Benedict "Ben" Taylor AM, also known as Cuimara (born 15 October 1938) is a

Noongar The Noongar (, also spelt Noongah, Nyungar , Nyoongar, Nyoongah, Nyungah, Nyugah, and Yunga ) are Aboriginal Australian peoples who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia, from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the so ...

elder from the south-west of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

. Taylor is a well-known Indigenous activist.

Early life

Taylor grew up in Walebing, near

New Norcia New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

. His mother, Queenie Harris born in 1906 in Norseman, Western Australia and his father Rosendo "Andy" (from

Yued Yued (also spelt Juat, Yuat and Juet) is a region inhabited by the Yued people, one of the fourteen groups of Noongar Aboriginal Australians who have lived in the South West corner of Western Australia for approximately 40,000 years. Europea ...

country) was born in 1903 in New Norcia, Western Australia. His parents met while at the

Moore River Native Settlement The Moore River Native Settlement was the name of the now defunct Aboriginal settlement and internment camp located north of Perth and west of Mogumber in Western Australia, near the headwaters of the Moore River. History The settlement ...

and ran away together. According to Ben, they got married at the Catholic Church in New Norcia on 9 March 1926.

Achievements

Member of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Order (distinction), honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarchy of Australia, Queen of Aus ...

, 2013: For significant service to the Indigenous community of Western Australia through contributions to a range of social justice and humanitarian rights issues. * Involved in achieving recognition of Native Title for the Noongar people in south west Western Australia, 2006; * Co-Chair, Deaths in Custody Watch Committee (DICWC) (WA), 2009-2010; * Board Member; Justice Reinvestment Ambassador; Life Member, 2009. * Current DICWC Board Representative, Community Justice Coalition of Western Australia. * Committee Member, HALO Leadership Development Agency, since 2011 * Pastoral Care Assistant to the Chaplain, Aboriginal Catholic Ministry, 1981-1999; providing pastoral care at numerous hospitals including Royal Perth Hospital, Shenton Park Hospital,

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH) is a teaching hospital in Nedlands, Western Australia. Opened in 1958 as the Perth Chest Hospital and later named in honour of Sir Charles Gairdner, governor of Western Australia from 1951 to 1963, it is pa ...

, Princess Margaret Hospital and the King Edward Memorial Hospital. * Committee Member, Kulilla Aboriginal Alcohol Service, 1979; helped to establish the Kulilla Aboriginal and Alcohol Service and the Wandering Mission Dry Out Centre. * Counsellor, Alcoholics Anonymous. * Member, Aboriginal Reference Group, Anglicare WA, since 2008. * Current Adviser on Noongar protocols to the Anglican Archbishop of Perth. * Noongar Elder Representative, Western Australian Coalition Against Racism, 2001. * Noongar Elder Representative with Aboriginal Masters students, Centre for Aboriginal Studies,

Curtin University of Technology Curtin University, formerly known as Curtin University of Technology and Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT), is an Australian public research university based in Bentley, Perth, Western Australia. It is named after John Curtin, P ...

, on a study tour to Fondu Lac Reservation, Minnesota and the Redcliffe Reservation, Wisconsin, USA, 2002. * Member, Noongar Council of Elders, 1999. * Awards/recognition include: Western Australian Ambassador, White Ribbon Day, 2011.

References

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Ben Cuimermara Noongar elders Living people 1938 births Members of the Order of Australia