Gudju Gudju (Seith) Fourmile dies in Cairns aged 62
A revered and passionate Indigenous advocate who once travelled to Germany to bring home the stolen remains of his ancestor is now himself eternally at rest after succumbing to illness.
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A revered and passionate Indigenous advocate and leader who once travelled to Germany to bring home the stolen and mummified remains of his ancestor is now himself eternally at rest after succumbing to illness.
On Tuesday Yidindji elder, Gudju Gudju (Seith) Fourmile died peacefully at his home in Gordonvale.
He was 62.
Tributes have poured in from the Gimuy (Cairns) First Nations community, paying homage to a man who was at the forefront of the Queensland Indigenous rights, social justice and environmental advocacy movement.
Hendrick Fourmile said the loss of his younger brother would be felt deeply throughout the Far North.
“We lose an instrumental leader who made social and political change for his Yidindji people and other First Nations in the community of Cairns,” he said.
“For all of us who knew and worked alongside GuGu, let us remember his leadership and cultural knowledge he so willingly shared, his confidence and strength and let’s always remember his humour and smile.”
At home rubbing shoulders with the nation’s most powerful and influential, Mr Fourmile often took centre stage at large gatherings and conventions to welcome crowds to country on behalf of the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji people.
Speeches were often peppered with advocacy and always entertaining.
A passionate advocate for the Great Barrier Reef, Mr Fourmile also led a successful campaign to change the name of Blackfellows Creek in Edmonton and in 2023 Cairns Regional Council officially renamed the stream Bana Gindarja Creek.
Mr Fourmile was heavily involved with the Aboriginal sovereignty movement and truth telling of atrocities committed against his ancestors by pastoralists in the late 1800s.
While advocating for change at a local level Mr Fourmile also represented his people on the world stage.
In 2019 he travelled to Munich, Germany to send the soul of his ancestor home after the Munich Five Continents Museum allowed the repatriation of mummified remains of an elder stolen by the leader of an expedition looking for a route from Cairns to the Hodgkinson River Goldfield in 1876.
BBM Indigenous radio station manager Jackie Tim said the departed elder left a remarkable legacy of dedication and excellence.
“Gudju Gudju was a beacon of inspiration,” Ms Tim said.
“He was not only known for his professional achievements but also for his genuine compassion and commitment to bettering the lives of others.
“He was a source of strength and wisdom, and his legacy will continue to inspire all who knew him, his involvement with Indigenous radio helped propel indigenous issues to the forefront of conversations around the nation.
“In his lifetime Gudju Gudju welcomed world leaders to Gimuy (Cairns) over the years and in recent years spearheaded the Yidindji Nation onto the world stage with his involvement with the Sovereign Yidindji Government, one of his greatest legacies.
“In this period of reflection, let us remember and cherish the remarkable person he was and the profound difference he made.”
A celebration of Mr Fourmile’s life and contributions is expected to be announced in the near future.
Originally published as Gudju Gudju (Seith) Fourmile dies in Cairns aged 62
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