AFTER decades of struggle for recognition and eight years of legal negotiation, the Traditional Indigenous Owners of northern Cape York have had their native title rights recognised. 

The Atambaya and Gudang Yadhaykenu Peoples celebrated the return of more than 120,000 hectares of their ancestral homelands in the northern region of Cape York with a legal ceremony, singing and dancing on Country at Injinoo. 

The Hon Justice Mortimer legally conferred the papers, which are part of the Cape York United #1 Claim (CYU #1 Claim) in a moving ceremony attended by the families of the original, pre-settlement owners. 

Atambaya Traditional Owner, Willie Charcoal, 59, said, “All the old people who were fighting (for native title) maybe they’re smiling from up above somewhere”. 

“I’m over the moon. I rang my daughter to tell my grandchildren: ‘you’ve got a place to go to now,” Mr Charcoal said. 

He has been thinking about his grandfather’s time, sitting under a mango tree playing cards, waiting. 

“He couldn’t go out to Country. He had to have permission,” Mr Charcoal said.

 “My grandchildren can go out on Country now without asking. It’s such a good feeling to know we have the land back.”