Respect has been paid to two pioneers of the Jawoyn native title movement through a new mural on Railway Parade.
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In September 1989, Raymond Fordimail received a signed piece of paper in his hand from the government recognising Jawoyn ownership over Nitmiluk after an 11-year land claim battle.
Robert Lee and and Raymond Fordimail were brothers who led the successful Jawoyn land-claim over Nitmiluk National Park and surrounding areas despite fierce opposition.
White rights groups were formed in Katherine and people erected signs claiming their front yards to be 'sacred sites' in reference to the land claim.
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Jawoyn members have remembered the threats of violence they received, including gun shots flying over their heads while trying to give evidence in Katherine.
Lee took over from his brother as leader of the land claim movement after Fordimail's early death from tuberculosis.
He built upon his brother's earlier work, protecting Jawoyn land from mining and other industrial interests and starting Australia's largest Aboriginal-owned tourism business, Nitmiluk tours.
"Mr Lee and Mr Fordimail remain important historical figures for this region," KRA Executive Director Jacinta Mooney said.
"We're recognising their significant contribution to this community and it's these stories which help us shape our values and identity in light of our history.
"They were very courageous as there were a lot of objections to their claim but their efforts resulted in success," she said.
The deceased pair's prominent position in Jawoyn memory was reinforced to the artists painting the mural as locals approached them with anecdotes about the two figures.
"A lot of people have pulled up and said one man or the other grew up with them," artist David Collins from 'Proper Creative' in Darwin said.
"We've done a lot of the murals around this town, sometimes with a range of mediums but this one is pretty much entirely done with spray-paint.
"It is special when you're painting in a town and people pull over to share stories with you about them.
"It does seem important for the young mob here to see that their role models are being recognised for good work," he said.
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