Burnum Burnum

Burnum Burnum (* January 10, 1936, † 18 August 1997) was an Australian Aboriginal activist, actor and writer. He was born on Gasee Walla, was born in the southern part of the state of New South Wales as a member of the Wurundjeri and Yorta Yorta. Baptized under the name Harry Penrith, he called himself but even after his great-grandfather Burnum Burnum, which means " Great Warrior ".

Snatched from the age of 3 months his family, he spent many years in government educational institutions, led by the "Office of Native welfare " of the state of New South Wales, particularly in Kinchela Boys ' Home in Kempsey. Burnum Burnum was one of the victims of the " Stolen Generation". It was not until 2007, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who have suffered the Aborigines in his first public speech, for the terrible treatment, apologized solemnly.

After leaving the Institute Burnum Burnum was hired as one of the first Aboriginal people by the Department of Agriculture of New South Wales, and remained for 13 years in office.

He was a well-known athletes, including tennis and swimming. There is a whole chapter was dedicated to him in a book about sports. He was also a member of the rugby and cricket teams of Parramatta City.

In the late 1960s studied Burnum Burnum law at the University of the State of Tasmania in Hobart. During his student years, he led a successful movement that called for the proper burial of the remains showed to the public, on display at the Tasmanian Museum.

During the celebrations of the 200 - year anniversary of Australia, Burnum Burnum hoisted on 26 January 1988, the Aboriginal flag on the white cliffs of Dover on the coast of Great Britain. This was a symbolic response to the British flag, which was hoisted in 1788 by Arthur Phillip on the Australian coast.

Burnum Burnum appeared as an actor in three films, two thrillers as well as in the satirical film " The Marsupials ", in which he appeared as a werewolf in the shape of a bag wolf.

In his last years Burnum Burnum lived with his wife and son in Woronora. In 1997 he died unexpectedly of heart failure.

In 2005, the Jannali nature reserve was renamed Burnum Burnum.