Uncle Albert Mullett (1933-2014) was a respected Aboriginal Elder in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, and spokesperson for members of the Gunai/

Kurnai The Gunaikurnai or Gunai/Kurnai ( ) people, also referred to as the Gunnai or Kurnai, are an Aboriginal Australian nation of south-east Australia. They are the Traditional Custodians of most of present-day Gippsland and much of the southern slop ...

peoples,

Gippsland Gippsland is a rural region that makes up the southeastern part of Victoria, Australia, mostly comprising the coastal plains to the rainward (southern) side of the Victorian Alps (the southernmost section of the Great Dividing Range). It covers ...

, Victoria. His ancestry includes

Gunditjmara The Gunditjmara or Gunditjamara, also known as Dhauwurd Wurrung, are an Aboriginal Australian people of southwestern Victoria. They are the traditional owners of the areas now encompassing Warrnambool, Port Fairy, Woolsthorpe and Portland. Their ...

and Gunai/

clans. He was actively involved in Aboriginal education and the preservation of Koorie cultural heritage for many years. He was also a skilled craftsman of shields, boomerangs and artifacts.

Early and personal life

Although born in Melbourne, Albert Mullett lived with his family on the fringe of

Lake Tyers Mission Lake Tyers Mission, also known as Bung Yarnda, was an Aboriginal mission established in 1863 on the shore of Lake Tyers in Victoria‘s Gippsland, region as a centralised location for Aboriginal people from around Victoria. History The Lake Ty ...

, on the opposite side of the lake, as “part-Aboriginal” families were forced to leave the mission. His family survived by following seasonal work up and down the coast. His family was affected by government policies that allowed for the taking away of Aboriginal children – he lost two brothers that he was never to meet.

Native Title

Uncle Albert Mullett was a leading figure who led the Gunai/Kurnai people to gain full native title over their traditional lands in 2010 and he was a respected master-craftsman of traditional wooden artefacts.

Indigenous Honour Roll

In 2013 Uncle Albert Mullett was inducted into the Victorian Indigenous Honour Roll. The following statement was made at the announcement: :Born in Melbourne, Uncle Albert Mullett is a greatly respected Gunai Elder and community leader in Gippsland. He has made many important contributions in the fields of education, cultural advocacy, land management and native title. He has worked closely with numerous cultural and heritage bodies, as well as government, private sector and community-run organisations. After 15 years of tireless campaigning for Native Title rights, Albert played a leading role in the negotiation of the historic Gunai/Kurnai Native Title Settlement Agreement which was signed in 2010. Albert is also a respected master-craftsman of traditional wooden artefacts, including shields and boomerangs.

Boorun's Canoe

Boorun’s Canoe was an exhibition held at

Melbourne Museum The Melbourne Museum is a natural and cultural history museum located in the Carlton Gardens, Melbourne, Carlton Gardens in Melbourne, Australia. Located adjacent to the Royal Exhibition Building, the museum was opened in 2000 as a project of t ...

from 6 July 2012 to 7 November 2012. The exhibition was a celebration of the traditions of Victorian Aboriginal culture and its continuation and strength. The exhibition tells the story of how Senior Gunai/Kurnai Elder Uncle Albert Mullett taught his grandson, Steaphan Paton, and other young men in his family, to build a bark canoe, an age old tradition that has been practised for many years by the Gunai/Kurnai people of Gippsland. Boorun’s Canoe is a significant project showcasing the strength and pride of cultural knowledge being passed through generations and the vital importance of community maintaining and teaching culture. Albert Mullett died on 7 July 2014. His funeral was held at The Knob Reserve in Stratford where an estimated 2000 people paid their respects'Thousands farewell Uncle Albert Mullett' By Louis Nelson '' ''Latrobe Valley Express'' 7 August 2014
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References

External links

ABC.net.au: Interview with Uncle Albert Mullett

Making a Bark Canoe with Uncle Albert Mullett

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mullett, Albert 2014 deaths Date of birth missing 1933 births Indigenous Australians in Victoria (state) Gunaikurnai people