Eddie Mabo, the man behind Mabo Day

Eddie Mabo of Mer island in the Torres Strait spent a decade seeking official recognition of his people’s ownership of Mer and on 3 June 1992, the High Court of Australia agreed, rejecting the doctrine that Australia was terra nullius (land belonging to no-one) at the time of European settlement.

Eddie’s daughter, Gail Mabo remembers that day well.

“I was sitting in a car breastfeeding my six month old son, who was born the day before I buried my dad, when I heard on the radio we had won the case,” says Gail.

“I started crying and thinking that if my father was alive he would be dancing. I then heard the sound of thunder and said to my son ‘hear that, he is dancing.’”

Gail says her family shared the same response to the High Court win.

“It was a shock when he won because most people didn’t think we would win. It was unheard of for a single person to change the whole history of a nation and for Dad to do that it was an awakening call to Australia to say ‘it’s time to right a wrong’ and embrace indigenous people.”

Asked about what she thought we should be celebrating this Mabo Day, Gail says that it is about honouring those with the drive to succeed.

“For me, Dad’s legacy is that through strength of culture and commitment you can achieve anything. People who are fighting for their own native title have to believe in themselves and their culture because that is what will help them succeed.

“His strength was that he knew who he was as a man, where he was from and that the fight he was doing was right. He always knew the land was his,” Gail said.