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What have you found most inspiring about the person you have studied and how have they challenged your own worldview? 

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What have you found most inspiring about the person you have studied and how have they challenged your own worldview? 

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I have found Vincent Lingiari to be a very inspiring person. He inspires me to open my heart and mind to others and to persist, despite what others think. I believe in the stories he told, the way he showed leadership and kept going on. As I studied Lingiari I found fascinating information that made me want to know more about the history of our nation. I was very interested in what he did and said, he fought for his people's rights and got their land back in the end. You can hear in 'From Little Things Big Things Grow' (music video: 1) how Vincent Lingiari affected his peoples and left a mark on the world around him. This song became a big hit and you can hear the importance of his story in each lyric. I find his determination and focus to be unwavering and dedicated to his peoples dreams of freedom. I feel that people could still learn a lot from him today from the lesson that he taught of justice, equality and patience. The line “we know how to wait” sticks with me as they waited for over 8 years for their land to rightfully returned to them, and in the end they got back what they deserved.

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How has their work encouraged a more open-minded view on situations rather than a close-minded and controlled view?How did they challenge the ‘status quo’ (the way things seem to have always been - controlled by those with the power), rather than holding onto power through violence?How did they take risks for the wellbeing of others rather than risking others’ wellbeing?How have they worked for transformation of a situation rather than controlling and demanding conformity?Who might they have offended along the way? How might this have cost them?

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How has their work encouraged a more open-minded view on situations rather than a close-minded and controlled view?How did they challenge the ‘status quo’ (the way things seem to have always been - controlled by those with the power), rather than holding onto power through violence?How did they take risks for the wellbeing of others rather than risking others’ wellbeing?How have they worked for transformation of a situation rather than controlling and demanding conformity?Who might they have offended along the way? How might this have cost them?

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Worldview was very different at the time as Vincent Lingiari saw a world where his people would be treated equally. It was prior to the referendum, which was voted to change section 51 which referred to Aboriginal people as the flora and fauna and the government could legislate on behalf of Aboriginal people which was meant to benefit them but it certainly did not. Lingiari felt obligated to protect his people and that they deserved their human rights, not to be referred to as plant matter. Aboriginal people were finally recognized as Australian citizens after the 1967 Referendum which addressed the unjust constitutional relegation to being part of the animal and plant life of the nation. At this time, he was fighting against the government.

His actions benefitted his people and opened the minds of Australians who were not aware of some of the injustices against the first nations people of our country. He may have changed people’s opinions of Aboriginal people and he definitely changed some government people’s minds as they did end up with the rights back to their land.

Vincent Lingiari may have offended British Lord Vestey as he refused his offer to give them money as they continued their strike. For then the protest was for their rights. He may have offended those who did not agree with him or people who were racist towards Aboriginal people. Though none of this disapproval or hate from others ever stopped him.

Lingiari took risks for the well-being of others, and once the fight was over the wellbeing of all those who followed and believed in him were comfortable and happy. The Gurindji people fought hard for their land rights and were rewarded with what they deserved after a long protest.

The situation was transformed of one of Aboriginal people being treated as plant matter to one where they were paid fairly and acknowledged as the true custodians of the land.

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Institutional racism, as the racism is transgenerational and retaught to children for each generation. Employment and wages are an advantage that are often taken for granted and much more benefit for money than Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples. Land ownership which results in the fight back from the Gurindji people. White people were superior as they saw themselves and made people of other ethnicity, race and culture feel that they were of higher importance than themselves. Colonialism. Paternalistic ideology. Assimilation policy/cultural genocide which has traumatised and deeply affected Indigenous people of Australia, though they did not apologise for the hurt/pain and discrimination it caused until 2008. Anglo dominance in government, as they did not think that Aboriginal people would be capable of the requirements from government. Individualistic ideals and concentration of one’s self rather than care for community and others.

Treat land as an economic and social commodity. (Price, K. 2014)

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Justice for how they were being treated, he also wanted equality for the Gurindji people. He stood up for the original custodians of the land and began to be a leader to his people, he developed his calm collected way in which he demonstrated and taught his people the way of the land and the way to stand up for their rights. He was determined to gain fair wages for Aboriginal workers and with his persistence and strength he successfully achieves this goal, that at first seemed impossible to the opposing worldview. Quiet dignity as he confronted economic and political forces. Rights for the Gurindji people and their land. Lingiari has a very spiritual, social, physical and cultural connection to country as well as his people. He sees the world full of opportunities and continues to be optimistic, even through the struggles.

