3 June is known in Australia as Mabo Day. It celebrates the struggles and achievement of Eddie Koiki Mabo and others from Murray Island in the Torres Strait to have their native title rights recognised.

After a 10-year legal battle, the High Court of Australia decided on 3 June 1992 that a form of native title existed on Murray Island. This overturned the concept that the land of Australia was ‘terra nullius’ (land belonging to nobody) at the time of British colonisation.

Part of the evidence given in the Mabo case was about the ownership and boundaries of traditional gardens on the island of Mer in the Torres Strait. The evidence showed how plots of land were clearly delineated and owned by particular individuals, groups or families. This wooden figure, dating from about 1888, was placed in gardens to encourage the growth of crops.

The Mabo decision was one step in a long journey towards recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land rights. This struggle intensified in the 1960s with the Yolngu people of Arnhem Land sending a bark petition to the Australian Parliament to protest against the granting of mining leases on their land. In 1972, four young Aboriginal activists planted a beach umbrella outside Parliament to protest against the failure of governments to grant land rights. The umbrella was soon replaced by a tent which became known as the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. This is one of the original protest signs from the embassy.

Following the Mabo decision, the Native Title Act (Commonwealth) 1993 was introduced. This provided a mechanism for native title rights to land to be recognised in some circumstances. Since then, this legislation has been used by Torres Strait Islander people and Aboriginal groups to establish their native title rights under Australian law. One of these groups was the Spinifex people of the Great Victoria Desert who documented their traditional law and custom to support their case by way of paintings on canvas. Many Spinifex people had to leave their country when their land was wanted by the British and Australian governments for the testing of atomic weapons in the 1950s and early 60s. Spinifex people continue to paint traditional stories of law and country today. These are collaborative paintings made by Spinifex men and women.

fonte: @edisonmariotti #edisonmariotti 

http://britishmuseum.tumblr.com/post/120601157662/3-june-is-known-in-australia-as-mabo-day-it

You can see all these objects in the BP exhibition Indigenous Australia: enduring civilisation (23 April – 2 August 2015).

Find out more in the book accompanying the exhibition written by Gaye Sculthorpe and Lissant Bolton, British Museum, John Carty, Howard Morphy and Maria Nugent, Australian National University, Ian Coates, National Museum of Australia, and Aboriginal artist Jonathan Jones.

Learn more about Mabo Day and join the discussion online here.

Land rights placard from the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, erected as a site of protest in 1972 at Old Parliament House. National Museum of Australia, Canberra.

Garden charm. Mer, Torres Strait Islands, before 1889.

Roy Underwood, Lennard Walker, Simon Hogan and Ian Rictor, Pukara (detail). Acrylic on canvas, 2013. © the artists, courtesy Spinifex Arts Project.

Kunmanara Hogan, Tjaruwa Woods, Yarangka Thomas, Estelle Hogan, Ngalpingka Simms and Myrtle Pennington, Kungkarangkalpa (detail). Acrylic on canvas, 2013. © the artists, courtesy Spinifex Arts Project. Acquired by the British Museum with the support of BP.