Jump to content
 







Main menu
   


Navigation  



Main page
Contents
Current events
Random article
About Wikipedia
Contact us
Donate
 




Contribute  



Help
Learn to edit
Community portal
Recent changes
Upload file
 








Search  

































Create account

Log in
 









Create account
 Log in
 




Pages for logged out editors learn more  



Contributions
Talk
 



















Contents

   



(Top)
 


1 Early life  





2 Career  





3 Honours  





4 Death  





5 Media portrayals  





6 References  














Bonita Mabo







Add links
 









Article
Talk
 

















Read
Edit
View history
 








Tools
   


Actions  



Read
Edit
View history
 




General  



What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Cite this page
Get shortened URL
Download QR code
Wikidata item
 




Print/export  



Download as PDF
Printable version
 
















Appearance
   

 






From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 


Bonita Mabo
Born

Ernestine Bonita Neehow


c. 1943
Died26 November 2018 (aged 75)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Spouse

(m. 1959; died 1992)

Ernestine Bonita Mabo (née Neehow) AO (c. 1943 – 26 November 2018), was an Australian educator and activist for Aboriginal Australians, Torres Strait Islanders, and Australian South Sea Islanders. She was the wife of Eddie Mabo until his death in 1992.

Early life[edit]

Ernestine Bonita Neehow[1] was born in Halifax, Queensland, one of 10 children. She was an Australian South Sea IslanderofNi-Vanuatu descent whose ancestors were "blackbirded" to work in the sugar cane industry in Queensland.[2] Her grandfather was blackbirded from Tanna Island in what is now Vanuatu.[3]

Career[edit]

In 1973, Eddie and Bonita Mabo established the Black Community SchoolinTownsville, where children could learn their own culture rather than white culture.[4] Bonita worked in the school as a teacher's aide and oversaw day-to-day operations.[5]

Mabo was an Indigenous rights activist for Aboriginal Australians, Torres Strait Islanders, and Australian South Sea Islanders.[6][7][8]

Honours[edit]

Mabo was appointed an Officer of the Order of AustraliaonAustralia Day (26 January) 2013, "For distinguished service to the Indigenous community and to human rights as an advocate for the Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and South Sea Islander peoples".[9][10]

On 31 May 2018, a star was named in her honour at the Sydney Observatory, during the visit of the N.S.W. Judicial Commission's Ngara Yura Program to the Observatory. Her daughter, artist Gail Mabo, was present, since Bonita was ill.[citation needed] Another star, Koiki, had been named in memory of Eddie Koiki Mabo in 2015 on the 23rd anniversary of the Mabo decision.[11]

On 17 November 2018, James Cook University conferred upon Bonita Mabo an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in recognition of her outstanding contribution to social justice and human rights at a private ceremony held in Brisbane.[12][5]

Death[edit]

Bonita Mabo died in Brisbane on 26 November 2018, aged 75.[13]

A statement by the Australian South Sea Islander Alliance of which Bonita Mabo was honorary patron described her as someone who would be greatly missed, saying:[12]

"Aunty Bonita's contribution to social justice and human rights for First Nations People and the Australian South Sea Islander recognition was monumental and relentless."

Media portrayals[edit]

In the 2012 television film Mabo, Deborah Mailman played the role of Bonita Mabo, opposite Jimi Bani who played her husband Eddie Mabo.[14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies - Eddie Koiki Mabo". Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  • ^ Fraser, Andrew (26 January 2013). "Bonita Mabo's battle as vital as Eddie's". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 30 November 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  • ^ Stephens, Tony (31 May 2002). "10 years after Mabo, Eddie's spirit dances on". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  • ^ "Black Community School". Screen Australia Digital Learning. Archived from the original on 10 April 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  • ^ a b "Bonita Mabo honoured by JCU". James Cook University. 22 November 2018. Archived from the original on 23 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  • ^ "It's time, says Bonita Mabo". Sydney Morning Herald. 1 August 2004. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  • ^ Negus, George (6 August 2003). "Bonita Mabo Interview". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 10 October 2009. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  • ^ MacLean, Danielle. "For Who I Am-Bonita Mabo". Screen Australia. Archived from the original on 29 June 2009. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  • ^ "Mrs Ernestine Bonita MABO". Australian Honours Search Facility. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia). Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  • ^ "Bonita Mabo awarded AO". ABC News (Australia). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  • ^ Briscoe, Luke (3 June 2015). "A star is named: Eddie Mabo honoured in star dedication". NITV. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  • ^ a b Higgins, Isabella (26 November 2018). "Bonita Mabo, prominent Indigenous rights activist, dies days after receiving accolade". ABC News. Archived from the original on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  • ^ "Bonita Mabo dies days after human rights accolade". ABC News. 26 November 2018. Archived from the original on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  • ^ "Bonita Mabo honoured by Mailman at Logies award". National Indigenous Times. 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.

  • Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bonita_Mabo&oldid=1172458387"

    Categories: 
    2018 deaths
    Officers of the Order of Australia
    People from North Queensland
    Australian people of Vanuatuan descent
    1943 births
    Hidden categories: 
    Articles with short description
    Short description is different from Wikidata
    Use dmy dates from November 2016
    Use Australian English from November 2016
    All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English
    Articles with hCards
    All articles with unsourced statements
    Articles with unsourced statements from December 2021
    Articles with VIAF identifiers
    Articles with NLA identifiers
    Articles with AWR identifiers
    Articles with Trove identifiers
     



    This page was last edited on 27 August 2023, at 06:27 (UTC).

    Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.



    Privacy policy

    About Wikipedia

    Disclaimers

    Contact Wikipedia

    Code of Conduct

    Developers

    Statistics

    Cookie statement

    Mobile view



    Wikimedia Foundation
    Powered by MediaWiki