Gatjil Djerrkura
Encyclopedia
Gatjil Djerrkura OAM
(Yolŋu Matha:Gätjil Djerrkura) (30 June 1949 - 26 May 2004) was an Aboriginal leader and indigenous
spokesman in the Northern Territory
and Australia
.
He was a senior elder of the Wangurri Aboriginal clan of the Yolngu
people. He was responsible for a number of traditional and ceremonial activities on behalf of his clan and the East Arnhem Land
/Yirrkala Aboriginal community.
He served as Chairperson of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
(ATSIC), appointed on 6 December 1996 to 2000.
In 1984 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
(OAM) for his services to the Aboriginal community.
His son Nathan Djerrkura
currently plays for the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League
.
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"...
(Yolŋu Matha:Gätjil Djerrkura) (30 June 1949 - 26 May 2004) was an Aboriginal leader and indigenous
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
spokesman in 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 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...
.
He was a senior elder of the Wangurri Aboriginal clan of the Yolngu
Yolngu
The Yolngu or Yolŋu are an Indigenous Australian people inhabiting north-eastern Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. Yolngu means “person” in the Yolŋu languages.-Yolŋu law:...
people. He was responsible for a number of traditional and ceremonial activities on behalf of his clan and the East Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land
The Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500 km from the territory capital Darwin. The region has an area of 97,000 km² which also covers the area of Kakadu National...
/Yirrkala Aboriginal community.
He served as Chairperson of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting their lives...
(ATSIC), appointed on 6 December 1996 to 2000.
In 1984 he was awarded the Medal of 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"...
(OAM) for his services to the Aboriginal community.
His son Nathan Djerrkura
Nathan Djerrkura
Nathan Djerrkura is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League . He was drafted to the Geelong Football Club in 2006 and played four games for them before being traded to the Western Bulldogs during the 2010 Trade Week.-Early life:Nathan Djerrkura was born to Gatjil and...
currently plays for the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
.
Positions
- Chairman of the Batchelor College Council, NTNorthern TerritoryThe Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
- Director of the Board of the Indigenous Land Corporation
- Director of the Board of the Land Enterprise Australia
- member of the Council for Aboriginal reconciliation
- General Manager of Yirrkala Business Enterprises in NhulunbuyNhulunbuy, Northern TerritoryNhulunbuy is the name of the township created on the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory of Australia when a bauxite mine and deep water port were established nearby in the late 1960s...
- Chairperson of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commercial Development Corporation
- Director of the Henry Walker Group