David Dhalatnghu Gulpilil (1 July 1953 – 29 November 2021), known professionally as David Gulpilil and posthumously (at his family's request, to avoid
naming the dead) as David Dalaithngu for three days, was an
Indigenous Australian
Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...
actor and dancer, known for the films
''Walkabout'',
''Storm Boy'', ''
Crocodile Dundee
''Crocodile Dundee'' (stylized as ''"Crocodile" Dundee'' in the U.S.) is a 1986 action comedy film set in the Australian Outback and in New York City. It stars Paul Hogan as the weathered Mick Dundee, and American actress Linda Kozlowski as ...
'', ''
Rabbit-Proof Fence
The State Barrier Fence of Western Australia, formerly known as the Rabbit-Proof Fence, the State Vermin Fence, and the Emu Fence, is a pest-exclusion fence constructed between 1901 and 1907 to keep rabbits, and other agricultural pests from th ...
'' and ''
The Tracker''.
He was one of the
Yolngu people and was raised in a traditional lifestyle in
Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land is a historical region of the Northern Territory of Australia, with the term still in use. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around from the territory capital, Darwin. In 1623, Dutch East India Compan ...
, in northern Australia, and was a skilled dancer as a young man when British director
Nicolas Roeg
Nicolas Jack Roeg (; 15 August 1928 – 23 November 2018) was an English film director and cinematographer, best known for directing '' Performance'' (1970), ''Walkabout'' (1971), ''Don't Look Now'' (1973), ''The Man Who Fell to Earth'' (1976 ...
recognised his talent. He also made several appearances on stage. He was honoured with numerous awards for individual films and for lifetime achievement, and also published books and artworks.
Early life and education
Gulpilil was probably born in 1953,
although he stated in the 2021 documentary about his life, ''My Name is Gulpilil'', that he did not know how old he was. Local missionaries recorded his birth on 1 July 1953, based on "guesswork".
He was a man of the
Mandjalpingu (Djilba) clan of the
Yolngu people, who are an
Aboriginal people
Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...
of
Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land is a historical region of the Northern Territory of Australia, with the term still in use. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around from the territory capital, Darwin. In 1623, Dutch East India Compan ...
in the
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...
of Australia.
[ Note: This site appears to have bee]
authorised by the subject
As a young boy, Gulpilil was an accomplished hunter,
tracker, and
ceremonial dancer. Gulpilil spent his childhood in the bush, outside the range of non-Aboriginal influences
and did not set eyes on a white man until he was 8 years old.
He received a traditional upbringing in the care of his family, until the death of his parents, after which he attended the school at
Maningrida
Maningrida, also known as Manayingkarírra and Manawukan, is an Aboriginal community in the heart of the Arnhem Land region of Australia's Northern Territory. Maningrida is east of Darwin, and north east of Jabiru. It is on the North Central ...
in North East Arnhem Land,
where he was assigned the name "David".
When he came of age, Gulpilil was initiated into the Mandhalpuyngu tribal group. His
skin group
Aboriginal Australian kinship comprises the systems of Aboriginal customary law governing social interaction relating to kinship in traditional Aboriginal cultures. It is an integral part of the culture of every Aboriginal group across Austra ...
totemic animal was the
kingfisher
Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, ...
(the meaning of the name ''Gulpilil'')
[ and his homeland was Marwuyu.]
After appearing in his first film, ''Walkabout
Walkabout is a rite of passage in Australian Aboriginal society, during which males undergo a journey during adolescence, typically ages 10 to 16, and live in the wilderness for a period as long as six months to make the spiritual and traditiona ...
'' (1971), Gulipilil became fluent in English, adding to his linguistic ability in several Aboriginal languages Aboriginal language may refer to:
* Indigenous language
* Australian Aboriginal languages
* Taiwanese aboriginal languages
* Indigenous languages of the Americas
* Aboriginal Malay languages
The Malayic languages are a branch of the Malayo-P ...
.
Career
Film and television
In 1969, Gulpilil's skill as a tribal dancer caught the attention of British filmmaker Nicolas Roeg
Nicolas Jack Roeg (; 15 August 1928 – 23 November 2018) was an English film director and cinematographer, best known for directing '' Performance'' (1970), ''Walkabout'' (1971), ''Don't Look Now'' (1973), ''The Man Who Fell to Earth'' (1976 ...
