Faith bandler – one of the most important figures of australia’s indigenous rights movement

By the 70s Faith had grown in popularity she was recognized by many for her efforts in fighting for social justice, human rights and equal opportunity for all indigenous Australians.

She was a much-loved public figure in Australia along with many other aboriginals who helped to show and recognize that there was a racial problem in Australia. She spoke to all people regardless their gender, class, ethnicity, skin color and background in hopes of gaining their confidence and trust by her approachable nature and amazingly big smile Faith was further driven and inspired to make a change due to the poor treatment of her father Wacvie Mussingkon who passed away when she was five years old. His past influenced her in such a way she wrote a novel about him. Wacvie Mussingkon was taken away from his parents in 1883 from the island of Ambrym now known as Vanuatu. He was shipped to Australia to work on the sugar farms as part of blackbirding. Blackbirding is tricking and kidnapping islanders to work as laborers especially from the Chincha islands of Peru. He later goes on to marry Ida Venno who is of Indian Scottish descent. Although faith was not of aboriginal background she felt strongly about the poor treatment of the indigenous people. Faith gave aboriginals hope for a better future. Faith was recognized as being one of the most influential Australians of all time.

The first organization that faith had believed could change government legalization was the Aboriginal Australian fellowship which began a long campaign for racial equality. She was the co-founder alongside Pearl Gibbs who was also an indigenous Australian activist with Jessie Street as patron.

All her hard work and effort paid off in 1967. This was the year of the Referendum and the changing point for all aboriginals this meant that aboriginals were considered human and were included in the Australian census. With more than 90% percent voting in favor for equal rights with Western Australia being the least receptive with a vote of 80%.

The Referendum changed two parts of the constitution. The constitution was the underlining rules for the Australian nation. In 1997 she was awarded the Human Rights Medal from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission. In 2000 she was presented with the ‘ Meritorious Award in Honor and Gratitude for a Life of Courageous Advocacy for Justice and for Indigenous People, for Human Rights, for Love and Reconciliation’ by Nelson Mandela who was the former president of South Africa and Nobel peace prize winner. Faith was made a member of Order of Australia in 2009. She was also won the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) but refused declined as she recognized it as “ an empire that had kidnapped and enslaved my father”.