Aboriginal Embassy 40 years

This week marks the 40th anniversary of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, one of the most significant and sustaining political protests in the history of Australia.

1972

A series of events on the lawns of the Old Parliament House in Canberra will pay tribute to the Aboriginal rights agenda that acted as a rallying call for communities throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s.

The commemoration and celebration will highlight current debates around sovereignty and self-determination, but will also act as a showcase for political performance.

The original tent embassy set up on the eve of Australia Day in 1972 was as much about theatre as it was about land rights.

Four activists from Sydney wanted to draw attention to injustices perpetrated against Indigenous Australians by not allowing Aboriginal title to land based on traditional association.

Michael Anderson, Billy Craigie, Bertie Williams and Tony Coorey travelled to Canberra from Sydney to campaign where the politicians lived and to hopefully get their photos taken holding political placards.

As they made their way from Redfern one of the four decided they were heading to the city of embassies so they would demonstrate how they were treated like foreigners in their own land by erecting an 'Aboriginal Embassy'.

The turning point came when they realised they were legally entitled to camp on Commonwealth land in front of the Parliament.

The police couldn't move them, so they settled in and put up more tents.

Veteran activist, the late Chicka Dixon recalled the Member for Canberra Kep Enderby identified the legal loophole:

"He said you found a gap in their law, they can't move ya unless they introduce legislation. So we put up eight tents then. I became the 'Minister for Defence' and we gave ourselves portfolios. We painted the gutter No Parking Aboriginal Staff Only and then we introduced the (Aboriginal) flag".

January 26 2012