, who had come to Maningrida
Maningrida, also known as Manayingkarírra and Manawukan, is an Aboriginal community in the heart of the Arnhem Land region of Australia's Northern Territory. Maningrida is east of Darwin, and north east of Jabiru. It is on the North Central ...
scouting locations for a forthcoming film. Roeg promptly cast the 16-year-old unknown to play a principal role in his internationally acclaimed motion picture ''Walkabout
Walkabout is a rite of passage in Australian Aboriginal society, during which males undergo a journey during adolescence, typically ages 10 to 16, and live in the wilderness for a period as long as six months to make the spiritual and traditiona ...
'', released in 1971. Before this, any portrayal of an Aboriginal character in Australia had been played by a white actor in blackface. This was also groundbreaking, as it was the first time that an Aboriginal character had been portrayed as sexually attractive. Gulpilil's on-screen charisma, combined with his acting and dancing skills, was such that he became an instant national and international celebrity. He travelled internationally, mingled with prominent people, and was presented to heads of state. During these travels to promote the film, he met and was impressed with John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
, Bob Marley
Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...
, Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee (; born Lee Jun-fan, ; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was a Hong Kong and American martial artist and actor. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy drawing from different combat disciplines that ...
, Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...
, and Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
. He taught Bob Marley how to play the didgeridoo, while Marley introduced him to "ganja
Ganja (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for marijuana. Its usage in English dates to before 1689.
Etymology
''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi/Urdu ( hi, गांजा, links=no, ur, , links=no, IPA: aːɲd ...
".
Gulpilil appeared in many more films and television productions. He played a lead role in the commercially successful and critically acclaimed '' Storm Boy'' (1976). He "dominated" the film ''The Last Wave
''The Last Wave'' (also released, in the US, as ''Black Rain'') is a 1977 Australian Mystery film, mystery Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Peter Weir.''Variety Film Reviews, Variety'' film review; 16 November 1977, p. 21. It ...
'' (1977), with his performance as tribal Aboriginal man Chris Lee.
A documentary about his life, ''Gulpilil: One Red Blood'', was aired on ABC Television ABC Television most commonly refers to:
*ABC Television Network of the American Broadcasting Company, United States, or
*ABC Television (Australian TV network), a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Australia
ABC Television or ABC ...
in 2003. The title comes from a quote by Gulpilil: "We are all one blood. No matter where we are from, we are all one blood, the same".
Gulpilil was a major creative influence throughout his life in both dance and film. He initiated and narrated the film ''Ten Canoes
''Ten Canoes'' is a 2006 Australian drama film directed by Rolf de Heer and Peter Djigirr and starring Crusoe Kurddal. The title of the film arose from discussions between de Heer and David Gulpilil about a photograph of ten canoeists poling ...
'' which won a Special Jury Prize at the 2006 Cannes Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
. The prize-winning, low-budget film, based on 1,000-year-old traditional story of misplaced love and revenge, features non-professional Aboriginal actors speaking their local language. Gulpilil collaborated with the director, Rolf de Heer
Rolf de Heer (born 4 May 1951) is a Dutch Australian film director. De Heer was born in Heemskerk in the Netherlands but migrated to Sydney when he was eight years old. , urging him to make the film, and although he ultimately withdrew from a central role in the project for "complex reasons," Gulpilil also provided the voice of the storyteller for the film. De Heer had directed Gulpilil in another film, '' The Tracker'' (2002).
In 2007, he starred in Richard Friar's hour-long independent documentary, ''Think About It!'' which was focussed on Indigenous rights and the anti-war movement
An anti-war movement (also ''antiwar'') is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term anti-war can also refer to ...
and included commentary from former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser (; 21 May 1930 – 20 March 2015) was an Australian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983, holding office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia.
Fraser was raised on hi ...
, former Greens leader Bob Brown
Robert James Brown (born 27 December 1944) is a former Australian politician, medical doctor and environmentalist. He was a senator and the parliamentary leader of the Australian Greens. Brown was elected to the Australian Senate on the Tasman ...
, and David Hicks
David Matthew Hicks (born 7 August 1975) is an Australian who attended al-Qaeda's Al Farouq training camp in Afghanistan, and met with Osama bin Laden during 2001. He was then detained by the United States in Guantanamo Bay detention camp ...
, then a detainee at Guantanamo Bay detention camp
The Guantanamo Bay detention camp ( es, Centro de detención de la bahía de Guantánamo) is a United States military prison located within Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, also referred to as Guantánamo, GTMO, and Gitmo (), on the coast of Guant ...
.
