Big Bill Neidjie
Encyclopedia
Big Bill Neidjie was the last surviving speaker of the Gaagudju language
, an indigenous
language from northern Kakadu after which the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park
is named. He was a senior elder of Kakadu National Park
and a traditional owner of the Bunitj estate in northern Kakadu, perhaps the most spectacular National Park
in Australia
. His decision to open up this land to other people was instrumental in the creation of Kakadu National Park
. He was usually called Big Bill Neidjie because of his physique and physical strength, probably gained through his time working on the lugger
s, and was also called Kakadu Man, after the title of his first book.
He was born at Alawanydajawany on the East Alligator River around 1920 into the Bunitj clan of the Gagudju people. His father was Nadampala and his mother was Lucy Wirlmaka, from the Ulbuk clan of the Amurrak people. He grew up leading a traditional lifestyle in the East Alligator region, and was taught by his father, his grandfather, and others how to hunt and manage his environment. From about the age of 20 he worked first with buffalo hunters, then at a timber mill, and then on board a lugger
transporting people and goods along the North Coast of the Northern Territory
and to remote island communities. He was initiated at a ceremony at Ubirr
in the early 1940s. During the Second World War
he helped in the defence of Australia, working at the radar station at Cape Don. He was in Darwin
during the Japanese bombings in 1942 and helped Aboriginal people during and after the devastation.
Big Bill was instrumental in the decision to lease his traditional lands to the Commonwealth of Australia so that it could be managed as a wild area and as a resource to be shared by all Australians. After helping establish Kakadu as a National Park in 1979, he returned there to commit the rest of his life to supporting the joint management of the Park. Kakadu continues to be governed by a board with a majority of indigenous Australians
. In 1988, Kakadu was featured in the February issue of The National Geographic Magazine
, and was the focus of the National Geographic television documentary entitled Twilight Of The Dreamtime, in which Big Bill figured prominently. His son, Jonathan Yarramarrna appeared with him and parts of the film dealt with the future of Kakadu and specifically with Big Bill's preparation for Jonathan to assume the custodianship of his family's tribal lands. In 1989 he was awarded the Order of Australia
for his services to conservation.
In many indigenous Australian cultures, there are traditional secrets passed down from generation to generation, and it is taboo
to reveal these secrets to a non-initiate. As he grew older, Bill Neidjie realised that he might be in the position, as one of the last Gagudju initiates, of taking these secrets to the grave with him, and so made the courageous decision to break this taboo, so that his culture might live on. In addition to entrusting some of the custodianship of tribal lands to his son Jonathan, he related many of his stories to the anthropologist Stephen Davis and others, and published two books, in which he related his passion for the land of which he was part, and insisted on the importance of managing the land in the traditional ways. He hoped that, one day, his culture might thrive once again, and his grandchildren, or their grandchildren, might pick up the threads once more.
Bill Neidjie died on 23 May 2002. The Federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage, David Kemp, said, "He was instrumental in the establishment of Kakadu National Park and was deeply committed to sharing his love for his country, his respect for the heritage of his country and his indigenous culture with countless thousands of park visitors and all who shared his love for the natural world."
Gaagudju language
Gaagudju is an extinct Australian Aboriginal language formerly spoken in Arnhem Land, northern Australia, in the environs of Kakadu National Park. Its last speaker, Big Bill Neidjie, died on 23 May 2002.-Classification:Gaagudju has traditionally been classified with the Gunwinyguan languages...
, an indigenous
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
language from northern Kakadu after which the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin.Kakadu National Park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It covers an area of , extending nearly 200 kilometres from north to south and over 100 kilometres...
is named. He was a senior elder of Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin.Kakadu National Park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It covers an area of , extending nearly 200 kilometres from north to south and over 100 kilometres...
and a traditional owner of the Bunitj estate in northern Kakadu, perhaps the most spectacular National Park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. His decision to open up this land to other people was instrumental in the creation of Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin.Kakadu National Park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It covers an area of , extending nearly 200 kilometres from north to south and over 100 kilometres...
. He was usually called Big Bill Neidjie because of his physique and physical strength, probably gained through his time working on the lugger
Lugger
A lugger is a class of boats, widely used as traditional fishing boats, particularly off the coasts of France, Scotland and England. It is a small sailing vessel with lugsails set on two or more masts and perhaps lug topsails.-Defining the rig:...
s, and was also called Kakadu Man, after the title of his first book.
He was born at Alawanydajawany on the East Alligator River around 1920 into the Bunitj clan of the Gagudju people. His father was Nadampala and his mother was Lucy Wirlmaka, from the Ulbuk clan of the Amurrak people. He grew up leading a traditional lifestyle in the East Alligator region, and was taught by his father, his grandfather, and others how to hunt and manage his environment. From about the age of 20 he worked first with buffalo hunters, then at a timber mill, and then on board a lugger
Lugger
A lugger is a class of boats, widely used as traditional fishing boats, particularly off the coasts of France, Scotland and England. It is a small sailing vessel with lugsails set on two or more masts and perhaps lug topsails.-Defining the rig:...
transporting people and goods along the North Coast of the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
and to remote island communities. He was initiated at a ceremony at Ubirr
Ubirr
Ubirr is located in the East Alligator region of Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory of Australia, and is famous for its rock art. It consists of a group of rock outcrops on the edge of the Nadab floodplain where there are several natural shelters that have a collection of Aboriginal...
in the early 1940s. During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he helped in the defence of Australia, working at the radar station at Cape Don. He was in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
during the Japanese bombings in 1942 and helped Aboriginal people during and after the devastation.
Big Bill was instrumental in the decision to lease his traditional lands to the Commonwealth of Australia so that it could be managed as a wild area and as a resource to be shared by all Australians. After helping establish Kakadu as a National Park in 1979, he returned there to commit the rest of his life to supporting the joint management of the Park. Kakadu continues to be governed by a board with a majority of indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
. In 1988, Kakadu was featured in the February issue of The National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic, formerly the National Geographic Magazine, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. It published its first issue in 1888, just nine months after the Society itself was founded...
, and was the focus of the National Geographic television documentary entitled Twilight Of The Dreamtime, in which Big Bill figured prominently. His son, Jonathan Yarramarrna appeared with him and parts of the film dealt with the future of Kakadu and specifically with Big Bill's preparation for Jonathan to assume the custodianship of his family's tribal lands. In 1989 he was awarded the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
for his services to conservation.
In many indigenous Australian cultures, there are traditional secrets passed down from generation to generation, and it is taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
to reveal these secrets to a non-initiate. As he grew older, Bill Neidjie realised that he might be in the position, as one of the last Gagudju initiates, of taking these secrets to the grave with him, and so made the courageous decision to break this taboo, so that his culture might live on. In addition to entrusting some of the custodianship of tribal lands to his son Jonathan, he related many of his stories to the anthropologist Stephen Davis and others, and published two books, in which he related his passion for the land of which he was part, and insisted on the importance of managing the land in the traditional ways. He hoped that, one day, his culture might thrive once again, and his grandchildren, or their grandchildren, might pick up the threads once more.
Bill Neidjie died on 23 May 2002. The Federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage, David Kemp, said, "He was instrumental in the establishment of Kakadu National Park and was deeply committed to sharing his love for his country, his respect for the heritage of his country and his indigenous culture with countless thousands of park visitors and all who shared his love for the natural world."