QLD: Peaceful Aboriginal protest at Torres Strait festival

AAP General News (Australia)
04-17-2004
QLD: Peaceful Aboriginal protest at Torres Strait festival

By Lloyd Jones

CAIRNS, April 17 AAP - Torres Strait Islanders celebrating the opening of their new
cultural centre on Thursday Island have been called on to recognise it stands on Aboriginal
land.

The Aboriginal Kaurareg people, the traditional owners of the southern Torres Strait
islands, last night staged a peaceful protest at the opening ceremony for the Gab Titui
Cultural Centre.

A three-day festival to celebrate the new centre kicked off last night with singing
star Christine Anu the highlight act.

Gab Titui houses cultural artefacts from communities across the strait and showcases
islander culture, history and art.

But Kaurareg leader Isaac Savage said today the centre failed to acknowledge local
Aboriginal traditional owners.

"We are not Torres Strait Islanders ... we want to be recognised nationally, internationally
as the last frontier of Cape York Aboriginals."

Several dozen protesters carrying Aboriginal flags marched to the opening ceremony
and Mr Savage was able to speak from the stage where he said he welcomed the gathering
to Aboriginal land.

"Thursday Island is where my people used to practise our law, a very sacred island,
no children, no women were allowed on that island.

"I made it very clear, we are not pushing anyone away, all we are saying is we want
to be acknowledged and respected as Aboriginal people and traditional owners of the land."

The Kaurareg people were joined yesterday by Aboriginal delegations from the Injinoo,
Umagico and New Mapoon communities at the top of the Cape York Peninsula.

They are also represented on a body called the Cape York Boundary Interim Committee
which Mr Savage chairs.

The committee has called for the Torres Strait boundary to be moved north of Hammond
Island, making Thursday, Prince of Wales and Horn Islands part of Cape York.

The Gab Titui festival continued today with cultural performances from the many islands
in the strait and concludes with a church service tomorrow morning.

Federal Minister for Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs Amanda Vanstone has been
at the festival along with Queensland's Minister for Torres Strait Islander Policy Liddy
Clark and Minister for Arts Anna Bligh.

The $3 million cultural centre is a joint venture between the Torres Strait Regional
Authority and the Queensland Heritage Trails Network, helped by federal and Queensland
government funding.

AAP ldj/sjb i

KEYWORD: FESTIVAL PROTEST

2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.