In 2014, he again collaborated with De Heer, this time sharing on screenwriting
Screenwriting or scriptwriting is the art and craft of writing scripts for mass media such as feature films, television productions or video games. It is often a freelance profession.
Screenwriters are responsible for researching the story, devel ...
credits for '' Charlie's Country''. The film won several awards, including Best Actor in Un Certain Regard
(, meaning 'a certain glance') is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's official selection. It is run at the Debussy, parallel to the competition for the . This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob.
The section presents 20 films w ...
at the Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
.[
In 2015, Gulpilil appeared in the documentary '' Another Country'' directed by Molly Reynolds.][ In this film, Gulpilil narrates the story of his life, from when he was a child living on country, the arrival of the first white men ("ghosts"), in the form of missionaries, through The Intervention and the introduction of the BasicsCard, often making serious criticisms hidden beneath his trademark humour.][
Gulpilil again worked with Reynolds when she directed a documentary about his life, ''My Name Is Gulpilil'', which premiered at the 2021 ]Adelaide Festival
The Adelaide Festival of Arts, also known as the Adelaide Festival, an arts festival, takes place in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in March each year. Started in 1960, it is a major celebration of the arts and a significant cultural ...
.
Gulpilil was renowned for portraying Aboriginal culture before it became threatened by the white civilisations, though the irony is that he became divorced from his own culture by doing so. He felt that he was stretched somewhere between the two, with "one tiptoe in champage and caviar, and the other in the dirt of his Dreamtime".
Stage
In March 2004, he performed in the autobiographical stage production, ''Gulpilil'' at the Adelaide Festival of Arts
The Adelaide Festival of Arts, also known as the Adelaide Festival, an arts festival, takes place in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in March each year. Started in 1960, it is a major celebration of the arts and a significant cultural ...
, to standing ovations. This work, co-written with Reg Cribb
Reginald Cribb is an Australian playwright and actor.
Early life
Cribb graduated from National Institute of Dramatic Art at the University of New South Wales in 1990 and his first play, Night of the Sea Monkey, was performed in 1999.
Plays ...
, and directed by Neil Armfield
Neil Geoffrey Armfield (born 22 April 1955) is an Australian director of theatre, film and opera.
Biography
Born in Sydney, Armfield is the third and youngest son of Len, a factory worker at the nearby Arnott's Biscuits factory and Nita Armf ...
, was based on stories of his life assembled into a script. These included tales from the making of ''Walkabout'', performing at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
, and inadvertently causing a bomb scare at Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...
. The show was later staged in Brisbane and Sydney.
He also performed on stage in ''The Cradle of Hercules'' at the Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...
in 1974; the Commonwealth Gala Performance in Brisbane in 1982 (in front of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip); the Message Sticks Film Festival in Sydney in 2002.[
]
Dance
Perhaps the most renowned traditional dancer in Australia, Gulpilil organised troupes of dancers and musicians and performed at festivals throughout the country, including the prestigious Darwin Australia Day Eisteddfod
In Welsh culture, an ''eisteddfod'' is an institution and festival with several ranked competitions, including in poetry and music.
The term ''eisteddfod'', which is formed from the Welsh morphemes: , meaning 'sit', and , meaning 'be', means, a ...
dance competition, which he won four times. In November 1997, Gulipilil's dance troupe
A dance troupe or dance company is a group of dancers and associated personnel who work together to perform dances as a sport, spectacle or entertainment. There are many different types of dance companies, often working in different list of dance ...
performed at the second National Aboriginal Dance Conference in Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
(hosted by the National Aboriginal Dance Council Australia (NADCA)), at which cultural and intellectual property rights and copyright issues for Australian Indigenous dancers were discussed. A free concert was given in Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka. The troupe was given a grant from the Northern Territory Government
The Government of the Northern Territory of Australia, also referred to as the Northern Territory Government, is the Australian territorial democratic administrative authority of the Northern Territory. The Government of Northern Territory wa ...
to attend the third conference[ in ]Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
in 1999.
Writing and painting
In addition to his career in dance, music, film and television, Gulpilil was also an acclaimed storyteller. He wrote the text for two volumes of children's stories based on Yolngu beliefs. These books also feature photographs and drawings by Australian artists, and convey Gulpilil's reverence for the landscape, people and traditional culture of his homeland.
''King brown snake with blue tongue lizard at Gulparil waterhole'', painted by Gulpilil in 2013–14, is in the Art Gallery of South Australia
The Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), established as the National Gallery of South Australia in 1881, is located in Adelaide. It is the most significant visual arts museum in the Australian state of South Australia. It has a collection of ...
