Bob Gosford
This piece was first published in the Northern Land Council’s Land Rights News December 2023 edition and is a tribute to the long-serving member and Chairman of the Northern Land Council Dr Bush-Blanasi, who passed away after a short illness in November 2023.
You can read more about Dr Bush-Blanasi’s life at previous posts here and here or at Land Rights News.
I first met Dr Bush-Blanasi (hereinafter referred to as Ngarritj*) in 1985 when he helped recover a Mimi Arts & Crafts Hilux truck that had rolled over a few kilometres outside of Wugularr (also known as Beswick) on a hot dry-season Saturday afternoon.
Wugularr was—and still is—amazingly culturally and linguistically diverse—a 1999 residential survey included Jawoyn traditional owners and members of the Rembarrnga, Ngalbon/Dalabon. Mayili, Mara, Rithangu, Mudburra, Jingili, Warlpiri, Woyala, Yangman and Mangarrayi language groups.
This complex cultural matrix could have been a recipe for conflict but—to the credit of community elders past and present—ceremonies and kinship obligations continue to be observed and knowledge of and caring for country practices have been maintained.
That rich cultural mix framed Ngarritj’s long career of dedicated public service—from his modest beginnings at Wugularr in the late 1980’s to his decades of service with a wide variety of agencies and organisations, and not least as a nine-term elected Northern Land Council member with four three-year terms as Chairman of the Land
Council.
I had the particular privilege to see Ngarritj develop as a peerless advocate for his people and a true leader—not a gammon one nominated by the media or politicians—and a fearless Land Rights warrior.
Ngarritj developed his political strengths over time, learning from a number of cultural, political and business mentors and peers and as the complexity of his roles increased.
Ngarritj often referred to the development of these skills during his terms as Deputy Chair, and recognised one of his most respected mentors as, then Chairman, Wali Wunungmurra, the venerated cultural and political leader from north-east Arnhem Land. He knew he had very big shoes to fill when he was elected as NLC Chair following Wali’s passing in 2014.
Ngarritj had a wicked sense of humour. Wicked that is, as long as you weren’t its target.
Unfortunately, it was often the case that I’d find myself the butt of Ngarritj’s cutting—but never spiteful or mean—barbs, usually on one of our many long drives together—when there was no escape.
Ngarritj also had a prodigious memory for people, places and events and he was wont to remind you of any past social or cultural indiscretions—especially those you’d consigned to the dustbins of memory—at precisely the time when that reminder would have the greatest effect.
Life and times with Ngarritj were never dull!
He backed his beliefs and passions with action. Two examples from those early days at Wugularr will suffice.
The first concerns the Central Arnhem highway-in-name-only between Barunga and Wugularr. Ngarritj lobbied relentlessly to get that stretch of road sealed and by the mid-nineties it was finally done. The effect on the local communities was almost immediate. Residents could buy better cars that lasted longer—the unsealed road would
literally shake a car apart—and travel to and from town and other communities was safer and faster.
Fewer accidents meant fewer funerals from road deaths and fewer hospital stays and visits.
The second example concerns the establishment of a Creche at Wugularr in the early nineties. The Creche proposal was initially met with trenchant bureaucratic opposition if there were no trained staff to operate and unlicensed Creche.
That is, until one day a friendly NT public servant whispered to Ngarritj that, “If you build it, they will come (and provide funding and support).” He directed CDEP workers to clean up an old demountable, fence it off and fit it out as a Creche. Sure enough, the NT government was suddenly more than keen to back training for the staff and provide support once the Creche had been established. Within months many more women in the community were working at the Creche itself—which also became a de facto women’s centre—and at the Store, Clinic and Council offices.
Ngarritj was the best politician—black or white—that I’ve ever seen in action.
I was more than proud to call him—and be called by him—brother.
I’ll miss him. Every day. We all will.
Bobo Ngarritj.
* The skin name Ngarritj is used by permission of Dr Bush-Blanasi’s family
