Oz Culture at the NPG

Prime Minister Gough Whitlam pours soil into the hand of a traditional land owner Vincent Lingiari  1975

photo by Mervyn Bishop

Vincent Lingiari was born in 1908 and passed away in 1988. A Northern Territory Gurindji Elder he led the 1966 Wave Hill cattle station walkout south-west of Katherine. Lingiari's walkout led to a 7 year strike, the longest in Australia's history. Indigenous people at that time were not considered to be citizens and they were not allowed to own land, as a result of this they were used as a very cheap work force. The strike was originally about equal rights but eventually became focused on land rights since the station was built on Gurindji ancestral land. After 7 years the British pastoral company Vestey Ltd. gave in and a lease was issued to the Gurindji people for 3 250 square kilometres that included most of their sacred sites. In this photo Gough Whitlam symbolically hands the land back to the Guridji by pouring soil intothe hand of Vincent Lingiari. This is a proud moment for both black and white people in Australia's history and paved the way for Indigenous identity, respect, dignity, representation and a voice that can be heard.

The Movie Star

photo by Tracey Moffatt

This photo of David Gulpilil holding a can of Fosters at the beach reminds me of summers in the 80's, a time when I was at the beach every day. While this could be anywhere in the world,  I know it is an Australian beach and therefore I can identify with it. Australian identity is seldom equated with a strong work ethic and many people called in sick only to spend it at the beach. We are a people who appreciate a stress free life of leisure. I wish I was at the beach right now.

Sources

Australian Screen 2009, Blood brothers - from little things big things grow, viewed 5 March 2009, http://australianscreen.com.au/titles/blood-brothers-little-things/clip2/

Hidden heroes of Australian History n.d., Vincent Lingiari, viewed 5 March 2009, http://hiddenheroesofaustralianhistory.wetpaint.com/page/vincent+lingiari?t=anon.

National Gallery of Australia n.d., Prime Minister Gough Whitlam pours soil into hand of traditional landowner Vincent Lingiari, viewed 5 March 2009,  http://cs.nga.gov.au/Detail.cfm?IRN=2554.

National Museum of Australia 2008, Mick Rangiari interviewed by jack Doolan, viewed 5 March 2009, http://indigenousrights.net.au/file.asp?fID=66.

National Museum of Australia 2008, Vincent Lingiari, viewed 5 MArch 2009, http://indigenousrights.net.au/person.asp?pID=970.

National Portrait Gallery 2009, The movie star (David Gulpilil),  viewed 5 March 2009, http://www.portrait.gov.au/site/collection_info.php?search=basic&searchstring=gulpilil&irn=10.

The independent world 2006, Four decades after Wave Hill, Aborigines in renewed battle for land rights, viewed 5 March 2009, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/four-dacades-after-wave-hill-aborigines-in-renewed-battle-for-land-rights-412448.html.