Who is Koiki Mabo?
Eddie Koiki Mabo is often thought of as the Nelson Mandella of Australia. 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.
Who was Ko Koiki and what did he do?
Koiki famously challenged the Australian legal system and won his people’s case for land ownership. The Mabo case (1992) was one of the most significant turning points for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the fight for native title.
What did Mabo do for indigenous people?
Mabo was awarded the Australian Human Rights Medal in 1992 in recognition of his participation in gaining justice for the rights of indigenous people. He was also voted 1992 Australian of the Year by The Australian newspaper.
What did Eddie Koiki Mabo say to his grandfather?
His grandfather told him, ‘If your father will get old you will take his land like he did when I get old’. 3 On 21 January 1992, nearly ten years after beginning their legal claim in the High Court of Australia, Eddie Koiki Mabo passed away from cancer aged fifty-six.
Birth and Education
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.
Marriage and Family
In 1959, when he was 23, he married Bonita Neehow, a South Sea islander, who was his teenage sweetheart. They settled in Townsville, Queensland had seven children and adopted three more - Gail, Wannee, Eddie Junior, Bethal, Celuia, Ezra, Mal, Mario, Malita and Maria Jessie.
Human Rights Activity
At the age of 31, during a 1974 conversation with two historians from the university, he was surprised to learn that the land and title he thought he owned through land inheritance on Mer was, in fact, owned by the Crown, based on an Australian law that had been in effect since the voyage of James Cook in 1770.
Death and Burial
Mabo died of cancer January 21, 1992 in Brisbane, Australia, five months before the landmark decision was reached.
Awards and Commendations
Mabo was awarded the Australian Human Rights Medal in 1992 in recognition of his participation in gaining justice for the rights of indigenous people. He was also voted 1992 Australian of the Year by The Australian newspaper.
About Eddie Mabo
Edward Koiki Mabo was born on 29 June 1936. He was a Meriam man and grew up on Mer, part of the Murray Island Group in the Torres Strait.
The Mabo case
While working as a gardener at James Cook University, he found out through two historians that, by law, he and his family did not own their land on Mer.
Records relating to the Mabo case
The National Archives holds a diverse array of records relating to the Mabo case.
Career in politics and education
Uncle Koiki was involved in politics and community organising well before his famous court case. In the 1960s he first became involved in the trade union movement as a union representative for Torres Strait Islander people in a range of different projects and labour boards.
Lead up to the Mabo case
In 1981, Uncle Koiki gave a speech at James Cook University about ownership and inheritance of land for Meriam people on Mer. He explained to the crowd that the land on Mer belonged to the Torres Strait Islander people as their ancestors had lived there for thousands of years.
Mabo v. Queensland Number 1
On 20 May 1982 Uncle Koiki, along with Islanders, Uncle Sam and Rev. David Passi, Aunty Celuia Mapo Salee, and Uncle James Rice lodged a claim for their land and began legal proceedings. Because Uncle Koiki was the key person named in the case, it is commonly known as the ‘Mabo case.’
Mabo v. Queensland Number 2
Despite his disappointment at the first ruling, Uncle Koiki decided to continue the fight along with Rev. David Passi and Uncle James Rice (Aunty Celuia Mapo Salee had passed away and Uncle Sam Passi had withdrawn his claim). This time however, they focused on proving they had communal rights to land as Meriam people, rather than as individuals.
Books
Uncle Koiki’s story told largely in his own words. It covers his years as a boy on the island of Mer through to his struggle within the union cause and the black rights movement, as well as his legal case.
Sources used in writing this article
Eddie Koiki Mabo, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
Early life and family
Mabo was born Edward Koiki Sambo but changed his surname to Mabo when he was adopted by his uncle, Benny Mabo. This adoption was part of traditional Torres Strait Islander adoption practices. He was born on the island of Mer ( Murray Island) in the Torres Strait between mainland Queensland and Papua New Guinea.
Career
Mabo worked on pearling boats, as a cane cutter, and as a railway fettler before becoming a gardener at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland at age 31.
Land rights advocate
In 1981 a land rights conference was held at James Cook University and Mabo gave a speech in which he explained the land inheritance system on Murray Island.
Legacy
In 1992, Mabo was posthumously awarded the Australian Human Rights Medal in the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Awards, together with the Reverend Dave Passi, Sam Passi (deceased), James Rice (deceased), Celuia Mapo Salee (deceased) and Barbara Hocking (deceased).
Further reading
"Collection of art works by Edward Koiki Mabo". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
External links
"Acquiring the Mabo Papers: Celebrating Edward Koiki Mabo". Archived from the original on 17 March 2011.