...Bury me at Las!...

'We wanted to make the tombstone unveiling an inclusive ceremony because human rights and the legal challenges my father fought for belonged to everyone. We wanted this to be a monument for all Australia, we wanted it to be accessible for everyone. But now no one can guarantee that this won't happen again and it's reinforced within the family that Dad would be safer on Murray Island. I think if Dad could communicate with us now he'd probably say, "Take me back to Mer!" He'd say, "Bury me at Las!" being Dad's birthplace. He would say, "Wow, even in death I hold the attention of Australia!"'

Keywords: Bakir Auski, desecration, Las, Mabo, Eddie Jnr., Mabo, Edward Koiki, tombstone, Townsville, 1995

Interviewed by Trevor Graham, Townsville, 1995.
Author: Graham, Trevor
© Film Australia
Source: Mabo, Eddie Jnr