Gurindji people
Encyclopedia
Gurindji are a group of Indigenous Australians
living in northern Australia, 460 km southwest of Katherine
in the Northern Territory
's Victoria River region.
Gurindji are most well known in the broader Australian community for The Gurindji Strike
, led by Vincent Lingiari
, in 1966.
Their land was handed back to them in 1975 by Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
. They were granted freehold title, receiving inalienable title to almost all of Wave Hill Cattle Station, 3,250 square kilometres of their tribal land – paving the way for further land rights
victories in Australia.
Gurindji people share many similarities in language and culture with the neighbouring Warlpiri
people.
Two Gurindji communities are Kalkaringi and Daguragu
. The Daguragu Community Government Council provides municipal and other services to the township and surrounds of Kalkaringi (formerly Wave Hill) and to Daguragu, a community settled on land under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act.
The township of Kalkaringi is 260 hectares. It was gazette
d as an open town in September 1976 (hence permits are not required for residents or visitors). Kalkaringi is located on the Buntine
Highway, which runs between Top Springs, NT
and Halls Creek, Western Australia
.
Daguragu is located 8 km north of Kalkaringi via a bitumen road. Permission from traditional owners, through the Central Land Council
, is required to visit Daguragu. Daguragu became the first cattle station to be owned and managed by an Aboriginal community. It is still owned and managed by the Murramulla Gurindji Company.
The Council also services a number of outstations where traditional owners reside. Traditional owners belong to the Gurindji language group. There are also other residents of Daguragu and Kalkaringi who belong to other language groups, including the Warlpiri
. The population of Daguragu/Kalkaringi is approximately 700 people.
In August every year, a large celebration is held at Kalkarinji to mark the anniversary
of the strike and walk-off. Known as Freedom Day, people gather from many parts of Australia to celebrate and re-enact the walk-off.
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
living in northern Australia, 460 km southwest of Katherine
Katherine, Northern Territory
Katherine is a town situated southeast of Darwin in the "Top End" of Australia in the Northern Territory. It is the fourth largest settlement in the Territory after the capital Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs...
in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
's Victoria River region.
Gurindji are most well known in the broader Australian community for The Gurindji Strike
The Gurindji Strike
The Gurindji Strike refers to the walk-off and strike by 200 Gurindji stockmen, house servants and their families in August 1966 at Wave Hill cattle station in Australia's Northern Territory....
, led by Vincent Lingiari
Vincent Lingiari
Vincent Lingiarri, AM , was an Aboriginal rights activist who was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to the Aboriginal people. Lingiarri was a member of the Gurindji people. In Vincent's earlier life he worked as a stockman at Wave Hill Cattle Station. He also played...
, in 1966.
Their land was handed back to them in 1975 by Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
. They were granted freehold title, receiving inalienable title to almost all of Wave Hill Cattle Station, 3,250 square kilometres of their tribal land – paving the way for further land rights
Native title
Native title is the Australian version of the common law doctrine of aboriginal title.Native title is "the recognition by Australian law that some Indigenous people have rights and interests to their land that come from their traditional laws and customs"...
victories in Australia.
Gurindji people share many similarities in language and culture with the neighbouring Warlpiri
Warlpiri
The Warlpiri are a group of Indigenous Australians, many of whom speak the Warlpiri language. There are 5,000–6,000 Warlpiri, living mostly in a few towns and settlements scattered through their traditional land in Australia's Northern Territory, north and west of Alice Springs...
people.
Two Gurindji communities are Kalkaringi and Daguragu
Daguragu
The Daguragu Community is an Aboriginal community in the Katherine Region of the Northern Territory, Australia. It is located 460 km south west of Katherine, Northern Territory....
. The Daguragu Community Government Council provides municipal and other services to the township and surrounds of Kalkaringi (formerly Wave Hill) and to Daguragu, a community settled on land under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act.
The township of Kalkaringi is 260 hectares. It was gazette
Gazette
A gazette is a public journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.In English- and French-speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name Gazette since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers bear the name The Gazette.Gazette is a loanword from the...
d as an open town in September 1976 (hence permits are not required for residents or visitors). Kalkaringi is located on the Buntine
Buntine, Western Australia
Buntine is a small town located in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, about north of Perth, the state capital, along the Great Northern Highway within the Shire of Dalwallinu.The name Buntine was first used in 1910 as the name of a nearby hill...
Highway, which runs between Top Springs, NT
Top Springs, Northern Territory
Top Springs is a location in the Australian Northern Territory, at the junction of the Buchanan and Buntine highways....
and Halls Creek, Western Australia
Halls Creek, Western Australia
Halls Creek is a small town situated in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is located between the towns of Fitzroy Crossing and Turkey Creek on the Great Northern Highway...
.
Daguragu is located 8 km north of Kalkaringi via a bitumen road. Permission from traditional owners, through the Central Land Council
Central Land Council
The Central Land Council is an Indigenous Land Council that represents the indigenous people of the southern half of the Northern Territory of Australia, predominantly in land issues...
, is required to visit Daguragu. Daguragu became the first cattle station to be owned and managed by an Aboriginal community. It is still owned and managed by the Murramulla Gurindji Company.
The Council also services a number of outstations where traditional owners reside. Traditional owners belong to the Gurindji language group. There are also other residents of Daguragu and Kalkaringi who belong to other language groups, including the Warlpiri
Warlpiri
The Warlpiri are a group of Indigenous Australians, many of whom speak the Warlpiri language. There are 5,000–6,000 Warlpiri, living mostly in a few towns and settlements scattered through their traditional land in Australia's Northern Territory, north and west of Alice Springs...
. The population of Daguragu/Kalkaringi is approximately 700 people.
In August every year, a large celebration is held at Kalkarinji to mark the anniversary
Anniversary
An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...
of the strike and walk-off. Known as Freedom Day, people gather from many parts of Australia to celebrate and re-enact the walk-off.
See also
- Gurindji languageGurindji languageGurindji is a Southwest Pama–Nyungan language spoken in the Northern Territory, Australia. Gurindji Kriol is a creole language that is derived from it....
- Gurindji Kriol language
- Gurindji strike
- Vincent LingiariVincent LingiariVincent Lingiarri, AM , was an Aboriginal rights activist who was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to the Aboriginal people. Lingiarri was a member of the Gurindji people. In Vincent's earlier life he worked as a stockman at Wave Hill Cattle Station. He also played...