Synopsis

In One Mind, One Heart, Larissa Behrendt uncovers the extraordinary story of the three landmark Yirrkala bark petitions that sparked the flame towards recognition of Aboriginal rights.

In August 1963, two bark petitions – traditional documents prepared and signed by Yolngu people – were sent to the Australian parliament and became the first documentary recognition of First Nations peoples in Australian law. Two are in Parliament House, one is in the National Museum of Australia.

When a fourth bark petition is found in Derby, Western Australia in 2022, the community begin the ceremony of guiding its journey back to Yolngu Country. The repatriation provides the opportunity to track the long political campaign — through petition, song, dance, campaigning — to keep culture strong and to have a voice for country.

For Yolngu woman Yananymul Mununggurr the repatriation of the missing panel has personal significance as her father was one of the original signatories when he was a teenager. She describes what happened in the lead up to the historic bark petitions. Yolngu people became aware of mineral prospecting in the Gove Peninsula. Shortly after, the Menzies government reproclaimed land from the Arnhem Land Reserve so that mining leases had been taken out over a considerable area of traditional lands.

These petitions shared the fears the Yolngu had for their traditional Land and Sea country which contained sacred sites, Cultural locations, hunting and food gathering places. Their message was simple. No arrangement would be entered into without consultation with any company who would destroy the livelihood, culture, history, traditions, ecology, independence and health of people and Country.

They continued to argue for the rights of First Nations people presenting further petitions to subsequent governments and inspiring other communities to advocate for the recognition of Indigenous law. Their actions are the inspiration and backbone to the modern day call for recognition and their part in this history needs to be told.