Major Projects

Native Title Business Exhibit Virtual Tour

Native Title Business: Contemporary Indigenous Art Exhibit

In 1997, members of the Ngurrara people were asked to prepare a map for their native title claim. Artist members from Mangkaja Arts Centre at Fitzroy Crossing chose to paint their country in a massive 18 by 12 metre canvas, which each member stood on and pointed to when giving evidence in court.

Native Title Business: Contemporary Indigenous Art is an Indigenous art exhibit that travelled nationally from 2002–2005. Native Title Business explores native title as a place in which Indigenous law and culture meets European law and culture. The exhibit examines aspects of native title through art, such as Terra Nullius, a painting by Gordon Bennett. It examines how Indigenous art can impact directly on native title processes, such as in the Ngurrara native title claim and through the production of the The Ngurrara Canvas.

Elaine Russell, speaking about her painting Growing up Murrin Bridge Station, Teaching 'bout Bush tucker says that 'with seven kids to feed the rations that the Government gave each Aboriginal family on the Mission didn't last long enough, so we had to live off the land. We all survived. Those were very fond memories.' Collecting bush tucker from stations and reserve lands was one way Aboriginal people continued their traditions and controlled their diets, while under the bureaucratic rule of station and reserve managers. It is often an important part of proof of native title. Hunting and gathering rights are recognised in State legislation, and are provided for Aboriginal people in national parks and reserves.

Lee Darroch the artist of A Possum Skin Cloak for My Brothers notes that 'traditionally the Yorta Yorta people used possum skin cloaks in winter for warmth and ceremonies. The etched designed on the outer skin depicted country and clan affiliations.' The Yorta Yorta native title claim was the first native title claim to go to trial in the Federal Court. Despite the Court's failure to recognise the native title of the Yorta Yorta people in 2002, the Yorta Yorta Co-operative Land Management Agreement was reached in 2004 which recognises the Yorta Yorta people's connection to their traditional land and waters and provides land management rights as well as for future social and economic benefits.

The Native Title Research Unit provided most of the reference and contextual information relating to native title for Native Title Business.