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to reveal these secrets to a non-initiate. As he grew older, Neidjie realised that he might be in the position, as one of the last
Gaagudju 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
263:, 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".
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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
234:, 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.
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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. He worked as a ranger and cultural adviser for the park, and his work was critical in gaining
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in
Australia. His decision to open up this land to other people was instrumental in the creation of Kakadu National Park. Neidje was instrumental in the decision to lease his traditional lands to the
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GAMU The
Deamtime Stories, Life and Feelings of Big Bill Neidjie as told to Sarah George. Publisher Cyclops Press 2022. Sydney NSW. ISBN 978-0-6489527-5-6 www.cyclopsproductions.com.au
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He became known internationally as "Kakadu man", for both his work in the park and books of poetry and prose, with his first book being titled
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He acquired the nickname "Big Bill" because of his physique and strength, and was also called "Kakadu Man", after the title of his first book.
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to entrusting some of the custodianship of tribal lands to his son
Jonathan, he related many of his stories to the anthropologist
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status for the park. Kakadu was listed in three stages: stage 1 in 1981, stage 2 in 1987, and the entire park in 1992.
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314:. introduction by Michael W. Fox. Washington, DC: Center for Respect of Life and Environment. 1991.
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He had little formal education, spending only a couple of years at school at
Oenpelli (present-day
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GAMU is the most comprehensive book of Big Bill
Neidjie's stories and biography ever published.
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so that it could be managed as a wild area and as a resource to be shared by all
Australians.
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people. His father was
Nadampala and his mother was Lucy Wirlmaka, from the Ulbuk clan of the
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cultures, there are traditional secrets passed down from generation to generation, and it is
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people and a custodian of the land, who cared deeply about preserving his culture and land.
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Neidjie died on 23 May 2002. The
Federal Minister for the Environment and Heritage,
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Gagudju man, Bill Neidjie, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia
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139:("the big fight") he helped in the defence of Australia, working at the
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Speaking for the Earth: Nature's Law and the Aboriginal Way
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transporting people and goods along the North Coast of the
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Last surviving speaker of the Gaagudju language (1913–2002)
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Last known speakers of an Australian Aboriginal language
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Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia)
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estate in northern Kakadu, perhaps the most spectacular
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Neijdie was born around 1913 at Alawanydajawany, on the
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In 1988, Kakadu was featured in the February issue of
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479:Neidjie, Bill; Davis, Stephen; Fox, Allan (1985).
647:Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia
509:. Darwin: Resource Managers. <Rev. edns 2002–
113:From about the age of 20 he worked first with
151:and other ports. He was in Darwin during the
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427:"Passing of Kakadu elder Big Bill Neidje"
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632:Australian indigenous rights activists
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350:National Portrait Gallery (Australia)
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579:from the original on 23 October 2021
506:Australia's Kakadu man, Bill Neidjie
147:and working on supply boats between
602:"Neidjie, Bill (1913-2002)" sources
385:"The man who attended his own wake"
642:People from the Northern Territory
569:Australian Honours Search Facility
383:Mackinolty, Chips (17 June 2002).
214:for his services to conservation.
159:during and after the devastation.
128:He was initiated at a ceremony at
125:and to remote island communities.
58:from northern Kakadu, after which
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456:National Portrait Gallery people
491:. Queanbeyan, N.S.W.: Mybrood.
212:Medal of the Order of Australia
174:of Kakadu National Park and a
56:Aboriginal Australian language
1:
208:1989 Queen's Birthday Honours
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238:Later life, death and legacy
227:National Geographic Magazine
82:in the Kakadu region of the
452:"Bill Neidjie OAM, b. 1913"
284:Taylor, Keith, ed. (1989).
210:Neidjie he was awarded the
42:– 23 May 2002), nicknamed "
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483:Kakadu Man... Bill Neidjie
345:"Bill Neidjie AO, b. 1913"
256:up the threads once more.
390:The Sydney Morning Herald
232:Twilight Of The Dreamtime
188:Commonwealth of Australia
153:Japanese bombings in 1942
74:Early life and education
431:Parliament of Australia
538:"Kakadu National Park"
48:last surviving speaker
24:
244:Indigenous Australian
22:
132:in the early 1940s.
80:East Alligator River
62:is named. He was an
60:Kakadu National Park
23:Bill Neidjie in 1989
287:Story about Feeling
123:Northern Territory
84:Northern Territory
25:
565:"Mr Bill Neidjie"
524:978-1-876622-38-1
498:978-0-9589458-0-6
301:978-0-958-81010-4
176:traditional owner
157:Aboriginal people
52:Gaagudju language
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503:Rev. edns 1986–
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137:Second World War
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28:Big Bill Neidjie
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115:buffalo hunters
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292:Magabala Books
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267:Selected works
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196:World Heritage
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581:. Retrieved
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518:. Allan Fox
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109:Working life
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90:clan of the
86:, into the
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627:2002 deaths
622:1913 births
419:Kemp, David
202:Recognition
155:and helped
143:station at
135:During the
46:", was the
40: 1913
616:Categories
583:23 October
549:24 October
461:7 February
436:23 October
396:23 October
357:23 October
320:References
279:Kakadu Man
261:David Kemp
219:Kakadu Man
103:Gunbalanya
44:Kakadu Man
577:Archived
242:In many
145:Cape Don
98:people.
92:Gaagudju
68:Gaagudju
206:In the
178:of the
96:Amurdak
66:of the
50:of the
543:UNESCO
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353:. 2018
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180:Bunitj
166:Kakadu
149:Darwin
119:lugger
88:Bunitj
606:Trove
248:taboo
172:elder
141:radar
130:Ubirr
64:elder
54:, an
585:2021
551:2021
520:ISBN
493:ISBN
463:2024
438:2021
398:2021
359:2021
296:ISBN
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32:OAM
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