Vincent lingiari

1. We want to live on our land, our way.” Vincent expresses his desire to get his land back through
which we can understand the significance of the land to the aboriginals and the role it has in
their life. The new settlement of British arrivals hugely impacted on the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders as they took over the core of their heart; their land, and ‘treated them like dogs’
putting them into slave labour. Poor Aboriginals, they could not deny to work just so they could
provide their family with food that was simply too less to sustain their life. Lingiari was an
inspirational and determined activist who fought for the justice of his people. He led to a strike
for equal wages and better working conditions that later turned its focus into demanding their
homelands to be returned. The Gurindji strike for their land, commonly known as the ‘Wave Hill
walk-off’ strike successfully led to the passing of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory)
Act 1976 which once again gave aboriginals their identity and sense of belonging.

2. Article 23 in the Human Declaration of Rights states that “everyone has the right to work, to
good conditions, to pay work and to form and join unions.” Aboriginals had no such rights,
rather their basic human rights were denied, they were controlled by government agencies and
their voice to stand up for themselves had long ago been muted. Lingiari was the man who
became the voice to the deaf and stood up against the discrimination and injustice that had
burdened the lives of his people. Vincent gave hope for his people that one day self-
determination would be the shine that would lighten and lift the Aboriginal way of life.

3. Vincent worked as a Head Stockman in the Wave Hill cattle station. Aboriginals working in that
station were highly disadvantaged compared to the Non-Aboriginal workers. Vincent was tired
of seeing his people work so hard yet still struggle to survive. Aboriginals were living in tin hum-
pies, having rather given access to running water, toilets and electricity. They were paid with
very low wages compared to the non-indigenous workers or not paid at all. Even lingiari himself
as a head stockman hadn’t received any payment until when he lined up with the other
stockmen and received £5 pocket money.

4. During this time in the 1960s, fight for civil rights was full-on swing around the globe. Such fights
had been sparked around Australia, one being this greatest battle for their land. The beginning
of the protracted battle for land rights began when Vincent lead 200 aboriginal stockmen
working at the Wave Hill cattle station along with their family members to a “walk-off”
protesting for equal wages and quality working conditions. This strike began with the fight for
equal rights and better working conditions, but Vincent wanted something more, he wanted his
sacred lands back, making accessible clean water, electricity, building school and being able to
run his farm on his own land was his goal. The lands and water play a very important part of the
Aboriginal way of living. Their customs and traditions are all connected to the land, therefore it
is a huge part of their identity.

5. Fighting for eventually 9 years, protesters went through many rough and tough challenges, many
ups and downs but they were very focused on their aim, and guess what? They did reach to the
conclusion. During those nine years, Vincent went around the country lobbying politicians and
gaining more support to raise awareness of the many challenges they have been put with; not
even be allowed to use their land and are being forced to work for someone just so they can still
breathe and say, hey! I’m still living.

Sheela Baral 10H1

6. Vincent was a very strong and determined leader, through consistent determination and hard
work, he was able to succeed in putting out his voice for his people. In 1967 a petition was
submitted to the Governor-General by the Gurindji people in Pursuance to requesting their
homelands to be returned. This was unfortunately unsuccessful but of course, this battle was all
about bravery and resilience, they fought and fought and at the end it all paid off. Their
traditional land of Daguragu had been officially given back to Gurindji people with inalienable
freehold title.

7. When Vincent toured around Australia, he had made a significant effect on the Australians all
around the country. He was successfully able to bring his battle into the top agenda in the all
around the county. Reconciliation could be seen between the Aboriginals and Non-Aboriginal
people. Breaking the racial discrimination, communities of non-aboriginal came standing
alongside with the aboriginals demanding for justice. Without these white majority, providing
them with financial, material and political support, the strike would’ve gone out leaving
aboriginals with no hope that their life would ever refine. Vincent’s victory in winning their land
back was one the greatest achievement in the history of the struggles for acknowledgment of
the rights of the Indigenous Australians and their re-establishment of their cultural identity.

8. The transferral of the Gurindji land Wave Hill Station was officially handed to Vincent Lingiari in
16 august 1975 in Daguragu when the Prime minister handed the lease documents and poured a
handful of soil into Lingiari’s hands symbolising the land of his people. Whitlam congratulated
Gurindjis on their victory with the speech; “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 forever.”

9. Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 was the first legislation that legally
recognised aboriginals as the traditional owners of the land. The land that was once titled as
‘Terra Nullius’ had now been officially the land of the Indigenous Australians. This great victory
allowed Aboriginals to use and control the resources of their land. Their identity and sense of
belonging that had once been taken had now allowed them to once again move towards
becoming self-determining people.

10. Vincent has not just been a great leader for his People but has also inspired many other people
to also stand up for themselves. His actions played a significant role in getting Uluru back.
Anangu people, the traditional owners of the Uluru land had left the area having no hope that
they would ever reclaim their land. The Wave Hill walk-off inspired Anangu people to return to
their homelands fighting for their rights. Following the Land rights act in Northern territory,
many other states had also passed on land rights act giving back Aboriginals their land that they
were incomplete with. Thought Vincent’s life, especially during the historic battle for the rights
of his people, he has proven to be the strongest and the most inspirational Aboriginal leaders of
all time. Lingiari had been successful in getting the Native Title for his people.

Sheela Baral 10H1