Councillor Ruth Carney said this year’s NAIDOC theme was ‘We value the vision: Yirrkala Bark Petitions 1963’.

“It was a wonderful turnout on Monday to commence NAIDOC Week,” Cr Carney said.

“It was great to have members of council and the community, both indigenous and non-indigenous, pay their respect to the creators of the Yirrkala bark petition as pioneers in the struggle to have Aboriginal rights recognised by the Australian Parliament and broader community.”

For those who are not aware of the Yirrkala Bark Petition 1963, it holds great significance to indigenous Australians.

Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia, Dr Tom Calma AO, said that fifty years ago the Yolngu Elders of North Eastern Arnhem Land created their famous bark petition and set in train the long process of social, legal and legislative change towards recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights which continues today.

“All Australians are indebted to the courage and creativity of the Yolngu who fought to defend their homelands in the face of Government and mining industry refusal to recognise their rights,” said Dr Calma. 

“Their sophisticated strategy which included both a legal case before the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory and a direct bark petition appeal to the Australian Parliament, although immediately unsuccessful, was the fore-runner for the Mabo High Court decision three decades later which finally overturned the doctrine of terra nullius.

“Faced with the imminent loss of large tracts of their land to bauxite miner Nabalco the Yolngu stood by their own law and established an important precedence when their petition, in the form of bark paintings, became the first traditional documents recognised by the Australian Parliament,” Dr Calma said.

At Monday’s ceremony in Narromine, councillor Ruth Carney said council must be congratulated on their contribution to NAIDOC Week.

“We really are thankful for council’s support of NAIDOC Week celebrations,” councillor Carney said.

“It goes to show how our shire is committed to having a community work together as a whole.”

Certificates were presented to Narromine locals by councillor Carney and Mayor Bill McAnally as part of this week’s NAIDOC celebrations. Debbie Beahan received a certificate for Community Member of the Year; Thelma Williams was awared with a certificate for Elder of the Year; and the Youth of the Year certificate was awarded to Kyall Flakelar.