Ken Colbung, a long-time leader in the Western Australian Aboriginal community, died on January 12 after a short illness, aged 78.
Colbung rose to achieve national prominence in 1997 for his role in bringing the head of Aboriginal warrior Yagan back to Perth. Yagan befriended the early British settlers, but then rose in opposition to them. He was murdered, decapitated and his head was sent to England as a specimen.
Speaking on ABC TV in 2004, Colbung described his difficult childhood in WA's notorious system of "native protection". He was conceived when his mother was raped by a white man at the notorious Moore River Settlement, which Colbung called "a concentration camp".
"She wasn't supposed to be where she was because a curfew of six o'clock had been proclaimed and she wasn't allowed to be out in the open at that particular time", he said.
His mother died when he was six years old and he was sent to Sister Kate's Home for Children. From there, he was sent to do back-breaking labour for white farmers and businesspeople.
He experienced his first treatment as an equal when he joined the army and went to Korea. However, he saw Korean civilians cowering when the occupation troops were around — "and that's the same with Aboriginal people here", he said.
After leaving the army, Colbung threw himself into Aboriginal politics in WA. He was inspired by the birth of the Aboriginal black power movement in the eastern states.
Retrieving Yagan's head from Liverpool, England was deeply significant for Nyoongars, the Aboriginal people of WA's south-west region.
Addressing the crowd that greeted his return, Colbung said: "His spirit will make sure that it fires up all of us. We'll have the spirit that he's got that will bring us together and make us really one. We, as a race of people, must stand up. We must take note of Yagan and stand up and fight."