's collection.
Recognition and awards
Gulpilil was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...
(AM) in 1987, and the Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award which was created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the centenary of the Federation of Australia and to recognise "people who made a contribution to Australian society or go ...
in 2001.
He twice received the AACTA/AFI Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, for ''The Tracker'' in 2002 and ''Charlie's Country'' in 2014. He was also nominated for this award in 1977 for ''Storm Boy''. Gulpilil was nominated for the AFI Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for ''Rabbit-Proof Fence'' in 2002. In 2003, he was awarded the inaugural Don Dunstan Award at the Adelaide Film Festival
The Adelaide Film Festival (AFF, formerly ADLFF) is film festival usually held for two weeks in mid-October in cinemas in Adelaide, South Australia. Originally presented biennially in March from 2003, since 2013 AFF has been held in October ...
.
He was nominated for the Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play
The Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play is an award presented by Live Performance Australia (LPA) (the trade name for the Australian Entertainment Industry Association (AEIA)), an employers' organisation which serves as the peak body i ...
in 2004 for the stage production ''Gulpilil''. A portrait of Gulpilil by Craig Ruddy
Craig Ruddy (8 August 1968 – 4 January 2022) was an Australian artist, known for winning the Archibald Prize in 2004 with his portrait of Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil.
Early life and education
Ruddy was born on 8 August 1968, at Forest ...
won the 2004 Archibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is an Australian portraiture art prize for painting, generally seen as the most prestigious portrait prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after the receipt of a bequest from J. F. Archibald, J. F. Archib ...
, Australia's best-known art prize.
In 2013 Gulpilil was the recipient of the Red Ochre Award
The Red Ochre Award is an annual art award for Indigenous Australian artists.
Background and description
The Red Ochre Award was established in 1993 by the Australia Council for the Arts.
It is awarded annually to an outstanding Indigenous Au ...
, which is awarded annually by the Australia Council for the Arts
The Australia Council for the Arts, commonly known as the Australia Council, is the country's official arts council, serving as an arts funding and advisory body for the Government of Australia. The council was announced in 1967 as the Austra ...
to an outstanding Indigenous Australian (Aboriginal Australian or Torres Strait Islander) artist for lifetime achievement.
In May 2014, Gulpilil won a Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
for his performance in Rolf de Heer's film '' Charlie's Country''. The award was in the Un Certain Regard
(, meaning 'a certain glance') is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's official selection. It is run at the Debussy, parallel to the competition for the . This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob.
The section presents 20 films w ...
section, a part of the festival that emphasises original, individual points of view and innovative film-making.
In 2019, Gulpilil was honoured with the lifetime achievement award at the 2019 NAIDOC Awards
The NAIDOC Awards are annual Australian awards conferred on Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals during the national celebration of the history, culture and achievements of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ...
,[ and the Premier's Award for Lifetime Achievement in the ]South Australian Ruby Awards
The South Australian Ruby Awards, also known as the Ruby Awards, are annual awards which recognise outstanding achievement in South Australia’s arts and culture sector. They were named in honour of arts champion Dame Ruby Litchfield (1912–2001 ...
.
In June 2021, Ngarrindjeri
The Ngarrindjeri people are the traditional Aboriginal Australian people of the lower Murray River, eastern Fleurieu Peninsula, and the Coorong of the southern-central area of the state of South Australia. The term ''Ngarrindjeri'' means "belo ...
-Arrernte
Arrernte (also spelt Aranda, etc.) is a descriptor related to a group of Aboriginal Australian peoples from Central Australia.
It may refer to:
* Arrernte (area), land controlled by the Arrernte Council (?)
* Arrernte people, Aboriginal Australi ...
artist Thomas Readett created a huge permanent mural
A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage.
Word mural in art
The word ''mural'' is a Spani ...
on the eastern wall of the Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute
The Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, usually referred to as Tandanya, is an art museum located on Grenfell Street in Adelaide, South Australia. It specialises in promoting Indigenous Australian art, including visual art, music an ...
in Adelaide. Featuring hand-painted black-and-white images representing Gulpilil's early career and later life, the mural was commissioned by ABCG Film, in partnership with Tandanya, Arts South Australia
Arts South Australia (previously Arts SA) was responsible for managing the South Australian Government's funding for the arts and cultural heritage from about 1996 until late 2018, when it was progressively dismantled, a process complete by early ...
