Ancestral lines united in Eastern Kuku Yalanji native title determination

The Eastern Kuku Yalanji people are celebrating a historic native title determination recognising their rights over more than 200,000 hectares of land on Cape York Peninsula.The Federal Court sat under a marquee in the Aboriginal community of Wujal Wujal, about 200 kilometres north of Cairns, for Wednesday's consent determination hearing, which was attended by more than 600 traditional owners.Frances Walker says the court determination in Wujal Wujal is a proud day for the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people. (Supplied: Gregg Maxwell, Cape York Land Council and Maxwell Media)Local elder Frances Walker said it was a proud day for her people, who were able to unite families from more than 100 ancestral lines to form the largest native title group on Cape York."To see the Federal Court on Yalanji Land, we proved to the system that we are the rightful people of this land," she said."Our people's strength has always been togetherness … our motto is to stand together and be strong for people and land."A native title determination is a colourful day of celebration for the traditional owners. (Supplied: Gregg Maxwell, Cape York Land Council and Maxwell Media)Chief Justice Debra Mortimer said it was a privilege to be on country to "recognise a legal tradition that has existed for thousands of years"."Despite the terrible history of colonisation, Eastern Kuku Yalanji culture is strong, it's here to stay, your lore is here to stay," she said.Cape Tribulation is part of the native title determination. (ABC News: Brendan Mounter)The determination takes in 217,884 hectares of country along south-eastern Cape York Peninsula, extending from the Annan River in the north to the Daintree River in the south, east of the Great Dividing Range.This includes prominent landmarks such as Cape Tribulation in the Daintree, Black Mountain near Cooktown, and parts of the Annan, Bloomfield, Daintree, East Normanby, West Normanby and Granite Normanby river systems.The Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation will be the prescribed body corporate managing and protecting the native title rights.The gathering had waited years for the Federal Court determination. (Supplied: Gregg Maxwell, Cape York Land Council and Maxwell Media)Jabalbina's chief operating officer, Kallum Clarke, said that included exclusive native title over about 35 per cent of the determination area, which may affect future access to those areas."It's just going to have to go back to getting permission," he said."We're recognised as the owners now and it will have to go back to whether Eastern Kuku Yalanji people approve of activities happening."Mr Clarke said the determination empowered his people to secure funding to manage their country and provide opportunities for the younger generation."It just gives my people the opportunity to really tie themselves back to country and simply 'Bunday' — sit on country and just enjoy it without having to worry about any legalities around it because the legalities have been sorted and it's been recognised as ours," he said.Black Mountain in Kalkajaka National Park, south of Cooktown, is included in the determination. (ABC Far North: Sharnie Kim)Realisation of decades-long fightThe Eastern Kuku Yalanji people lodged their first native title claim through the Cape York Land Council in December 1994, soon after the Mabo decision created a legal pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to seek recognition of native title.Elder Kathleen Walker, from Wujal Wujal, said the determination was for everyone in the community: those who began the fight and those who will follow."I remember the people before me and the people who come after me," Ms Walker said."This is for everyone and so that our stories are never forgotten."In her closing remarks, Chief Justice Mortimer thanked the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people for their patience with Australia's legal system."It is a slow and complicated system and I am sorry that it takes so long," she said."I know you will be thinking of all the elders who are not here to see this day."Hundreds gathered at the Federal Court determination in Wujal Wujal. (Supplied: Gregg Maxwell, Cape York Land Council and Maxwell Media)Wednesday's determination is the 33rd under the Cape York United #1 Native Title Claim lodged in 2014, which is one of Australia's largest native title claims and seeks to resolve land rights across Cape York Peninsula.On Friday, the Federal Court will recognise the native title rights of Western Yalanji traditional owners in a separate determination within the United #1 claim.With additional reporting by Chris Calcino, Jeremy Jones, and Conor Byrne.