Community connection is strong with traditional essence and history, rich past creating a stronger future, with the repetition of dream time stories that teach values and morals of the land and people. (Price, K. 2014)

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50th Anniversary Freedom Day Festival. (2016). [image] Available at: https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/aboriginal-people-strike-walk-off-at-wave-hill#axzz4dEmrRod1 [Accessed 4 Apr. 2017]. Image: 2

Anon, (2017). [online] Available at: http://www.freewebs.com/juswhe/files/Lingiari.pdf [Accessed 29 Mar. 2017].

Bishop, M. (1975). Gough Whitlam pouring sand through Vincent Lingiari's hand to represent the handing back of their land. [image] Available at: https://collection.maas.museum/object/344580 [Accessed 4 Apr. 2017]. Image: 1

Kelly, P. and Carmody, K. (1993). From Little Things Big Things Grow. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_ndC07C2qw [Accessed 6 Apr. 2017]. Music Video: 1

Ia.anu.edu.au. (2017). Ted Egan, 'Lingiari, Vincent (1919–1988)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://ia.anu.edu.au/biography/lingiari-vincent-14178/text25190 [Accessed 28 March 2017]

Manning, B. (1966). Vincent Lingiari, Gurindji Leader. [image] Available at: http://tlf.dlr.det.nsw.edu.au/learningobjects/Content/R7760/object/resource.html [Accessed 10 Apr. 2017]. Image: 6

McMullen, J. (2015). Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture 2015 | Sovereign Union - First Nations Asserting Sovereignty. [online] Nationalunitygovernment.org. Available at: http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/vincent-lingiari-memorial-lecture-2015-jeff-mcmullen-transcript [Accessed 5 Apr. 2017].

National Archives of Australia, (2017). Vincent Lingiari speaking at the handover ceremony. [image] Available at: https://www.whitlam.org/gough_whitlam/achievements/indigenous [Accessed 6 Apr. 2017]. Image: 3

NITV. (2017). Vincent Lingiari & Gough Whitlam: the story behind the image. [online] Available at: http://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2016/03/02/vincent-lingiari-gough-whitlam-story-behind-image [Accessed 28 Mar. 2017].

Nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu. (2017). Indigenous Gurindji win land rights in Australia (Wave Hill Walk Off) 1966-1975 | Global Nonviolent Action Database. [online] Available at: http://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/indigenous-gurindji-win-land-rights-australia-wave-hill-walk-1966-1975 [Accessed 29 Mar. 2017].

Price, K. (2014). Vincent Lingiari tutorial presentation. https://prezi.com/qhqjj_0pehaj/vincent-lingiari-tutorial-presentation/ [Accessed 6 Apr. 2017].

The Melbourne Newsroom. (2017). Bower Studio builds for 50th Anniversary of Wave Hill Walk-off, http://newsroom.melbourne.edu/news/bower-studio-builds-50th-anniversary-wave-hill-walk [Accessed 28 March. 2017].

Ward, C. (2016). Jimmy Manngayarri and other Gurindji men at the handover of the Daguragu lease on 16 August 1975. [image] Available at: http://insidestory.org.au/after-the-walk-off [Accessed 6 Apr. 2017]. Image: 4

Website Authors, (2017). Australians Together. [online] Australians Together. Available at: http://www.australianstogether.org.au/stories/detail/the-story-behind-the-song [Accessed 3 Apr. 2017].

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"You can keep your gold, we just want out land back."

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"You can keep your gold, we just want out land back."

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Paul Kelly - From Little Things Big Things Grow

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Background information and essence of why this person is revered as a ‘Truly Radical Change Agent’.

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Background information and essence of why this person is revered as a ‘Truly Radical Change Agent’.

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Vincent Lingiari was born in 1919 at Victoria River Gorge, Northern Territory. His parents were both Gurindji people, and he was named after his father. He started work at the age of 12, never receiving any formal education, he worked as a stockman at stations. Though through all the hard work his people were never paid, which lead to the historical event known as the ‘Wave Hill Walk off’. He was known as ‘Tommy’ around the cattle workstations and became the head stockman at Wave Hill. On August 23rd, 1966 Lingiari led 200 of his people, that were employees of Wave Hill station with their families, in a walk off to demand better pay, rations, and protection of the Aboriginal Women and children.  He was supported by Brian Manning and Dexter Tiles, both men from the North Australian Workers Union. (Ted Egan, 2017). Lingiari was fighting against the government for how they were not appreciating the Indigenous people’s work and culture. They camped outside the bed of the Victoria River and then moved to Daguragu (Wattie Creek). The Gurindji strike lasted 9 years! (Global Nonviolent Action Database, 2017). He became known as an Aboriginal rights activist later on for his actions at the Wave Hill Walk Off.