, Department of the Premier and Cabinet and Screen Australia
Screen Australia is the Australian Federal Government's key funding body for the Australian screen production industry, created under the ''Screen Australia Act 2008''. From 1 July 2008 Screen Australia took over the functions of its predecess ...
.
During the Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival at Winton, Queensland
Winton is a town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Shire of Winton in Central West Queensland, Australia. It is northwest of Longreach, Queensland, Longreach. The main industries of the area are sheep and cattle raising. Th ...
in June 2021, Gulpilil was honoured with a star on Winton's Walk of Fame.
In August 2021, Tandanya mounted an exhibition entitled ''Djungi Gulpilil'' (Gulpilil family), featuring the work of many artists in his family, including his twin sister, one of his wives and his brother, as well as his own paintings. The exhibition was expressly created to honour and celebrate his life, and to bring him comfort as he is being treated a long way from home, yearning for "culture, language and kin".
At the 11th AACTA Awards
The 11th Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (generally known as the AACTA Awards) is an award's ceremony to celebrate the best of Australian films and television of 2021. The main ceremony occurred on 8 December 2021 at the ...
, to be held on 8 December 2021, Gulpilil will be officially awarded the Longford Lyell Award
The Longford Lyell Award is a lifetime achievement award presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), a non-profit organisation whose aim is "to identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements ...
for his contribution to the Australian film industry
The cinema of Australia had its beginnings with the 1906 production of '' The Story of the Kelly Gang'', arguably the world's first feature film. Since then, Australian crews have produced many films, a number of which have received internat ...
; he had informally received the award at his home a month earlier. His face will be projected onto the Sydney Opera House in the evening of the award ceremony.[
]
Later life and death
Gulpilil was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer
Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...
in 2017, and retired from acting in 2019. His illness prevented him from attending the 2019 NAIDOC Awards
The NAIDOC Awards are annual Australian awards conferred on Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals during the national celebration of the history, culture and achievements of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ...
, where he was recognised with the lifetime achievement award.
Gulpilil died at his home in Murray Bridge, South Australia
Murray Bridge (formerly Mobilong and Edwards Crossing) is a city in the Australian state of South Australia, located east-southeast of the state's capital city, Adelaide, and north of the town of Meningie. The city had an urban population of a ...
, on 29 November 2021. Following his death, his family requested that he be referred to as David Dalaithngu for a period of time to avoid naming the dead, and many news articles about his death refrained from using the actor's professional name, while warning that the articles contained his name and image.
Tributes were published in Australia by political leaders, including Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt
Kenneth George Wyatt (born 4 August 1952) is a former Australian politician who was a member of the House of Representatives from 2010 to 2022, representing the Division of Hasluck for the Liberal Party. He is the first Indigenous Australian el ...
, federal opposition leader Anthony Albanese
Anthony Norman Albanese ( or ; born 2 March 1963) is an Australian politician serving as the 31st and current prime minister of Australia since 2022. He has been leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) since 2019 and the member of parlia ...
, and South Australian premier Steven Marshall
Steven Spence Marshall (born 21 January 1968) is an Australian politician who served as the 46th premier of South Australia between 2018 and 2022. He has been a member of the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia in the ...
; actors, including Hugh Jackman
Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October 1968) is an Australian actor. Beginning in theatre and television, he landed his breakthrough role as James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine in the 20th Century Fox ''X-Men'' film series (2000–2017), a role ...
; film critics; and community elders and relatives, including Witiyana Marika
Witiyana Marika is an Aboriginal Australian musician, filmmaker, and Aboriginal elder, elder, known for being a founding member of the band Yothu Yindi and producer of the film ''High Ground (2020 film), High Ground''.
Background
Marika was bor ...
. Overseas news outlets also published lengthy tributes and obituaries.[
On 2 December 2021, a statement was posted by ]Tandanya
The Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, usually referred to as Tandanya, is an art museum located on Grenfell Street in Adelaide, South Australia. It specialises in promoting Indigenous Australian art, including visual art, music an ...
on Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
on behalf of the Yolngu community and Gulpilil's kin:
The announcement was also reported in newspapers.
Personal life and family
Gulpilil suffered from alcoholism
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...
having been introduced to grog
Grog is a term used for a variety of alcoholic beverages.
