Eddie Mabo By Eloise and Flora
Introduction to Eddie Mabo Eddie Mabo was very significant to the Torres strait islanders culture and rights. On the 29th of June in 1936, Eddie Mabo was born into the Mabo family and land. This was his key to his legacy. He worked hard to archive his goals throughout the many struggles in his life. He defiantly shows that we can archive our goals no matter how big they really are.
Eddie Mabo’s Land Eddie Mabo’s mother died soon after he was born. His uncle adopted him and Eddie soon inherited the Mabo land. At the age of sixteen he moved to rural Queensland, to live and work. While working at James cook university. Eddie became aware that the land he treasured and thought he had inherited, had no legal ownership to him.
Eddie Mabo's family Eddie Mabo had ten children with his wife called Bonita. Eddie’s family was very important to him, this meant that gaining the land would ensure that all his children would have a better future. Eddie was determined to make his family and all the Torres straight islanders proud of him, when looking after the land in the way it should be.
Legacy Eddie Mabo’s legacy was to make the Torres Strait Islander land belong to the natives. He wanted to give them legal ownership of the land to ensure that the land was being looked after and valued the way it should be. He was the first of the torrs straight islanders to realise that they should be able to own the land that meant so much to him and them. Eddie’s first move to succeed his legacy was in Townsville. Where he became a spokesperson for the Torres strait Islander community. He contributed to the Aboriginal and Torres strait islander advancement league. He was a huge help to the Aboriginal and islander health services. He played a big part in the Townsville Black community school which was a very important. As it was one of the first schools in Australia that taught the language of the native people as well as the English curriculum. He was co-funder and director of the school from 1973 to 1983. In the mid 80s he became a member of the national aboriginal education committee. From 1967 to 1971 Eddie was employed as a gardener at James Cook university in Townsville. He enjoyed his job and joined in with the university life and used there resources to help him succeed in his dreams. He enjoyed going to the library to read and reflect as well as joining in with some of the seminars . He enjoyed listening to peoples opinions about History and how they felt about Torres Strait and Aboriginal land. Because of this he was invited to Lecture about “Race and Culture” which he enjoyed. This helped him organize a seminar for the public in his local town.
Legacy In 1974 Eddie was talking with Professor Noel Loos and Henry Reynolds about his family and his land. The two men realized that he thought the land was his. They explained to him that the land was owned and ruled by the crown and that he didn’t own it. This was a big turning point for Eddie in his struggle to fight for the land. In 1981 When Eddie Mabo was at a lands right conference he was talking about his land and Inheriting Murray Island. A Lawyer suggested that they should test the case claim on land writes through the court. Eddie and four other men that felt the same way decided they would test the claim. In May 1982 they started their court claim with Eddie Mabo leading.
In 1985 Mabo received a research grant to study land tenure in his home land. That meant that all the knowledge he had learnt became invaluable. In the middle of the fight for the land in 1989 the court went to Murray island to establish traditional laws of inheritance. When they got there they found that Mabo was not adopted by law therefore his claims to Inherited the land with all legal ownership were denied. Finally the on the 3rd of June 1992 the case was decided on. Sadly by this time Eddie Mabo and one of his colleagues died. Six of the seven judges agreed that the Murray Island people should have legal owner ship of the land. This decision changed the Australian Law for ever.
Eddie Mabo’s pictures Eddie Mabo’s self portrait Between 1965 and 1992 Eddie Mabo painted this portrait of himself. This Picture shows that he is not afraid to tell the world who he is. He looks strong and serious in this picture, I am sure he was when protesting about the Torres Strait Islander rights.
Eddie’s death On the first of February 1992, Eddie died and was laid to rest in the Townsville cemetery. His funeral was one of the largest ever seen in Townsville; guests from all over Australia attended. His wife and children decided to bury him in Townsville, But Eddie’s real wish was to be buried in his land, the Mabo land. He was soon moved to Murray island where he is still lies today. Murray Island is his forever home.
Eddies Death
Eddie Mabo’s legacy is still remembered 20 years later.
And this is why Eddie Mabo was so significant and important to The Torres strait islander community and all of society today. Because of his long fight hundreds of people have benefitted. He was one of the very few people who has set history the right way and this is why we think that Eddie Koiki Mabo is a real Leader.
References
http://www.racismnoway.com.au/teaching-resources/factsheets/54.html
23rd of June
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=eddie+mabo&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-AU:IE-Add ress&ie=&oe=&safe=active&gfe_rd=cr&ei=57qIVdKzK6Hu8wfp8oiYBQ&gws_rd=ssl#safe=active&q=eddie+mabo+facts
16th of June
http://www.nfsa.gov.au/digitallearning/mabo/theman.shtml
23rd of June
Http://foundingdocs.gov.au/item-did-33.html
30th of June
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/mabo/biography/eddie-mabo.htm
16th of June
http://www.australianstogether.org.au/stories/detail/mabo-native-title
16th of June
http://hsc.csu.edu.au/ab_studies/rights/global/social_justice_global/sjwelcome.response.front.htm
27th of July
http://trove.nla.gov.au/
7th of August