The Aboriginal Tent Embassy

  • who, what, when, where, how
    • Who
      • Four Aboriginal men (Michael Anderson, Billy Craigie, Tony Coorey and Bertie Williams) arrived in Canberra from Sydney to establish the Aboriginal Embassy by 
    • What
      • The four guys planted a beach umbrella on the lawn in front of Parliament House (now Old Parliament House) and established the thing
    • When
      • Established on 26 January 1972
    • Where
      • Parkes, in front of Parliament House (now Old Parliament House
    • How
      • planted a beach umbrella on the lawn in front of Parliament House (now Old Parliament House)
  • what is the historical background to this event?
  • what was achieved through this event?
    • They established the thing.
      • The Tent Embassy gave a boost to the campaign for land rights. On July 14 in the same year the Tent Embassy was established, 6000 people marched in Sydney as part of the “Black Moratorium”, demanding land rights for Aboriginal people.
    • February 1972 they demanded a bunch (list) of things and got rejected.
    • following an amendment to the Trespass on Commonwealth Lands Ordinance (which made the occupation a squat which could then be evicted), police moved in without notice in July 1972. They removed the tents and arrested eight people.
    • Chicka Dixon commented “we decided to fight the coppers, so we armed ourselves with little sticks”. The police did not intervene, and after listening to speeches the crowd dispersed peacefully. 
    • The Embassy was evicted again the next day after re-erection.
  • how do sources portray the event? Are there different perspectives?
    • Group of young people, some of whom are Aboriginal, sitting or standing in front of a tent with a flag above it. An Aboriginal man at the centre of the photo is standing up looking at the camera holding a placard that says ‘We want land not handouts’.
  • analyses and synthesises information from a range of primary and secondary sources

Step 2: Create a notes sheet (1 page min)including sources that you can share with your peers (scaffold below).These should be comprehensive enough that you will be able to study from them for your final exam. (You need to get this signed off before you can start step 3)

Step 3: Create your lesson

Your lesson:

  • Should be 20-30 minutes long
  • You should decide on the type of presentation that you want to base your lesson around. Eg. video, website, choose your own adventure, game, Information/worksheet, PPT, etc. This should be based on your background research and include evidence. 
    • Note: this could be a combination of activities. 
    • Please make this visually appealing to your peers.
  • You must include sources in your lesson (this might be extracts or picture)
  • Include an activity(s) that your peers are to complete to show their understanding of your lesson. (this should NOT just be a quiz), maybe a worksheet they need to complete. You should have: 
    • a comprehension activity and/or source activity
    • Please note your activity might be set as homework if we run out of time.

Step 4: Submit any resources you will need for your lesson so assignment posts can be created for your peers.

Step 5: Teach your peers about your case study/listen & complete your peers lesson 

Step 6: Evaluation

Evaluate your own lesson and each group’s lesson on engagement and what you have learnt.

Background Research Scaffold 

Event: https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/aboriginal-tent-embassy

BackgroundPurposeSignificanceMethods UsedEvidence/ Source
On 26 January 1972 four Indigenous men set up a beach umbrella on the lawns opposite Parliament House in Canberra. Describing the umbrella as the Aboriginal Embassy, the men were protesting the McMahon government’s approach to Indigenous land rights.Get LandGot LandSet up tents and arm themselves with little sticks.“we decided to fight the coppers, so we arm ourselves with little sticks” – Chicka Dixon https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-20/mclaren-40-years-of-canvas-diplomacy/3785076 

Background:

In the lead up to the formation of the Tent Embassy, there were battles over Aboriginal land rights occurring all over the Country, with many different Mobs standing up to protect the Country. 

In 1968, the people of Yirrkala (Northern Territory) took up a legal case against the mining company Nabalco and the Commonwealth of Australia over the ownership of their land. In 1972, the Court ruled in favour of Nabalco concluding “the relationship between clan and land did not amount to proprietorship as that is understood in our law.” This was an injustice to the Yirrkala people and did not reflect the lore of their ancestors. They therefore sent representatives to Canberra to present a statement to then Prime Minister, William McMahon.

While this was taking place the Gurindji people were also fighting for rights to their traditional lands in Wattie Creek (Northern Territory) by going on strike. 

Following these struggles, the Australian Government announced that they would not grant any ‘Aboriginal title’ to land – this means they would not recognise Aboriginal rights to land based on occupation and care for Country over thousands of generations.  Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory were instead encouraged to apply for leases that would be approved if they showed that the land would be put to ‘reasonable’ social or economic use.

1. WHAT IS THE TENT EMBASSY?

The Aboriginal Tent Embassy refers to the site where on the 26th of January 1972, four Aboriginal activists set up a beach umbrella outside the Parliament House in Canberra, planting a sign that read “Aboriginal Embassy.”  This was a powerful symbol as the term ’embassy’ suggested that the Indigenous people were foreigners in their own country and were landless. Many people from around Australia joined the protest, and the supporters of the embassy grew to 2000 over the following months.

2. WHAT WERE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE TENT EMBASSY?

The Aboriginal Embassy was set up to protest the McMahon government’s refusal to recognise Aboriginal land rights. The main aim was to achieve sympathy and support from the public and to eventually pressure the government to acknowledge Aboriginal land rights. The image also conveyed to people how Aboriginals felt isolated in their own country, and that the tents poverty was a contrast to the embassy of other groups.

3. WHAT WERE THE METHODS USED TO ACHIEVE THE AIMS?

The method was to find a prominent place in the public eye and near the place of government, choose a powerful symbol and be prepared to wait for as long as it took. The non-violent protest was simple but effective. 

4. WHO WERE THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN LEADING THE TENT EMBASSY? 

The four Aboriginal men who set up the protest were Michael Anderson from Walgett, Billy Craigie from Moree, Bert Williams from Cowra, and Tony Coorey from Tweed Heads.

Other black activists such as Gordon Briscoe, Paul Coe, Chicka Dixon, Gary Foley, Bruce McGuinness, John Newfong, Roberta Sykes and Dennis Walker and non-indigenous supporters also joined them in the following months.

5. HOW EFFECTIVE WAS THIS IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIANS? 

The protest didn’t result in achieving Aboriginal land rights, as it wasn’t until Gough Whitlam’s government that Aboriginal Land Title was recognised. However,  this protest was important in the Rights and Freedoms movement as it raised awareness of the issue to the public eye and garnered sympathy and support.

6. EXPLAIN HOW USEFUL YOUR CHOSEN PRIMARY SOURCE WAS IN FINDING OUT ABOUT THE TOPIC. 

The primary source I have chosen is an image of people gathered at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra.  The focal point is Alan Sharpley holding a placard that reads “We want land rights, not handouts”. Next to him is Bob Perry in a Ningla-a-Na T-shirt, which is a Pitjantjatjara expression that translates to ‘we are hungry for our land’. John Newfong is standing to his right with his hands on his hips. This image is important in finding out about the topic as it shows the impact the Embassy was having, evidenced by the crowd of supporters made up of indigenous and non-indigenous people. The simplicity of the sign and tent also emphasises the poverty and juxtaposition to the grandeur of the Old Parliament House the tent is next to.