Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why did Eddie Koiki Mabo and Bonita Mabo establish the Black Community School?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Torres Strait Islander peoples
A Torres Strait Islander boy performing a traditional dance.
In 1973, Eddie Koiki Mabo and his wife, Bonita Mabo, established the Black Community School in Townsville to ensure that Indigenous children could learn about their own culture and traditions.1
The couple recognized that by living on the Australian mainland, their children were at risk of losing the richness of their heritage. They believed that mainstream schools failed to adequately represent or value minority cultures, often leaving them ignored or excluded from the curriculum. Consequently, they concluded that the only way to effectively retain their identity and culture was to provide education through their own system, where these traditions could be actively taught and preserved for future generations.1