Lazarus LAMILAMI

LAMILAMI, LAZARUS (MERWULIDJI) (b. Western Arnhem Land c. 1908, d. Darwin, NT 21 Sept 1977). Aboriginal Christian and first Aboriginal Methodist minister.

Lamilami (Merwulidji) spent the earlier part of his life living in a traditional Aboriginal manner. He moved to Goulburn Island soon after the Methodist Overseas Mission (MOM) started its first mission to the Aborigines in Arnhem Land in 1916. He went to the mission school but at the same time was initiated into full membership of the Maung tribe. He worked for some years on the MOM luggers which plied between Darwin and the five missions spread along the north Arnhem Land coast. He later settled on Croker Island.

Lamilami married Magumiri in 1930, but they separated after about five years. He then married llidjili in 1947 by whom he had three children, Ruby (Nangurinyara), Ronald (Ilugilug) and Lloyd (Dabidjara). Lamilami had a good knowledge of the Macassans, the Indonesian fishermen who made their annual trips for several centuries to the northern and eastern coasts of Arnhem Land during the wet season fishing for trepang. After his second marriage in 1947 Lamilami moved to Goulburn Island where he worked as a mission carpenter and became deeply involved with church work. During this time he visited a number of churches in the southern states of Australia doing deputation work for the MOM.

He was transferred to Croker Island in 1964 where he worked as a mission builder and also as a local preacher. In 1965 he was accepted as a candidate for the Methodist ministry and undertook special studies. He was ordained on 5 Nov 1966, the first Aboriginal Methodist to be ordained. He worked with great acceptance as a minister on Croker Island for a number of years, being appointed OBE for his outstanding service to the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

With help from Professor Ronald Berndt of the University of Western Australia, Lamilami recorded his life experiences on tape, which later were transcribed and published in a book called Lamilami Speaks, a classic of its kind in the records of anthropological study. He joined the staff of Nungalinya College at the beginning of 1977 where he contributed significantly to a cross-cultural understanding of Christianity. He died suddenly in Darwin Hospital on 21 Sept 1977.

Lamilami was an outstanding Aboriginal person, greatly loved by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people alike. He was a key figure in the traditional and church life of Croker and Goulburn Islands and did much to build bridges of understanding between the white and Aboriginal races, saying frequently, 'We must walk hand in hand together'.

Keith Cole, The Aborigines of Arnhem Land (Adelaide, 1979)

SELECT WRITINGS: Lamilami Speaks: an autobiography (Sydney, 1974)

KEITH COLE