Traditional owners farewell Gough Whitlam at the site of the 1975 Wave Hill hand back
Gurindji people have held a ceremony for Gough Whitlam at Daguragu - the site where in 1975 the then prime minister poured sand into the hand of Vincent Lingiari.
The Wave Hill hand back - as the event became known - finalised the first significant recognition of land rights by an Australian Government.
At sunset last night in Daguragu, about 460 kilometres south-west of Katherine, the women and young girls performed a farewell ceremony for the man they called jangkarni marlaka or 'big important man'.
Cultural custodian Theresa Yibwoin had been a young woman when Mr Whitlam had first visited.
"I remember big mob dancing," she said.
"Big mob men, big mob women, mob culture ceremony.
"I was young woman, dancing to welcome that big boss for country.
"Last night I danced farewell dance."
Gurindji senior men will attend Whitlam's memorial service
Gurindji elder Michael George said that as a mark of respect Gurindji people would now refer to the former prime minister as "kulum Whitlam".
Kulum is a traditional word used as mark of respect for the deceased.
"This great man helped us get better wages, health, education and housing, and most importantly, gave us our land back," he said.
"Our people pay their respects to the family of kulum Whitlam."
A group of senior men and woman have indicated they will travel to the state memorial service.
Community member Robert Roy said senior women plan to perform a ceremonial dance in recognition of Mr Whitlam's commitment to land rights as mark of respect from the Gurindji people.
"What they wanted to do is go down to where the memorial is going to be held for Mr Whitlam, and they were going to do some ceremonial dancing in a way of respect."
"We want to say thank you and present his family with some gifts from our country."
The Wave Hill hand back followed almost a decade of protests by Aboriginal people who had worked on the station.
The protests were led by prominent Indigenous activist Vincent Lingiari.
This event was a defining moment in the land rights movement, and was of part of broader reforms introduced by the Whitlam government that would lead to the creation of the Land Rights Act and official recognition of traditional ownership in Australia.
