had a public holiday that acknowledges Indigenous people and which recognises our contribution, achievements and survival in Australia.
A public holiday would be a celebration all Australians can share in with pride – a celebration of truth that unites Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and a celebration of justice that overturned the legal myth of terra nullius - Mabo symbolises truth and justice and is a cornerstone of Reconciliation.
Show respect. Take a holiday on June 3rd to celebrate a great Australian. Why not organise a picnic of your family, your friends, your relatives, your colleagues. Take the day off work and celebrate the achievements of Eddie Koiki Mabo in overturning 'Terra Nullius'. There is still a long way to travel with regards to Native Title, and justice for indigenous people, but Eddie showed that individuals can successfully change the course of history.
Advise your members of Federal parliament of your actions and wish for a national public holiday for Mabo Day, June 3.
House of Representatives: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/index.htm#contact
Senate: http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/senators/index.htm#contact
Email the Prime Minister, John Howard: http://www.pm.gov.au/your_feedback/feedback.htm
Organizations Eddie Mabo Was Involved In include:
Biographical Note on Eddie Mabo from the National Library of Australia:
http://www.nla.gov.au/ms/findaids/8822.html
The papers of Eddie Mabo have been handed over to the National Library of Australia. Making History: Acquiring the Mabo Papers provided this insight into Eddie Mabo:
http://www.nla.gov.au/nla/staffpaper/mabo.html
"Alec Bolton, who prepared the formal valuation of the Mabo Papers for the National Library, highlighted the extent to which the papers provide a picture of the man: an individual 'of depth and persistence: a lifelong passionate advocate of the rights of his Torres Strait people; a fountain of ideas and innumerable plans; a humble worker (trochus shell fisherman, railways labourer, gardener) and frequent dole recipient who in later days was on good terms with Federal ministers and sat on committees with people like H.C. Coombs and R.M. Berndt; a modestly educated man...who yet wrote a beautiful hand when he was trying, and who enrolled in Diploma of Teaching courses in his mid-forties; and above all a visionary who foresaw the implications for all Australians of a successful outcome in the case concerning his Melanesian homeland of Mer (Murray Island)... the collection shows that Mabo is not just a name thrown up by an accident of history. It seems likely that in years to come he will be recognised...as a national icon.'"
Read more about Eddie Mabo's Fight for social justice and human rights issues as told by his daughter Gail Mabo.
http://hsc.csu.edu.au/ab_studies/rights/global/social_justice_global/sjwelcome.responsenew7.html
Takver
