Vincent Lingiari 1Aboriginal Rights

During the 1960s Aboriginal people did not have the same rights and conditions as non-Aboriginal people in Australia.

Aboriginal stockmen working in the Northern Territory were paid one fifth of the wage of non-Aboriginal stockmen. Some were never paid and they lived off rations of dry salted beef, tea and sugar. These men did not have access to education or doctors and were often called racist names.

Aboriginal people had lived proudly on this land for tens of thousands of years but many were reduced to being ‘treated like dogs'.

Aboriginal stockmen at Wave Hill Cattle Station, 1958.

Vincent Lingiari 2Vincent Lingiari

Vincent Lingiari was an Aboriginal stockman who worked at Wave Hill cattle station in the Northern Territory. His father had also been a stockman and Vincent Lingiari began working on the station at the age of 12. The stockmen at Wave Hill were responsible for a herd of 80,000 cattle.

Vincent Lingiari was an elder of the Gurindji and Malgin people. Vincent Lingiari never learnt to read or write and English was not his first language. But this did not prevent Vincent Lingiari from understanding the inequality of his situation. He decided to stand up for what he knew was right.

Leaflet featuring Vincent Lingiari, 1968.

Vincent Lingiari 3Wave Hill Walk-off

Vincent Lingiari's employer was the Vestey group, a British beef company. The land they leased from the Australian government was traditional Gurindji country.

Vincent Lingiari appealed to Vestey's manager for better pay and working conditions for the Aboriginal stockmen. But his request was refused. This motivated Vincent Lingiari to go on strike as a protest.

Vincent Lingiari led 200 stockmen off Wave Hill. The Aboriginal stockmen and their families set up camp at Daguragu (Wattie Creek), near a sacred place to the Gurindji people.

Vincent Lingiari and Mick Rangiari at the sign they asked Frank Hardy to make, 1967

Vincent Lingiari 4Supporting the Strike

Previous strike action by the Gurindji had been unsuccessful; the lack of food supplies and money caused stockmen to return to work. Vincent Lingiari knew that this time they would need help.

Supporters Dexter Daniels and Brian Manning worked together with unions to organise for food to be regularly delivered and to raise money for the Gurindji strike.

Well-known writer, Frank Hardy, promoted the plight of the Gurindji people in the media. Soon support started coming in from across Australia.

Letter about money raised by school children, 1968

Vincent Lingiari 5Petition and Protest

Vestey began making promises of better pay. But this did not sway Vincent Lingiari who had a vision for the Gurindji people.

He wanted a school to be built, access to clean water and electricity and most of all, he wanted his people to be able to run their own cattle station.

In 1967 Vincent Lingiari sent a petition to the Governor-General requesting that 500 square miles be returned to the Gurindji people.

This request was denied by the government.

In the next election the opposition leader Gough Whitlam used Aboriginal land rights in his campaign.

Vincent Lingiari and Mick Rangiari, 1967

Vincent Lingiari 6Handing back the Land

Vincent Lingiari and the Gurindji continued their strike. Vincent Lingiari also visited Melbourne, Sydney and Darwin to tell Australians about the struggle of his people. This resulted in greater public support, which transformed the strike into a national and international issue.

The growing support for the Gurindji people put the government under immense pressure. Prime Minister Whitlam acknowledged the Gurindji people's right to land and on 16 August 1975 handed over leasehold title to them at Daguragu.

Vincent Lingiari and Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, August 16, 1975.

Vincent Lingiari 7We’re all mates now

At the handing back of the land, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam made a speech to congratulate the Gurindji people on the victory that they had achieved after nine years of protest.

Prime Minister Whitlam then picked up a handful of earth and placed it in Vincent Lingiari's hand.

‘Vincent Lingiari, I solemnly hand to you these deeds as proof, in Australian law, that these lands belong to the Gurindji people and I put into your hands part of the earth itself as a sign that this land will be the possession of you and your children forever.'

Vincent Lingiari replied, ‘We're all mates now'.

Vincent Lingiari and Prime Minister Gough Whitlam at Wattie Creek, 1975

Vincent Lingiari 8A true role model

The Gurindji strike lasted for nine years. During this time Vincent Lingiari remained patient and determined. He formed relationships, asked for support and spoke with the Australian people face to face. Even after many failed attempts, Vincent Lingiari continued to fight for his people.

In 1977 Vincent Lingiari was awarded the Order of Australia for his contribution to Aboriginal rights and for being a role model to all Australians.

That was the story of:

‘How power and privilege cannot move a people

Who know where they stand and stand in the law'

- From little things big things grow, Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody, 1993.

Vincent Lingiari being awarded the Order of Australia, 1977

Song lyrics

From Little Things Big Things Growby Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody

Gather round people I'll tell you a storyAn eight year long story of power and pride'Bout British Lord Vestey and Vincent LingiarriThey were opposite men on opposite sides

Vestey was fat with money and muscleBeef was his business, broad was his doorVincent was lean and spoke very littleHe had no bank balance, hard dirt was his floor

From little things big things growFrom little things big things grow

Gurindji were working for nothing but rationsWhere once they had gathered the wealth of the landDaily the oppression got tighter and tighterGurindji decided they must make a stand

They picked up their swags and started off walkingAt Wattie Creek they sat themselves downNow it don't sound like much but it sure got tongues talkingBack at the homestead and then in the town

From little things big things growFrom little things big things grow

Vestey man said I'll double your wagesSeven quid a week you'll have in your handVincent said uhuh we're not talking about wagesWe're sitting right here till we get our landVestey man roared and Vestey man thunderedYou don't stand the chance of a cinder in snowVince said if we fall others are rising

From little things big things growFrom little things big things grow

Then Vincent Lingiarri boarded an aeroplaneLanded in Sydney, big city of lightsAnd daily he went round softly speaking his storyTo all kinds of men from all walks of life

And Vincent sat down with big politiciansThis affair they told him is a matter of state

Let us sort it out, your people are hungryVincent said no thanks, we know how to wait

From little things big things growFrom little things big things grow

Then Vincent Lingiarri returned in an aeroplaneBack to his country once more to sit downAnd he told his people let the stars keep on turningWe have friends in the south, in the cities and towns

Eight years went by, eight long years of waitingTill one day a tall stranger appeared in the landAnd he came with lawyers and he came with great ceremonyAnd through Vincent's fingers poured a handful of sand

From little things big things growFrom little things big things grow

That was the story of Vincent LingiarriBut this is the story of something much moreHow power and privilege can not move a peopleWho know where they stand and stand in the law

From little things big things growFrom little things big things growFrom little things big things growFrom little things big things grow