AUSTRALIA's sole king rules a rich, fertile land of 158 sq km bounded by turquoise seas and white sand beaches dotted with palm trees. Honouring the past, embracing the future, he's a very 21st century king.

Yarrabah’s first monarch for almost 20 years has identified cultural awareness, respect for elders and tackling illegal poaching as his priorities, alongside a plan to boost tourist numbers.

King Vincent Jabaan Schreiber of the Gunggandj tribe of the Guru-Gulu clan is the fifth generation of his family to hold the traditional title, yet he remains resolutely a man of the people.

He has no interest in pomp and circumstance, courtiers or servants. Instead, he tours his kingdom by Holden ute each day while working as Water & Waste manager for Yarrabah Shire Council.

View the Kingdom of Yarrabah on Google Maps

Hundreds of community members attended King Jabaan’s coronation ceremony, which began at the exact spot his ancestor Minminiy first encountered a white man in 1891. Yarrabah’s regal line was officially recognised by the Anglican church when Minminiy became king in 1899.

The Aboriginal community is the only one in Australia still to carry on the tradition.

Born in Gordonvale in 1965 after his mother went into labour while working in a nearby cane field, King Jabaan succeeds the last king, his late father Vincent, who died in 1992.

Jabaan was officially crowned king inside Yarrabah’s packed St Albans Church last Saturday after a traditional procession featuring smoking ceremonies, guards of honour and a ceremonial corroboree. Australia’s first Aboriginal bishop, Bishop Arthur Malcolm, conducted the service with the assistance of Bishop Bill Ray, bishop of the Anglican Church North Queensland.

"It sent shivers down my spine even though it was hot," King Jabaan said.

A proud and humble man deeply in touch with his family history and community responsibilities, Jabaan is known as Vincent Jnr or Uncle Charlie around town, where he commands respect. Identifying that some younger members of the community lack direction, he says a key goal of his reign is passing on to future generations lessons he learned from his grandparents.

"My main aim as king is to ensure that our people don’t lose sight of what our ancestors taught us, showing that we can become a strong community again if we follow our family ties," he said.

"I wish to champion cultural awareness, respect for the land, respect for one another and, most important, respect for our elders."

While King Jabaan is determined to remember the past, he also believes that with Australia booming, his community needs to looks to the future to thrive.

"We’ve got to leave everything behind us, the ugliness of being different, and come under one banner," he said.

"If we’re going to be mild and hide in the bushes, we’re not going to get anywhere.

"Our people need to be on the front foot to be recognised."

The King says he is determined to crack down on poaching of dugong and turtle, which have traditionally only been caught for community feasts and celebrations. And he dreams of bringing tourists to Yarrabah to show off the community’s natural beauty while breaking down barriers between different cultures.

Elverina Johnson, Gunggandj Guru Gulu and event spokesperson, said King Jabaan would use his passion for carrying on traditional culture to help drive future initiatives and decisions.

"The ceremony was really good ... it was great for the younger generation to see culture and this kind of important event being carried on," Ms Johnson said.

THE FLOW OF HISTORY

>> Jabaan means Freshwater Eel, after a camping spot at a local hill which always has water.

>> During decades of public service, the king – a former Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student of the year – has worked for the Department of Aboriginal and Island Affairs, Department of Community of Service and Yarrabah Shire Council.

>> Today, Jabaan manages a dozen-strong team responsible for Yarrabah’s Water & Waste.

>> “It’s definitely better than the old traditional way of gathering water, where we bailed it out of a creek and boiled it,” he said.

>> “Today, our water is sweet and delicious, coming from bores and creeks, and stored in one of two reservoirs, so always available when we need it.”

>> The first person to be given the title of king was King Minminiy, who greeted the first white men to arrive in the area in the late 19th century and had his position of authority in the community made official by Anglican Minister John Gribble in 1899.

>> Minminiy’s reign was continued by his son King Albert Maywe, Albert’s daughter Queen Lorna Schreiber, and her son, King Vincent Bibii Schreiber, who died in 2002.

>> Never married, King Jabaan has 13 children and seven grandchildren.

 

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