Alan MUNGULU

MUNGULU, ALAN (b. 1925, d. Derby, WA, 21 Feb 1978). Aboriginal community and church leader.

His parents Njimandum and Ruby had traditional upbringings as Worora Aborigines in the Kimberley region of the north-west of Western Australia. Njimandum visited the newly established Port George IV Mission as a youth and when the Rev J R B Love (q.v.) rejoined this mission at a new site, Kunmunya, in 1927, Mungulu's father worked closely with him, building the first Aboriginal occupied house, working on the translation team and encouraging his people to settle disputes peacefully and to cease painful rituals. Mungulu was baptised with his parents and sister, Elkin, on Easter Sunday 1929. He attended the mission school and in addition to literacy, attained skills in woodwork and leatherwork. His father intervened to prevent his initiation.

As a young man he worked as an engineer on the mission lugger, the Watt Leggatt. In the late 1940s he became seriously ill while on the lugger at sea and was taken to Cockatoo Island and then Derby Hospital. While in hospital he perfected his skill in pearl shell carving. He was transferred to Perth where a diagnosis of poliomyelitis was confirmed. For the remainder of his life he was very restricted in movement. He married Gudu, a Worora girl, in 195U and they had five daughters and one son. The mission was moved to a new site, Wotjulum, in 1951 and there he conducted a school class for beginners.

Because of limited employment and educational opportunities the mission was moved again in 1956 to Mowanjum, a cattle station close to Derby township. Mungulu encouraged the people by comparing this move to the exodus of the people of Israel. He preached frequently in the mission church, conducted classes at the Derby school and looked after the mission store. In 1958 he was ordained as an elder of the Presbyterian church. In 1972 the church handed over control of the station to the Mowanjum Community Incorporated and he became chairman, a position he held until his death. In 1974 he attended a six weeks course at Aurukun Mission in North Qld and was authorised to administer sacraments. He conducted his first baptism on 20 July 1975. The proximity to Derby brought increasing social problems to the Mowanjum people and he faced great pressure as a community and church leader. He was sustained by the faith he had been nurtured in by his father and J R B Love. In a sermon in 1977 he referred to broken objects and lives and wrote that 'there is one thing that can't be broken and that is the Word of God. God does not break His promises'. Despite physical disabilities which confined him often to a wheelchair and the pressures of community life, he displayed great care for all people, understanding, patience, wisdom and love, qualities sustained by his regular practices of Bible reading and prayer. He contributed to the development of a handcraft industry at Mowanjum through his delicate carving of designs on emu eggshells, pearl shells and boab nuts.

He shared his deep insights into both Aboriginal and White Australia cultures and a large gathering of government, civic, church and community representatives paid tribute to his contribution to church and community at his funeral on the 27 Feb 1978.

Maisie McKenzie, The Road to Mowanjum (Sydney, 1969)

BILL EDWARDS