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OPEN LETTER TO THE HONOURABLE EMPEROR OF JAPAN
 (THROUGH THE JAPANESE CONSULATE, AUSTRALIA)es

It is with the greatest respect and honour that we send this open letter, and that this great respect and honour can be reciprocated and afforded in our special request, we also send this open letter with our commitment to international peace and good will.

We respectfully request

‘TO CEASE THE SLAUGHTER OF OUR SACRED SPIRITUAL TOTEM’
HUMPBACK WHALES - ‘Mugga Mugga’

We are an Australian Aboriginal Tribal Group,  the Woppaburra People, of the Keppel Islands, Great Barrier Reef, of Central Queensland, Australia.  The Keppel Islands are the ancestral homelands of our ancestors/forefathers, who were the original aboriginal inhabitants (custodians) of the Keppel Islands.  Today’s descendants carry on the ancient customary laws, traditional practices, protocols of our ancestors/forefathers.  Our ‘living’ culture is based on respect and honour for all living things, in the circle of life.

As an Aboriginal tribal group of Australia and as Australian citizen‘s, we have made a ‘choice’ to be proactive and champion the protection and conservation of our Sacred Spiritual Totem, the Humpback Whale - ‘Mugga Mugga’, we wish to join countries around the world in their humanitarian conservation cause to protect,  not only  the  Humpback, but all whale species, all marine species and their natural habitats.  Every living thing is here for a purpose,  all elements, mankind, flora, fauna, we are dependant on each other’s existence, Aboriginal people of Australia, have known this since our ancestors/forefathers times.

The Woppaburra language name for the humpback whale is ‘Mugga Mugga’, which is our ‘Sacred Spiritual Totem’, our sacred emblem, it is our life-long responsibility (from the days of our ancestors/forefathers) to protect them and the environment in which they live,  we are spiritually connected with Mugga Mugga, they are as much a part of us, our family, as we are of them, their family, we are joined spiritually - forever.  We can no longer sit in silence and tolerate their slaughter, as our ancestors/forefathers witnessed in long times gone by.  We are becoming increasingly upset and stressed in regard to Japan and their pending ‘take’ of 50 of our sacred emblem - spiritual totem, Mugga Mugga, for the purpose of scientific research.

The Woppaburra descendants of today, like our ancestors/forefathers in long times gone by, cry tears of sorrow and anguish in silence, in seeing this ongoing slaughter of our emblem - sacred spiritual totem.  The beautiful songs and singing of our whale populations is the way they communicate, and we have always strongly believed, just like our ancestors/forefathers, that they also sing songs of sorrow, sorrow for mankind, in the near destruction of their species, and songs of sorrow, for the way mankind destroys all things that are beautiful in our world.  The emotional, spiritual health and well-being of the Woppaburra People, past and present and future generations, will continue to suffer, as we witness and are helpless in stopping the slaughter of our Sacred Spiritual Totem - Mugga Mugga.

Each year, on the commencement of their migration journey from the Antartic to the Great Barrier Reef to breed, the Woppaburra People of the Keppel Islands,  rejoice and wait in anticipation and celebrate (in private) in knowing that their sacred spiritual totem, Mugga Mugga, will soon be home for a short while for another year and hope and pray (in private and silence) that their Sacred Spiritual Totem, Mugga Mugga  will continue to have safe passage as they travel their annual migratory journey.  It is a ‘good omen’ for us, that everything in the world is as it should be, all elements of our mother earth is continuing, there is ‘balance’ in the life cycles of all living things, just as we all enjoy the full seasons of Mother Earth, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter - and when there is ‘disturbance’ in our world, brought about by mankind, we will always feel the ‘full fury’ of our Mother Earth, as a global family - it is her warning, to stop and think, before its to late.

To honour and respect our Emblem - Sacred Spiritual Totem, Mugga Mugga, we have their image on our letterheads, our shirts and hats, that we wear proudly, as an Australian Aboriginal tribal group, which provides every descendant with a sense of spiritual belonging to our tribal group, our ancestors, and our ancestral lands, the Keppel Islands, of Central Queensland, Australia.

Our next proactive action, is inviting other Australian Aboriginal Tribal groups and Australian citizens to support us, in sending signed petitions to the following address:  To commence our national Australian Protest Campaign:

‘Save and Protect  Mugga Mugga- Our  Family’

Woppaburra Dreaming Office
Shop 4/25 East St
Rockhampton  Qld  4700

Which we will then present to the Australian Parliament and UNESCO.

Most Honourable Emperor of Japan - In the best interest of conservation and protection,  and as an Australian Aboriginal Tribal group, it is our greatest hope that you will honour our ancient customary laws, traditional practices, protocols of our ancestors/forefathers, and cease Japan’s pending take of 50 of our Sacred Spiritual Totems - Mugga Mugga, Humpback Whales and other whale species.

Australian people and their commitment to protection and conservation, conduct Whale Watching, to ensure, the survival of all marine species for future generations – our global family.

Christine Doherty/Robert Muir (Passionate Woppaburra Descendants)
Woppaburra Tribal Group of the Keppel Islands
Central Queensland
Australia

November 2007

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