...you must be like Bezar...

'I recall an incident, we went to a place called Beir up on the right hand side of Las. Our visit there was specifically to collect coconuts, but instead of collecting coconuts I went next door and collected some fruit and of course on my return my dad wanted to know where the fruit came from and when I told him I was punished for that. The other thing is that when you go to your garden you must not cut down branches of trees along the path way. You must not let other people know where you are, you must be like bezar-bezar is a fish that winds its way in the corals without disturbing the corals, you must be like that. Natural bush or natural habitat must not be destroyed when you are winding your way into the bush. That's some of the things my dad would tell me.'

Keywords: bezar, Las, Mabo, Edward Koiki, Meriam culture, tag mauki mauki, trespass

Eddie Koiki Mabo interviewed by Trevor Graham at Las, 1989.
Author: Sharp, Nonie
© Yarra Bank Films P/L
Source: Mabo, Edward Koiki