Wongi people win Native Title after 25-year battle to be recognised

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For a quarter of a century, Aubrey Lynch has been fighting for Native Title over his Country.

Today, the 86-year-old lore man was present as it happened.

“We have been fighting for about 25 years. It’s a long time, during that time we lost a lot of our Old People,” he told NITV News.

Four years on from the initial application, the Federal Court of Australia recognised the rights of the Wongi people to the area in the Northern Goldfields.

The crowd present at the Native Title recognition ceremony. Credit: Kearyn Cox/NITV

The area spreads across 300,000 square kilometres which overlaps the Shires of Laverton, Leonora, and Menzies.

The area sits almost entirely within the former Wongatha Native Title Claim area, which was filed in 1999 and dismissed in 2007 following a lengthy trial.

The claim was called the Nyalpa Pirniku claim, meaning ‘Old many’ in language. It was named by Aubrey.

“Nyalpa means old and Pirniku means many,” he said.

“Old People, many paths, so we named it Nyalpa Pirniku and now I am saying to the young ones today’s ceremony is not for young people – it is for the older people.”

Aubrey Lynch addressing the crowd at the Native Title ceremony. Credit: Kearyn Cox/NITV

Patricia Lewis, who represented family that had passed away, said it was a special day.

“I feel really privileged, I feel happy, at long last we have achieved and it’s really good to be with your family and your people. We have come a long way, we are all happy,” she said.

She said it was also bittersweet, thinking about those who fought to see the day but are no longer around.

A lot of our Old People have passed on so today is a milestone, it is a real big milestone in that history but also, it’s sad.

As it stands, 87 per cent of Western Australia is now subject to Native Title claims, more than any other state.

With this win, community hopes there will be more to come.

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