MABO VILLAGE PREPARATIONS FOR NATIVE TITLE 30TH ANNIVERSARY

Kaleb Mabo

June this year will mark the 30th anniversary of the Mabo decision where the Federal Court ruled that “Native Title” existed from the time before the British first settled in Australia.

It came after the death of Merian man Eddie Mabo, who spent his life fighting the doctrine of “Terra Nullius”.

What a lot of people don’t know is it started with a young Eddie Mabo fighting his rights to some yam gardens on Mer, one of the Murray Islands group in Torres Strait.

Eddie Mabo is now buried in the village of Las, but no one lives there and it is becoming overgrown with jungle. His grandson Kaleb Mabo is working to restore the village in time for the anniversary celebrations and ceremonies.