Leadership

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay respect to their leaders, past and present. Visitors to this website should be aware that names may be mentioned, or images portrayed, of people who are now deceased. Any distress this may cause is sincerely regretted.

To celebrate Indigenous leadership, this artwork focuses on two Aboriginal men. Neville Bonner, a Jagera man, fought for his people 'within the system', and became the first Indigenous Senator in the Australian Parliament (1971). Vincent Lingiari, a Gurindji man, led his people in a walk-off at Wave Hill Station in the Northern Territory in 1966 which began the Aboriginal land rights movement in Australia.

The southern face of the artwork features an artist's representation of a carpet snake (Neville Bonner's totem) burnt into a redgum timber surface behind Bonner's image. The northern faces feature a timeline with images depicting significant events during the fifteen-year campaign for recognition of land rights.

The lower image on the north-eastern side was derived from the Gurindji Freedom Banner, a tapestry created by Gurindji women depicting the Wave Hill walk-off.

The featured song, 'From Little Things Big Things Grow', by Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody, tells the story of Wave Hill and Vincent Lingiari.

Sliver Attributions

• Aboriginal Cultural Advisor: Sharon Payne
• Architect: Paul Barnett
• Concept Designers: Marcus Bree, Benita Tunks
• Final Designer: Benita Tunks
• Graphic Designer: Alan Vogt

Images (by permission of)

A Gurindji Man

• Gurindji Men: Brian Manning
• Tree at Daguragu: Sharon Payne
• Vincent Lingiari: courtesy of AIATSIS Audiovisual Archives Program
• Vincent Lingiari & Donald Nangiari: National Archives of Australia A1200,L96542
• Vincent Lingiari & Gough Whitlam: Mervyn G Bishop, 1975 Licensed by VISCOPY, Sydney 2004

A Jagera Man

• Neville Bonner: The Courier Mail Newspaper
• Snake Totem: Charlie Chambers Jnr

Wave Hill

• Davis Daniels, Lupgna Giari (Captain Major), Brian Manning, Robert Tudawali: Brian Manning
• Dexter Daniels, Donald Nangiari, Pincher Numiari, Mick Rangiari: Northern Territory Government Collection, Northern Territory Library
• Frank Hardy: Frank Hardy Collection, National Library of Australia
• Wagon Joe, Jimmy Muniari, Victor Vincent: Missions Publications of Australia collection, courtesy of AIATSIS, Audiovisual Archives Program
• Vincent Lingiari: National Archives of Australia A8598, AK6/5/80/16
• 'Walk-off' artwork: Joanna Barrkman, Chips Mackinolty and members of the Gurindji Community
• Windmill: Geoff Higgins

Audio

• From Little Things Big Things Grow: Kev Carmody and Paul Kelly, courtesy of Larrikin Music Publishing Pty Ltd, Universal Music Publishing Pty Ltd and Song Cycles Pty Lt

Click here to learn more about Reconciliation Place and its artworks.