Wayne Bergmann, KLC Director, 19.10.2009
It is with great sadness that we bid farewell to this old man today.
We lay to rest one of the great men of our country and our times. We have lost a man who
held strong his links to the old times, the times of his own life, but also the times when his ancestors held this country.
His name came from his father, from what we call the Butcher Bird, of his father’s Dreaming. His bush name was from the Turtle in the Dreaming. He knew the story of how his father found him, along Yalgi Creek, from the story of one Wanjina, Rumidjmarra. There is a painting in a cave at Yalgi; that is where his Guulingii is.
For him, there wasn’t any question about who he was or where he belonged. He was a strong and proud Wunambal man. His life came from his country and his old people. He knew his country well and travelled around it as a young boy and a man. And for him, knowing his country meant knowing the rules of his country, the Law, and how to look after his country.
He knew how to find water and food in his country; he knew the right tracks to follow. He knew the tracks in the land and in the sea that would take him to the places that he wanted to go.
His was born as a person at Ganaana (Roe River) where the fresh water and the saltwater meet, and his country was Leyiyo, on Wunambal country. His mother’s people came from the Gaamberra side, and he knew that country too, and her links to the salt water Wanjina and her place at Mantilii and Wiyangari.
He was already a man in Aboriginal Law when the Japanese war came to Kalumburu. Even then, the old people were still talking in their languages: Wunambal, Wila Wila, Worrora, Gaambera, Ngarinyin.
He knew all his bigger family, and their country, and he helped them all to look after their country in the proper way. He knew his families who lived on the islands, and those old people who taught them how to be paddlers and to live on the sea, and to follow the tides from one place to another, like following tracks on the hard ground.
He knew the law from the old people about how to live the right way, about marrying the right way.
He also knew about his next door people, Gaamberra, Worrora, Ngarinyin, Miwii, Gwiinii. He knew how to deal with them, how to share food with them, how to share culture and ceremony with them.
He also knew how law and knowledge was passed on from one generation to the next; from old people to him and his people, and on to the new people, the children and the next generation. So the story would keep coming from one generation to the next. That was very important to him.
This old man grew up in the proper Aboriginal way, with all the law and culture and knowledge from the old people. But he lived his life in new times as well. He kept the old ways strong, but also stood up tall for Aboriginal people in the new world.
He was a strong leader in making sure that Aboriginal people had rights in their own country.
He was on the Board of Directors for the Kimberley Land Council, and for KALACC, for many years. He was the representative for Uunguu Native Title claim group on the KLC Board, but also gave evidence to the Court in the Wanjina Wungurr Wilinggin Native Title claim. With his clear connection to the old people, and his knowledge of law and culture, he helped the Wanjina Wungurr people prove that they were the rightful owners of their country, Aboriginal way as well as Kartiya way.
He was also a respected artist, with some of his work being kept in the National Gallery of Australia, where many of Australia’s best artists have their work on show.
This old man that we say goodbye to today, was a real gentleman. He had strong and kind feelings for his family, his people, and people he met and worked with. He worked hard to make sure Aboriginal people were treated the right way, that our culture was respected, and that we could take our fair place in the world.
Now he has gone to be with his late wife, and his old people. He is now part of that great and proud history of our mob, our Kimberley Aboriginal people. Just as he learned from his old people, we are fortunate that we have been able to learn so much from him.
He has showed us how we belong to our country, and that we can be like him, proud and sure of who we are and where we belong.
Today is a day for us to be sad that we have lost this old man, this great cultural leader, this friend.
But we also know that we were very fortunate that he was with us during his life, and that he gave so much to us all.
On behalf of the Kimberley Land Council, and really from all Kimberley Aboriginal people, and even from the many kartiyas who knew him, I extend our deepest sympathies to his family and his people.
Goodbye old man. You were much loved, and we will miss you sadly.
But your Guulingii will live on, just like you said, from your old people, through your great life, and carried forward to the new people who are coming through.
You helped us to learn the tracks in the land and in the sea, and in our own hearts, that will take us to the places that we want to go. This is your gift to us, and we thank you.
