What was Eddie Mabo major achievements?
Mabo gained an education, became an activist for black rights and worked with his community to make sure Aboriginal children had their own schools. He also co-operated with members of the Communist Party, the only white political party to support Aboriginal campaigns at the time.
How is Eddie Mabo remembered?
Eddie Koiki Mabo’s name is synonymous with the ‘Mabo Case’ – a legal landmark which recognised the land rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. His land title claim, and the preservation of the culture of his island home of Mer (Murray Island) in the Torres Strait, was his life’s work.
Why did Eddie Mabo change his name?
He was the son of Robert Zezou Sambo and Annie Mabo. His mother died in childbirth after which he was adopted by his mother’s brother, as was the custom. He changed his name to Eddie Koiki Mabo after he was adopted by his uncle Benny Mabo.
Why is Mabo Day on the 3rd of June?
What happened on Mabo Day? On June 3, 1992, the High Court overturned the legal concept of “terra nullius” — that land claimed by white settlers belonged to no-one. The court ruled in favour of the Meriam people by a majority of six to one vote.
What does Australia do to commemorate Mabo?
In 2015, 23 years after the decision, Eddie Mabo was honoured by the Sydney Observatory in a star naming ceremony, a fitting and culturally significant moment in our nation’s history.
Did Eddie Mabo get married?
He married Queensland-born Ernestine Bonita ‘Netta’ Nehow, a South Sea Islander, on 10 October 1959 at the Methodist Church in Ingham. During the 1960s Mabo became involved in trade union politics, and became increasingly comfortable mixing with white people and adept at public speaking.
Who was Eddie Koiki Mabo?
Eddie Koiki Mabo’s name is synonymous with the ‘Mabo Case’ – a legal landmark which recognised the land rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Eddie Koiki Mabo at Las on Mer (Murray Island), 1989. Courtesy of Trevor Graham and Yarra Bank Films. Mabo was a passionate, deeply intelligent and obstinate Meriam man.
Why did Eddie change his name to Koiki?
He changed his name to Eddie Koiki Mabo after he was adopted by his uncle Benny Mabo. He went to primary school on Mer where he learned English. When he was sixteen he was exiled to the mainland by the elders based on a romantic entanglement.
What did Eddie Mabo do for Indigenous Australians?
Today Eddie Mabo’s legacy continues. Through the long ten years of Eddie fighting for the land rights and the legal definition of Terra Nullius he achieved great success in passing the Native Title Act. The High Court of Australia finally recognised the land rights of the Indigenous Australians.
Who was Eddie Sambo?
For many years he fought for the land rights of the indigenous people of Australia and was a key figure in the landmark “Mabo” decision of the High Court of Australia. Eddie Koiki Sambo was born June 29, 1936 on Mer (Murray Island) in the Torres Strait between Australia and Papua New Guinea. He was the son of Robert Zezou Sambo and Annie Mabo.