RESEARCH REPORT

Ad Borsboom

In July and August of this year I carried out research in Canberra into Aboriginal Land Rights. The so-called 'Mabo case', in which the High Court of Australia decided that Australia was not terra nullius at the time of the British invasion two hundred years ago, has given great impetus to new developments in this field.

During my stay in Canberra I was a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR), Australian National University, where I finalised a publication on the subject. Both at this centre and at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies I collected material on land rights issues for a presentation at the European Social Science history Conference, to be held in the Netherlands in May 1996.

I also attended a number of seminars and guest lectures on various Aboriginal subjects. Thanks to the stimulating discussions at CAEPR and the assistance received there, I was able to make most of my brief stay in Canberra.

Whilst in Canberra I was also informed that one the Djinang men with whom I worked since 1972 had died. I was invited to visit Gadji in northern central Arnhem Land to attend the funeral ceremonies.

Although the occasion was a sad one, I was happy to be able to pay my respects to this Djinang man, who was a well-known artist, an Aboriginal politician and a highly respected clan elder.

I was impressed by the number of people who attended the elaborate funeral ceremonies, and by the skills and knowledge of the younger generation who had a big share in the organisation and carrying out the rituals.