On 2 February 1956 the Murray Islands Court found Mabo guilty of drinking alcohol and exiled him for one year in accordance with community by-laws. He worked aboard fishing vessels until 1957 and then as a cane cutter and railway fettler in Queensland.
Why did Eddie Mabo get exiled from Murray Island?
At the age of 16, Eddie was exiled from Murray Island for breaking customary Island law , and he set off for the mainland where a new life was waiting for him. ... But, Australian law stated that the Government owned the land. Eddie believed that these laws on land ownership were wrong and decided to fight to change them.
What legacy did Eddie Mabo leave behind?
Eddie Mabo has left an extraordinary legacy. Like many of the great Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, he had a mix of street smarts and self educafion , an unwavering sense of jusfice and a profound understanding of his own history.
When did Eddie Mabo move to Townsville?
These strong cultural roots would be the basis for his later legal challenge. In 1959 he moved to Townsville in Queensland and held a variety of jobs including working on pearling boats, cutting cane and as a railway fettler.
What was Eddie Mabo’s motivation?
Mabo gained an education, became an activist for black rights and worked with his community to make sure Aboriginal children had their own schools. He also co-operated with members of the Communist Party, the only white political party to support Aboriginal campaigns at the time.
What is the meaning terra nullius?
Terra nullius is a Latin term meaning “ land belonging to no one” . British colonisation and subsequent Australian land laws were established on the claim that Australia was terra nullius, justifying acquisition by British occupation without treaty or payment.
Did Eddie Mabo go to school?
During the preceding decade Mabo had pursued various lines of education and employment. From 1981 to 1984 he was enrolled in an Aboriginal and Islander Teacher Education Program at the Townsville College of Advanced Education (later, following amalgamation, James Cook University), but he did not finish the course.
Who is the Aboriginal on the 50 dollar note?
The distinct gold colour of the fifty dollar note features Aboriginal ‘ inventor’ David Unaipon (1872- 1967), born in South Australia. For many years, Unaipon was an employee of the Aborigines’ Friends Association.
What does the aboriginal flag look like?
The flag’s design consists of a coloured rectangle divided in half horizontally . The top half of the flag is black to symbolise Aboriginal people. The red in the lower half stands for the earth and the colour of ochre, which has ceremonial significance. The circle of yellow in the centre of the flag represents the sun.
What does Australia do to commemorate Mabo?
In 2015, 23 years after the decision, Eddie Mabo was honoured by the Sydney Observatory in a star naming ceremony , a fitting and culturally significant moment in our nations’ history.
Where did Eddie Mabo go to primary school?
He went to primary school on Mer where he learned English.
What is Eddie Mabo’s legacy?
The legacy of Eddie Mabo is that he and a large group of people joined the many thousands of Aboriginal people over the last two centuries who have sought to prevent the extinguishment of their rights and to maintain a sense of dignity.
Why is Eddie Mabo a hero?
29 June 1936 – 21 January 1992) was an Indigenous Australian man from the Torres Strait Islands known for his role in campaigning for Indigenous land rights and for his role in a landmark decision of the High Court of Australia which overturned the legal doctrine of terra nullius (“nobody’s land”) which characterised ...
What does the term native title mean?
Native title is the recognition by Australian law of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s traditional rights and interests in land and waters held under traditional law and custom .
What did the Native Title Act do?
What is native title? The Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (NTA) is a law passed by the Australian Parliament that recognises the rights and interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in land and waters according to their traditional laws and customs .
