This week Students for Indigenous Sovereignty will be learning about the Gurindji walk-off. Join us 12pm Wednesday at the library on level 2 of the Monash Indigneous Centre to see the documentary 'The Price of Equality' and discuss this important example of effective political action for land justice.
We may also have a singalong of 'From Little Things Big Things Grow' if we are allowed to play guitar in the library. Who knows all the words? ;)
Some info on the walk-off:
The Gurindji people of the central Northern Territory walked off the cattle station as workers on August 23rd 1966. The station was owned by Lord Vestey and his multinational corporation of the same name. The Wave Hill walk off is one of the longest in Australian history, lasting until 1975. Although initial overtures suggested it was only about poor working conditions and wages, the Gurindji's demand to own their land soon became clear. The walk-off was a key catalyst and inspiration for the broader Aboriginal land rights movement culminating in achieving land rights in the Northern Territory in 1976. Beforehand in 1975, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam (Labor) had negotiated with Vesteys for the Gurindji to receive some of their land back. Key to the success of the walk-off was strong solidarity from some Unions and sympathetic journalists. The walk off is the basis for the well-known Australian song written by Kev Carmody and Paul Kelly, From Little Things Big Things Grow.
Recommended reading:
Hokari, M., 2000. From Wattie Creek to Wattie Creek: An oral historical approach to the Gurindji walk-off. Aboriginal History, 24, pp.98–116.
Some discussion questions:
Why was the walk-off successful?
Some have suggested there are key differences between a walk-off and a strike, is this true?
Can we learn from the strategy employed by the Gurindji and apply it to the situation in the Northern Territory today, or what important context has changed?
What factors prevented the Gurindji from attaining economic independence today?
What's the relevance of this history today, is it well known, and do people generally know the inspiration for From Little Things Big Things Grow?