Mabo Day 2023

The University of Sydney welcomes you to it’s 2023 Mabo Day celebrations...

In May 1982, a group of Meriam le, Eddie Koiki Mabo, Rev. David Passi, Celuia Mapoo Salee, Sam Passi and James Rice began their legal claim for the ownership of their islands, Mer, Waier and Dauar island in the eastern Torres Strait. After a failed Qld government challenge in the late 80s, in June 1992 the High Court of Australia found in favour of Meriam le, thus recognizing native title and ending the myth of terra nullius.

This year we have a keynote address from Merwez Whaleboat. Merwez is an Australian actress best known for her performance in RAN Remote Area Nurse where she was nominated for the 2006 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama. She has also been in Warwick Thornton's film The Darkside and the TV productions The Straits (2012), Mabo (2012) and Blue Water Empire (2019).

We welcome you to come and hear from Merwez, a niece of Uncle Koiki Mabo as she shares her personal and family story.

Merwez says,

‘Many people know the name Koiki Mabo but they do not know the man, and the things I will be sharing are not in any of the books. It will be about his family, his life, his struggles from the perspective of the person closest to him, my father Donald Whaleboat Snr, his younger brother.’

Following her keynote Merwez will be joined by Trish Akee and Jacob Matysek in a panel discussion about their experiences and perspectives on Uncle Koiki Mabo’s legacy and Torres Strait Islander culture.

Please join us in celebrating Mabo Day at this event which will also feature traditional Torres Strait Islander dance performances by Kebi Kub Dance Group. Lunch will be provided following the celebrations.

• When: Friday, 2 June 2023
• Time: 10:30am - 12pm (please join us for lunch following the event)
• Where: Business School Lecture Theatre B2010, Abercrombie Building, Cnr. Codrington and Darlington Street

This event will also be live streamed online. Please register here for online viewing.

Image credit: ‘Yanhambabirra Burambabirra Yalbailinya’ (Come, Share and Learn), 2020 by Luke Penrith for the One Sydney, Many People Strategy.