Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture to be held on Gurindji Country for the first time

The Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture will be held for the first time on Gurindji Country, the birthplace of Aboriginal Land Rights, in the heart of the Northern Territory.

The annual Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture, which commemorates the historic walk-off from Wave Hill Station in 1966 by Aboriginal station workers and their families will be delivered at the Freedom Day Festival held at Kalkarindji/Daguragu (Wave Hill).

Delivering the Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture on August 26 will be author, union official and advocate for the Uluru Statement from the Heart, Thomas Mayor, a Kaurareg Aboriginal, and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man who lives on Larrakia Country in Darwin.

Mr Mayor is a passionate campaigner for many social justice causes, entrusted with the sacred Uluru Statement from the Heart canvas in 2017 and tasked with building a peoples’ movement by travelling to communities across Australia gathering support.

His lecture titled ‘Walking on our land our way – The momentum towards a constitutional right to be heard’ will pay homage to Vincent Lingiari and his legacy as well as learning from the courage of the Gurindji people.  

“There is no better place to deliver the Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture then on Gurindji country where the people sparked great progress in land rights and equality,” Mr Mayor said.

“This lecture comes at crucial time, with a change of Government First Nations people can draw on the inspiring acts of courage from Vincent Lingiari and the Gurindji people and win a referendum to find a First Nations voice.”  

“What greater unifying moment could there be for our country than this.”

CDU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor of First Nations Leadership, Professor Reuben Bolt said CDU was looking forward to Thomas Mayor delivering a passionate and insightful Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture.

“We are very proud to be supporting the Freedom Day Festival and working in partnership to present the Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture on Gurindji Country for the first time,” Professor Bolt said.

“The Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture commemorates a key moment in First Nations history, and we must continue to work towards strengthening the relationship between First Nations and non-Indigenous peoples.”

Freedom Day Festival Coordinator and proud Gurindji man Rob Roy said the festival provides an opportunity for attendees to connect with the Gurindji Community and learn about its history.  

“The festival is a chance to encourage people from all walks of life to come out on country, learn, and celebrate all Aboriginal people, their cultures and histories,” Mr Roy said.

The Freedom Day Festival is a three-day festival held at Kalkarindji/Daguragu (Wave Hill) from August 26 to August 28.