... Aboriginal people don't need books to know the law...
Tony Tajmiwa, Uluru Board Member 1985:
'My grandmother, father, mother, uncle and brothers all knew this place. But when the white man came he didn't know the law or the sacred places. He didn't know what he was doing. His law is in a book. Aboriginal people don't need books to know the law. The white man came with camels and he looked at Uluru, but he didn't see. He thought there was nothing but the Rock. He had no understanding of the Law of the country. He broke everything, broke the Aboriginal law completely. Now they're beginning to learn. Now we are working together.'
'My grandmother, father, mother, uncle and brothers all knew this place. But when the white man came he didn't know the law or the sacred places. He didn't know what he was doing. His law is in a book. Aboriginal people don't need books to know the law. The white man came with camels and he looked at Uluru, but he didn't see. He thought there was nothing but the Rock. He had no understanding of the Law of the country. He broke everything, broke the Aboriginal law completely. Now they're beginning to learn. Now we are working together.'
Keywords: aboriginal law, coexistence, reconciliation, Uluru, 1985
McEvoy, Peter (ed) 1994, 'The Land is Always Alive', Central Lands Council, Alice Springs.
Author: Strelein, Lisa
Source: Tajmiwa, Tony
Author: Strelein, Lisa
Source: Tajmiwa, Tony