Uluru Statement from the Heart advocate Thomas Mayor says he’s honoured to be asked to give this year’s Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture which will be held on country for the first time.
The annual Vincent Lingiari Memorial lecture, hosted by Charles Darwin University (CDU), commemorates the Wave Hill Station walk-off led by Vincent Lingiari with his Gurindji people and other groups in August 1966.
A significant act by those involved; it was a catalyst for Aboriginal people, not only in the Northern Territory but across Australia, to have their rights to traditional lands recognised and for those lands to be returned.
Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkagal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man and advocate for the Uluru Statement from the Heart Thomas Mayor will deliver his lecture titled ‘Walking on our land our way – The momentum towards a constitutional right to be heard’ at the Freedom Day Festival.
The Freedom Day Festival is a three-day festival held at Kalkarindji/Daguragu (Wave Hill) from August 26 to August 28, while the Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture will be held on August 26.
Mr Mayor told Bumma Bippera Media that Mr Lingiari and his people were courageous.
“There is no better place to deliver the Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture then on Gurindji country where the people sparked great progress in land rights and equality,” Mr Mayor said.