The word originally referred to rum diluted with water (and later on long sea voyages, also added the juice of limes or lemons), which British Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon introduced in ...
during filming of ''Walkabout''. In later life, it led to several clashes with the law. In 2006, Gulpilil was charged with carrying an offensive weapon after an altercation at the house of a friend in Darwin, when Gulpilil had allegedly armed himself with a machete
Older machete from Latin America
Gerber machete/saw combo
Agustín Cruz Tinoco of San Agustín de las Juntas, Oaxaca">San_Agustín_de_las_Juntas.html" ;"title="Agustín Cruz Tinoco of San Agustín de las Juntas">Agustín Cruz Tinoco of San ...
after he and his wife had been asked to leave the home by the homeowners, who had allegedly armed themselves with a totem pole
Totem poles ( hai, gyáaʼaang) are monumental carvings found in western Canada and the northwestern United States. They are a type of Northwest Coast art, consisting of poles, posts or pillars, carved with symbols or figures. They are usually m ...
and a garden hoe
A hoe is an ancient and versatile agriculture, agricultural and horticulture, horticultural hand tool used to shape soil, weed control, remove weeds, clear soil, and harvest root crops. Shaping the soil includes piling soil around the base of ...
. However, he was found not guilty after the judge accepted that the machete was used for cultural purposes, including carving didgeridoo
The didgeridoo (; also spelt didjeridu, among other variants) is a wind instrument, played with vibrating lips to produce a continuous drone while using a special breathing technique called circular breathing. The didgeridoo was developed by ...
s, and had not been intended for use as a weapon.
On 30 March 2007, a Darwin magistrate imposed a 12-month domestic violence
Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...
order against Gulpilil over an incident which took place against his wife, Miriam Ashley, on 28 December 2006, and he was ordered to stay away from her while drinking. In December 2010, Gulpilil was charged with aggravated assault
An assault is the act of committing physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon a person or, in some specific legal definitions, a threat or attempt to commit such an action. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in crim ...
against Ashley, with the court hearing that he had thrown a broom at her, fracturing her arm. In September 2011, he was found guilty and sentenced to twelve months in Berrimah Prison Berrimah may refer to:
* Berrimah, Northern Territory, suburb
* Electoral division of Berrimah
* Berrimah Power Station
Berrimah Power Station is a kerosene-fuelled power station in Berrimah, an industrial suburb of Darwin, Northern Territory, ...
in Darwin. After this stint in prison, he finally got sober
In cryptography, SOBER is a family of stream ciphers initially designed by Greg Rose of QUALCOMM Australia starting in 1997. The name is a contrived acronym for ''S''eventeen ''O''ctet ''B''yte ''E''nabled ''R''egister. Initially the cipher wa ...
.
Gulpilil's other wives or partners included Airlie Thomas and Robyn Djunginy. Two of his daughters are Phoebe Marson and Makia McLaughlin.[ Seven children survived him: Jida (a musician and actor), Milan, Makia, Andrew, Jamie, Phoebe and Malakai.] Witiyana Marika
Witiyana Marika is an Aboriginal Australian musician, filmmaker, and Aboriginal elder, elder, known for being a founding member of the band Yothu Yindi and producer of the film ''High Ground (2020 film), High Ground''.
Background
Marika was bor ...
, Yolngu elder, musician and band member of Yothu Yindi
Yothu Yindi (Yolŋu Matha, Yolngu for "child and mother", pronounced ) are an Australian musical group with Australian Aboriginal, Aboriginal and ''List of English words of Malay origin#B, balanda'' (non-Aboriginal) members, formed in 1986 as ...
, is his son by lore.
Several members of his family are artists, including his twin sister (''yapa''), Mary Dhapalany, a leading weaver; his brother, Peter Minygululu, known for his story-telling and detailed artworks; and former wife Robyn Djunginy, who was known for her bottle paintings. His nephew (''waku''), Bobby Bununggurr, is a singer, dancer, law man and reconciliation
Reconciliation or reconcile may refer to:
Accounting
* Reconciliation (accounting)
Arts, entertainment, and media Sculpture
* ''Reconciliation'' (Josefina de Vasconcellos sculpture), a sculpture by Josefina de Vasconcellos in Coventry Cathedra ...
advocate. During the 1970s and 1980s, the two men travelled widely together, performing, dancing and singing.[
]
Filmography
Film
Television
Books
*
*
Explanatory notes
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gulpilil, David
1953 births
2021 deaths
Best Actor AACTA Award winners
Australian male dancers
Australian male film actors
Australian people convicted of assault
Indigenous Australian male actors
Members of the Order of Australia
People from the Northern Territory
Recipients of the Centenary Medal
Yolngu
Deaths from lung cancer
Deaths from cancer in South Australia
AACTA Award winners
Indigenous Australian dancers