Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for External Territories) Share this | Hansard source

Last Thursday I travelled to the small community of Titjikala on the edge of the Simpson Desert to attend the funeral of Kunmanara Wilyuka. The old man was someone I knew well. He was a teacher, builder, pastor and former stockman, but most of all he was a leader with the skill of bringing people together. He had a wonderful sense of humour and he was a master communicator, fluent in at least Yankunytjatjara, Pitjantjatjara, Eastern Arrernte, Western Arrernte and English. Kunmanara was a tireless leader and advocate. He was an outspoken critic of the Howard government intervention in the Northern Territory. He had been elected as a councillor on MacDonnell Regional Council. He was a longstanding member and Chair of the Central Land Council in 2012-13. In 2016-17 he was an elected member of the Aboriginals Benefit Account Advisory Committee. In 2016 he was appointed chair of the Aboriginal Area Protection Authority.

He was a strong advocate for the Central Land Council's Community Development Program—Aboriginal people directing their own resources towards strengthening capacity to participate in mainstream Australia through improving health, education and employment outcomes. He was inclusive, politically savvy and a persuasive leader. At the Uluru Statement from the Heart meeting, he took to the stage and calmly laid out in front of the 350 delegates his cultural perspective on the contested concept of sovereignty. After the unanimous endorsement of the agreed statement he said: 'You have come here and supported us in the NT with the declaration we put up here for all of us. We have some ups and downs at this forum, but as a Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara man I feel so happy today that our brothers and sisters from all states and territories have come together as one'. Rest in peace, Kunmanara Wilyuka.

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