Yunupiŋu (1948–2023), revered senior ceremonial Yolŋu man of the Gumatj clan from North-East Arnhem Land, fought tirelessly for the rights and recognition of Yolŋu and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people alike. Born at Melville Bay near Yirrkala, where he lived for his entire life, he held an unwavering respect for the land, Yolŋu culture and his people. Like his father, Mungurrawuy Yunupiŋu, he was a fierce leader and political trailblazer who played a critical role in the 1963 Yirrkala Bark Petitions. These petitions asserted Yolŋu ownership of land leased by the federal government to mining company Nabalco, and were the first documents articulating First Nations connection to land and Country to be recognised by parliament, paving the way for the 1976 Aboriginal Land Rights Act. As long-term chair of the Northern Land Council, the statutory authority appointed to represent traditional landowners and the interests of Aboriginal people, he continued to fight for land rights, particularly in relation to the use of Aboriginal land threatened by government and mining companies. Through his work with the Gumatj Corporation, Yunupiŋu was vocal about the need for action in reducing Indigenous poverty, driven by education, employment and business development. As chair of the Yothu Yindi Foundation, he was instrumental in establishing the Garma Festival, an annual celebration of Yolŋu culture and a forum for political debate. His commitment to the Aboriginal community was recognised in 1985 with an Order of Australia and in 2015 he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Melbourne for his life’s work for Indigenous rights. Yunupiŋu was an inspirational advocate for political agency and cultural leadership for First Nations people across Australia.
