A new book shares untold stories about the history behind the 1966 wave hill walkoff. Now, after many years of research, a handful of sand tells the story behind the gurindji people s famous wave hill walkoff in 1966 and questions the meanings commonly attributed to the return of their land by gough whitlam in 1975. It was a landmark event that inspired national change. Fossil plants from sucker creek, idaho 1935 pittsburgh. The untold story of the wave hill walk off justine toh explores the littleknown story of the part vincent lingiaris christian faith played in the wave hill walk off. Guile, melanie, 1949 stories from australias history. Wave hill is rich with geological, ecological and social history. Song for the gurindji australian institute of aboriginal. The very rocks beneath us are over a billion years old, and the spectacular view across the hudson river to the palisades formed 10,000 years ago. The wave hill walk off is commemorated widely for its role in aboriginal workers rights and land rights but the history leading up to it is.
The gurindji people made their name across australia with the 1966 wave hill walk off but what is lessknown is that it followed more than 80 years of massacres, stolen children and other abuses. In the decades since, much has changed at wave hill and in the indigenous landscape of north australia. Pm whitlam made funds available to the gurindji people for land purchase 1972. A sign was made gurindji mining lease and cattle station wattie creek 1967. Wave hill walkoff news newspapers books scholar jstor february. The wave hill walkoff, also known as the gurindji strike, was a walkoff and strike by 200. The untold story behind the 1966 wave hill walkoff abc. The gurindji struggle, after the walk off, by charlie ward, published by monash university publishing 2016, cc byncnd. Memento of wave hill walkoff national museum of australia. In 1966, gurindji elder vincent lingiari led his people in a walkout off wave hill cattle station. It took the best part of ten years to write and was launched at the 50th anniversary festival of the wave hill walk off in kalkaringi, 2016.
Assessment 3 research essay ais204 murdoch studocu. Perhaps surfing as much as creating an attitudinal shift in the mainstream australian community, the gurindji walk off came to symbolise aboriginal resistance to oppressions as well as persistence in. On the 23rd august 1966, vincent lingiari, a gurindji man, led around 200 of his people in a strike where they walked off wave hill station this action was supported by many unionists across the country. The strike lasted until 1975, an event which lit the fire that became the national land rights movement. They remained out for an incredible nine years, and were eventually given back a proportion of the land. Hardy used his connections in melbourne and sydney unions and politics to organise speaking tours for aboriginal people. This week marks 40 years since a very important moment in our nations history called the wave hill walk off. Gurindji strike or wave hill walkoff led by vincent lingiari. A good place to start is wikipedias article on the gurindji strike. Initially interpreted as purely a strike against work and living conditions, it became apparent that these were not. Australian history archives centre for public christianity. On 23 august 1966, approximately 200 gurindji stockmen and their families walked off wave hill station in the northern territory, protesting against poor working conditions and the taking of their land by pastoralists.
Unknown and unlikely facets of the wave hill walk off and the gurindji peoples quest for independence, 50 years on charlie ward, 14 september 2016 but of course, you all know what the discussion today is. Collecting a history of the wave hill welfare settlement and wattie creek, 196686 april 10, 20 1 comment. The original wave hill house was a gray fieldstone mansion built in 1843 by lawyer william lewis morris. It was a turning point for indigenous australians and led to the return of vast. National museum of australia, collaborating for indigenous rights. Today marks the 50th anniversary of the wave hill walk off, when 200 aboriginal stockmen and their families walked off wave hill station, 600 kilometres south of darwin, demanding better working. Gurindji connections vincent lingiari, addressing the media after prime minister gough whitlam officially returns aboriginal land at wattie creek, northern territory, august 1975, national library of australia, vn6155160. Coordinates the wave hill walkoff, also known as the gurindji strike, was a walk off and strike by 200 gurindji stockmen, house servants and their families in august 1966 at wave hill, a cattle station in kalkarindji formerly known as wave hill, northern territory, australia. He had been languishing in selfimposed isolation in darwin, waiting for a revelation. Hardys book, the unlucky australians, published in 1968, documents the wave hill walk off.
Since its founding as a public garden in 1965, wave hill has evolved as a unique urban oasis, worldclass garden and vital resource. Its mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscapes, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts. Fifty years ago, a group of striking aboriginal stockmen in remote northern territory heralded a revolution in the cattle industry and a massive shift in aboriginal affairs. Fifty years ago, the gurindji elders walked off lord vesteys wave hill cattle station and never looked back. Wave hill strike history bibliographies cite this for me. Where can i find information on the wave hill walkoff. Now, after many years of research, a handful of sand tells the story behind the gurindji peoples famous wave hill walk off in 1966 and questions the meanings commonly attributed to the return of their land by gough whitlam in 1975. The author of a new book about the wave hill walk off says some of the optimism in the land rights movement has faded since the 1970s, but the defiance of the gurindji people continues to inspire. Aboriginal studies press, author provided wave hill s location in australia. On the 23rd of august 1966, vincent lingiari led 200 courageous wave hill workers and their families, to walk off the station and begin their strike. When news of the situation at wave hill reached the public in 1966, it came largely via hardys hand.
