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Yirrkala Bark Petitions | ||
Category: | Event | |
Date: | 1 January 1963 | |
Place: | Eastern Arnhem Land | |
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State/Country: | Northern Territory, Australia | |
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Subject Matter: | Native Title | Recognition of Traditional Rights and Interests | |
URL: | https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/yirrkala-bark-petitions | |
Summary Information: | ||
In 1963, the Yolngu people of Yirrkala sent the bark petitions to the House of Representatives in protest against the Commonwealth's granting of mining rights to Nabalco over 390 square kilometres of land excised from Arnhem Land reserve. The result was a parliamentary inquiry which recommended that compensation was owed to the Yolngu. However, in a subsequent court case in 1972 (Milurrpum v Nabalco), the Yolgnu people were not able to establish their native title at common law. | ||
Detailed Information: | ||
Yirrkala bark petition, 1963 The Humble Petition of the Undersigned aboriginal people of Yirrkala, being members of the 1. That nearly 500 people of the above tribes are residents of the land excised from the 2. That the procedures of the excision of this land and the fate of the people on it were never 3. That when Welfare Officers and Government officials came to inform them of decisions 4. That the land in question has been hunting and food gathering land for the Yirrkala tribes 5. That places sacred to the Yirrkala people, as well as vital to their livelihood are in the 6. That the people of this area fear that their needs and interests will be completely ignored 7. And they humbly pray that the Honourable the House of Representatives will appoint a 8. They humbly pray that no arrangements be entered into with any company which will (English language translation.) Bukudjulni gonga'yurri napurrunha Yirrkalalili yulnunha malanha Balamumu, Narrkala, 1.1Dhuwala yolnu mala galki, 500 nhina ga dhiyala wanganura. Dhuwala wanga Arnhem 2. Dhuwala wanga djaw'yunna ga nhaltjana yurru yolnunundja dhiyala wanga nura 3. Dhuwala nunhi Welfare Officers ga Government bungawa lakarama yolnuwa malanuwa 4. Dhuwala wanga napurrunyu balanu larrunarawu napurrungu nathawu, guyawu, 5. Dhuwala wanga yurru dharrpalnha yurru yolnuwalandja malawala, ga dharrpalnha 6. Dhuwala yolnundja mala yurru nhamana balandawunu nha mulkurru nhama yurru moma 7. Nuli dhu bungawayu House of Representatives djaw'yun yulnuwala nathili yurru nha dhu 8. Nunhiyina dhu marrlayun marrama'ndja nhinanharawu yolnuwu marrnamathinyarawu. (National Museum Australia, accessed 5 December 2020). |
Related Entries |
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Event |
People |
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References |
Resource |
Yolngu People (1963) Yirrkala Bark Petitions |
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