Barayuwa Mununggurr is a highly respected Djapu elder who advocates consistently for the rights of Yolngu people to live on their traditional homelands and stay connected to country.
Barayuwa fought against Northern Territory and Federal Government plans to close remote communities in 2007.
He is a committed health advocate and led the way in encouraging First Nations people to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Barayuwa warned that COVID would spread like ‘bushfire’ in remote communities and lobbied for internal travel restrictions to be maintained.
After decades of campaigning, he has successfully secured the aged care facility in north-eastern Arnhem Land so that residents won’t need to be relocated to Darwin. The facility will be built in Nhulunbuy.
He was awarded Senior Citizen of the Year in 2022 by the Northern Territory Government.
His greatest passion is protecting the Yolngu way of life, preserving culture, history and the environment, while also improving the community’s living standard.