Wave hill walk off 50 year anniversary fifty years ago on august 23, 1966 an event took place that would forever change australia and give birth to the aboriginal land rights movement. The property is best known as the scene of the wave hill walk off, a strike by indigenous australian workers for better pay and conditions, which in turn was an important influence on aboriginal land rights in australia. They were protesting against poor pay and working conditions. Vincent lingiari and the wave hill walkout melanie guile with. It is widely acknowledged that the1966 wave hill walk off with vincent lingiari leading the gurindji people was a seminal moment in the history of aboriginal societys tragic encounters with the european occupiers of australia. This book tells the story behind the gurindji peoples famous wave hill walkoff in 1966 and questions the meanings commonly attributed to the return of their. Protesting for equal wages aboriginal stockmen walked off wave hill. Our history, our future fifty years since the wave hill. The gurindji struggle, after the walkoff, published in august 2016 by monash university publishing. Frank hardy, the unlucky australians, nelson publishing, melbourne, 1968. It came at a tumultuous time for indigenous rights in the 1960s, and helped bring the issue to the attention of main stream australia.
The descendants of gurindji workers who participated in the historic walk off at wave hill station in the northern territory have used its 51st anniversary celebration to endorse the uluru statement from the heart and call for a constitutionally enshrined indigenous voice in parliament. Jan 27, 2016 abc splash video clip the wave hill walk off. Many people know a small part of the walk off story because of the song from little things, big things grow. Vincent lingiari and the wave hill walkout melanie guile with graphic pages illustrated by chris burns macmillan library south yarra, vic 2010. Vincent lingiari the leader digi book produced for year 6, this digital book uses words and pictures to explain the wave hill story. Wave hill walk off, 19661975 the plodding historian. Architecture 2 book trade 9 communications and media 2 family history and. The history of the wave hill walk off has also been turned into a childrens book, illustrated by gurindji schoolchildren and featuring evocative landscape paintings by artist peter hudson. The wave hill walkoff on the abcs 80 days that changed our lives melanie guile, vincent lingiari and the wave hill walkout, macmillan library, south yarra, victoria, 2010. Community members retraced the steps of vincent lingiari, who led more than 200. These are the sources and citations used to research wave hill walkoff. Aboriginal policy, historic research, oral history, wave hill walk off, welfare branch. This book tells the story behind the gurindji peoples famous wave hill walkoff in 1966 and questions the meanings commonly attributed to the return of their land by gough whitlam in 1975.
Shortlisted for the northern territory chief ministers history book award. Yijarni by felicity meakins overdrive rakuten overdrive. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on sunday, september 4, 2016 e book or pdf. It was shortlisted for the prime ministers history award the following year. The group formed a new settlement at nearby wattie creek daguragu. Petitioned governorgeneral and toured australia to spread awareness 1967. This song, and from little things, big things grow are so truthful and powerful. This book is an excellent and accessibly written local history of the 20 years following the celebrated 1960s wave hill walk off. The wave hill walk off the untold story behind the 1966 wave hill walkoff gurindji ranger ursula chubb pays her respects to ancestors killed in the early 1900s at blackfella creek, where children were tied with wire and dragged by horses, and adults were shot as they fled. Wave hill station, most commonly referred to as wave hill, is a pastoral lease in the northern territory operating as a cattle station. Gurindji freedom day is an annual commemoration of the wave hill walk off. What do you know of the events that resulted in gurindji elder vincent lingiari leading a walk off of 200 aboriginal workers and their families, mostly of the gurindji people, from the vast wave hill cattle station in august 1966.
We invite you to share our story through a celebration of art, culture, music and sport. Queensland, new south wales and the northern territory branches of the mua were all honoured. The grand parade commemorating the 50th anniversary of the wave hill walkoff, kalkaringi, northern terr. Wave hill walk off historian says gurindji defiance. Wave hill walkoff history bibliographies cite this for me. From little things big things grow was published in november 2008 and is available through one day hill affirm press isbn 9780975770887. The history of the wave hill walkoff has also been turned into a childrens book. The wave hill walk off is also one of the museums defining moments in australian history. Posted in historical method, wave hill walk off, writing life tags.
Initially, the pastoralists believed the workers would return with improved wages and conditions. Lingiari greenleft weekly transcript of an oral history of the wave hill station strike abc interview with paul kelly and kev carmody. Aboriginal spokespeople, including dexter daniels and lupna giari, addressed over 60 meetings. And contribute to a positive and more honest future. This book is an excellent and accessibly written local history of the 20 years following the celebrated 1960s wave hill walkoff. It was owned from 1866 to 1903 by publisher william henry appleton, who enlarged the house in between 1866 and 1869 and again in 1890, and added greenhouses and gardens to the grounds. The wave hill walk off, 196675 an online exhibition featuring an interview with mike rangiari. Vincent lingiari and the wave hill walkout melanie guile. Wasting no time getting to the strikers, he arrived at their riverbed camp next to the wave hill welfare settlement a few days after the walk off.
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