Eddie Mabo - self determination
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1. Who was Eddie Mabo?
Eddie Mabo was a Torres Strait Islander who was the first person to challenge the idea of Terra Nullius in court in 1985. His case continued for 7 years, when in 1992 the high court's verdict was announced that Terra Nullius was indeed invalid, and that Aboriginals and Torres Straight Islanders had a native title claim.
2. How was the Murray Island land passed on through generations?
The Murray Island land was passed down by hearsay, over generations with the elders of the tribe passing down their knowledge to the young people.
3. Who owned the land in the eyes of the law?
In the eyes of British law, the land was considered terra nullius meaning that no-one officially owned the land and therefore the land was free to be claimed. When the first settlers arrived at the land, the British claimed it as crown land.
4. Mabo V QLD – What was the disagreement?
The disagreement involved the issue that crown land should not be crown land but aboriginals land.
5. Why did the Aboriginals think they had land rights?
The Aboriginals believed they would have land rights due to that their people and ancestors had been living off the land for over 40,000 years and had a direct connection to the land.
6. Which Prime minister promised a treaty?
Prime minister Bob Hawk promised a treaty for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders land rights.
7. Did he keep his promise?
Bob Hawk was unable to fulfil his promise to indigenous Australians as he was voted out of the court before the treaty was made.
8. How long did it take for the Mabo case to reach the High Court?
It took seven years from the case's instigation in 1985 to the final verdict of the high court in 1992. Eddie Mabo passed away five months before this jurisdiction was made.
9. What did Mabo say on his death bed?
Mabo told his wife that he knew that eventually he would win the case.
10. What was the White Society’s lie?
White Society's lie refers to terra nullius; meaning that land not officially inhabited clearly in a western format can be claimed.
11. What was the High Court’s verdict?
The High Court's verdict on the 3rd of June, 1992, announced that Aboriginals and Torres Straight Islanders had claim to native title.
12. What was the alliance saying about the decision?
The alliance was supportive with the decision however knew that the native title claim only recognised Aboriginals and Torres Straight Islanders as traditional owners land, rather than the rights to reclaim the land.
13. Why is he considered a hero?
Eddie Mabo is considered a hero amongst indigenous Australians as he led the campaign for giving native title back to Aboriginals and Torres Straight Islanders, a campaign which he won.
14. Who was Douglas Bon?
Douglas Bon was a second cousin to Eddie Marbo, with his grandfather and Marbo's grandfather being brothers.
15. Do you think the land belonged to the Aboriginals?
No because the Aboriginals had a spanning history of life among the land, and the British truly usurped such land away.
Eddie Mabo was a Torres Strait Islander who was the first person to challenge the idea of Terra Nullius in court in 1985. His case continued for 7 years, when in 1992 the high court's verdict was announced that Terra Nullius was indeed invalid, and that Aboriginals and Torres Straight Islanders had a native title claim.
2. How was the Murray Island land passed on through generations?
The Murray Island land was passed down by hearsay, over generations with the elders of the tribe passing down their knowledge to the young people.
3. Who owned the land in the eyes of the law?
In the eyes of British law, the land was considered terra nullius meaning that no-one officially owned the land and therefore the land was free to be claimed. When the first settlers arrived at the land, the British claimed it as crown land.
4. Mabo V QLD – What was the disagreement?
The disagreement involved the issue that crown land should not be crown land but aboriginals land.
5. Why did the Aboriginals think they had land rights?
The Aboriginals believed they would have land rights due to that their people and ancestors had been living off the land for over 40,000 years and had a direct connection to the land.
6. Which Prime minister promised a treaty?
Prime minister Bob Hawk promised a treaty for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders land rights.
7. Did he keep his promise?
Bob Hawk was unable to fulfil his promise to indigenous Australians as he was voted out of the court before the treaty was made.
8. How long did it take for the Mabo case to reach the High Court?
It took seven years from the case's instigation in 1985 to the final verdict of the high court in 1992. Eddie Mabo passed away five months before this jurisdiction was made.
9. What did Mabo say on his death bed?
Mabo told his wife that he knew that eventually he would win the case.
10. What was the White Society’s lie?
White Society's lie refers to terra nullius; meaning that land not officially inhabited clearly in a western format can be claimed.
11. What was the High Court’s verdict?
The High Court's verdict on the 3rd of June, 1992, announced that Aboriginals and Torres Straight Islanders had claim to native title.
12. What was the alliance saying about the decision?
The alliance was supportive with the decision however knew that the native title claim only recognised Aboriginals and Torres Straight Islanders as traditional owners land, rather than the rights to reclaim the land.
13. Why is he considered a hero?
Eddie Mabo is considered a hero amongst indigenous Australians as he led the campaign for giving native title back to Aboriginals and Torres Straight Islanders, a campaign which he won.
14. Who was Douglas Bon?
Douglas Bon was a second cousin to Eddie Marbo, with his grandfather and Marbo's grandfather being brothers.
15. Do you think the land belonged to the Aboriginals?
No because the Aboriginals had a spanning history of life among the land, and the British truly usurped such land away.