“Gwalwa Daraniki! This is our land! The British settlers took our land. No treaties were signed with the tribes.”
These are the opening words of the Larrakia petition, a crucial historic document in the Aboriginal land rights movement.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Larrakia petition being prepared, and eventually sent to the Queen.
The first of two Larrakia petitions was sent to Prime Minister William McMahon in March 1972. Later that year another petition, boasting more than 1000 signatures, was prepared in the hope it could be personally delivered to Princess Margaret, on behalf of the Queen, during her visit to Darwin in October 1972.
The document called for Treaties to be signed with Indigenous peoples, but never received a response from Canberra.
After being preserved in the National Archives of Australia in Canberra for almost 40 years, the 3.3 metre scroll commonly referred to as the Larrakia petition was carefully restored for public display during Reconciliation Week in 2011.
A copy of the Larrakia petition was on display during an event at Parliament House on Friday hosted by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Selena Uibo for three Larrakia organisations.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Selena Uibo:
“The petition was intended as a national effort on behalf of all Aboriginal Territorians who were striving to be recognised as the traditional owners of the Darwin surrounding area.
“As we work to develop a Treaty approach, the Territory Labor Government celebrates the strength, tenacity and vision of all who were involved in the Larrakia petition 50 years ago.
“This is the first event of this kind, with the Northern Territory Government collaborating with three Larrakia organisations to host an event at the Main Hall at Parliament house. This event is for Larrakia people. To all the Larrakia people – to your Elders, past and present – I pay my respect to your history and future.”
