The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre in Burnie/pataway.
For over 50 years the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre has been fighting for land rights, revitalising the Palawa kani language, and representing the political and community aspirations of mob in Lutruwita.
The oldest Aboriginal organisation in the state recently celebrated the milestone on November 30 with a night at the theatre and a look back at the past five decades.
Proud Palawa woman and Campaign Manager at the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, Nala Mansell, sat down with NIRS News to yarn about the TAC’s beginnings as the Aboriginal Information Service in 1973, and another significant anniversary held over the weekend.
On the 10th of December 1995, the Tasmanian government returned 12 parcels of land to Tasmania’s Aboriginal community, including Risdon Cove or Piyura Kitina, where celebrations took place on Sunday.
28-years-later, it’s still the most significant hand back of land in the state with only scattered parcels of Crown Land returned to Aboriginal ownership since.
And with less than 1 per cent of Tasmania’s landmass returned as Aboriginal land, Nala Mansell from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre says there’s more that needs to be done.
Listen to the interview with the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre’s Nala Mansell:
