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https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-60-years-old-the-yirrkala-bark-petitions-are-one-of-our-founding-documents-so-why-dont-we-know-more-about-them-210801>
It would be interesting to learn who thought up this gimmick.
"On August 16 1963, Cecil Lambert, the Secretary of the Commonwealth Department
of Territories, scribbled these words next to a news clipping of a day-old
article in the
Canberra Times. “Aboriginal Petition on Bark” read the
headline. “Novel Plea by Tribal Group”.
The article was accompanied by a black and white photograph of the then Labor
Member for the Northern Territory, Jock Nelson, pointing at a white piece of
paper framed by a painting representing Aboriginal motifs.
This petition, from the Yolŋu people of Yirrkala in North East Arnhem Land,
sought consultation with traditional owners prior to the government granting
mining leases in the region. It was presented by Nelson to the federal House of
Representatives on August 14 1963 – 60 years ago this week.
Far from an eye-catching publicity stunt – an exotic sight bite – the
representations of the various clans of North East Arnhem Land have gone on to
produce an extraordinary legacy.
The Yirrkala Bark Petitions, as we now know these objects, have been called
many things by many people over the past 60 years.
“The most famous petition ever put to an Australian parliament,” declared
The
Vancouver Sun on May 14 1971.
“Australia’s first native title deed,” stated political scientist Peter
Botsman, simply enough.
The petitions were “rightly counted as among the founding documents of our
nation”, vouchsafed then Prime Minister Julia Gillard in 2013, on their 50th
anniversary."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
