Extract from ABC News
Tens of thousands of coins will be released commemorating First Nations land rights. (Supplied: Royal Australian Mint/AGNSW: Mervyn Bishop)
In short:
The Royal Australian Mint is releasing a new coin to honour key moments in Indigenous land rights.
The 50-cent piece features Vincent Lingiari's outstretched hand alongside a gathering of Gurindji people.
Tens of thousands of the new coins will be circulating.
A new 50-cent coin has been released into circulation, marking two defining moments in First Nations land rights.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains images and names of people who have died.
The coin depicts the 1966 Wave Hill walk-off, where Gurindji man Vincent Lingiari led about 200 Aboriginal stockmen, workers and families in strike action.
What began as a protest over poor wages and conditions at Wave Hill station in the Northern Territory became a lightning rod for the national land rights movement.
The Gurindji strikers at Wattie Creek, led by Vincent Lingiari. (Supplied: Brian Manning)
Nine years later, then-prime minister Gough Whitlam ceremonially returned a small portion of Gurindji land and poured a handful of soil into Lingiari's hand.
The photo — taken by Mervyn Bishop, a renowned First Nations photojournalist — became a defining image in Australian history.
The following year, the landmark Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 was passed, the first Australian law that allowed traditional owners to make a title claim.
The Royal Australian Mint's new 50-cent coin was designed to commemorate both anniversaries and celebrate the courage of the Gurindji people.
"I think this coin is a stand-out for collectors because of how important this story is," the mint's director of museum and public engagement, Stuart Baines, said.
"It's a really beautiful coin and it's really trying to tell a story of equality and that real Australian notion of a fair go, but as we try to extend that to our First Nations people,"he said.
The design features Lingiari's outstretched hand alongside a gathering of Gurindji people, with the word 'Unity' inscribed at the bottom.
Vincent Lingiari makes an address after then-prime minister Gough Whitlam returns Aboriginal land at Wattie Creek in 1975. (Supplied: National Library of Australia)
'Story, history, legacy'
The mint worked with the Gurindji Aboriginal Corporation to create the coin.
The corporation's director and traditional owner Roslyn Frith took part in the historic events as a child.
"Unity is Gurindji's strength," Ms Frith said.
"This coin design represents the proud Gurindji people's story, history and legacy.
"The Gurindji people have come a long way and as Vincent Lingiari said, 'let us be mates.'"
The coin celebrates the courage of the Gurindji people. (Supplied: Royal Australian Mint)
The new coin was released into circulation on Thursday.
The mint is also featuring the design on 6,500 silver proof coins and 60,000 collectable coins in cards.
Mr Baines said he hoped the coins sparked public curiosity about an important piece of Australian history.
"We really encourage people to actually start looking for these coins in their change," he said.
"There will be tens of thousands of those in circulation."
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