Aboriginal Land Claims In complete sentences, Define aborigine Define assimilation Define colony

1972 – ancestral land claims from aborigines were denied by Australian government In protest, many put up a tent on the lawn of Old Parliament House (Canberra) – Aboriginal Tent Embassy Symbolized how they were treated as foreigners in own country

Despite attempts to remove it, the embassy still stood in 2000 Another was set up in Sydney during the Olympics (2000) Hunting and gathering Viewed places as sacred British government viewed the aboriginals as having no ties to the land because they didn’t use it the same way as the British Farming, mining, building Terra Nullius – Latin meaning “empty land” British government took land without making any treaties with aborigines

1788 – British settled Australia, claiming most fertile land Aborigines fought the “invasion” but were defeated because Europeans had better weapons Some were moved to reserves; others assimilated 1901 – Australia “gains” independence 1909-1969 – Australian government took around 100,000 mixed children for assimilation Known as the Stolen Generation Aborigines very angry – many still pass on cultures and fight assimilation, as well as fighting for land

Aborigines recognized as full citizens in 1967 Progress!! Aborigines recognized as full citizens in 1967 91% Australians voted to pass special rights for them Land Rights Act of 1976 – gave Aboriginal people the right to claim land in the Northern Territory Gained ownership of some reserves and unoccupied land Mabo Case – 1992- High Court of Australia decides Eddie Mabo (Torres Strait Islander) was given ownership of land his family had worked for generations after they discovered his family did not own their traditional lands in Murray Islands

Court recognized that Aboriginal people had claim to land before British arrival, through their decision Mabo Case overturns Terra Nullius Wik Case - 1996- High Court decides the Wik people (aborigines) claimed land used by ranchers and miners Two main issues – 1. government owns large amount of land. Ranchers are issued pastoral leases, which rent the land 2. Traditionally, Aborigines had to prove relationship to land to claim it

Aborigines could not use land taken up by farming and ranching, so they had trouble proving their relationship Before 1996, white Australians believed pastoral leases trumped Aboriginal claims In this case, the court ruled that Aborigines could claim land that was under lease Many white Australians feared paying Aborigines for land use or losing the land altogether The government then changed the decision to get rid of Aboriginal claims Aborigines appealed and won Land rights are a big controversy