Sad News

Dr. Marika, a Yolngu woman, Territorian of the Year in 2006, and passionate promoter of cultural exchange, reconciliation and bilingual education died of a heart attack on Sunday while hunting with her family near Yirrkala.

Jenny Macklin has released a media release (not yet available on her website) acknowledging Dr. Marika's contribution to Indigenous affairs, stating, '(s)he was an exceptional linguist and teacher. She understood all 14 clan languages of the Rirratjingu people and spoke three of them fluently. She led the development of the curriculum for Yolgnu children and taught others her language and culture at Charles Darwin University where she was awarded an honorary doctorate. (...) Dr Marika moved effortlessly between her traditional culture and contemporary Australia like fresh and salt water mixing in the lagoon – her own metaphor for two-way education.'

Readers may remember her contributions in plenaries at the Indigenous Languages Conference in Adelaide last year.

News reports:

Nicholas Rothwell's piece in The Australian is particularly affectionate.

ABC