CDU awards Dean Munuggullumurr Yibarbuk with Honorary Doctor of Letters
A revered Arnhem Land elder has been awarded one of academias highest honours for his lifetime bridging scientific knowledge with traditional practices. Read about his incredible achievements.
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An Aboriginal Territorian behind world-leading fire management research and practice has been recognised with one of academias highest honours.
Charles Darwin University awarded Dean Munuggullumurr Yibarbuk with an Honorary Doctor of Letters in recognition of his outstanding contributions to conservation, land management and Indigenous ecological knowledge, while creating education and employment opportunities for First Nations people.
About 50 community members, family, and university dignitaries travelled to attend a special ceremony at his remote West Arnhem homeland, Djinkarr, on March 1, coinciding with Dr Yibarbuk’s 70th birthday.
Dr Yibarbuk is a revered leader and elder across central and western Arnhem Land who has truly walked in two worlds, bridging scientific knowledge with traditional burning practices to influence decades of research and policy.
His achievements include developing the pioneering, internationally recognised Savannah Burning Methodology – contributing to about 10 per cent of Australia’s carbon farming greenhouse gas reductions.
Dr Yibarbuk was involved with setting up one of Australia’s first Aboriginal ranger groups, Djelk Rangers in Maningrida, as well as establishing the Manwurrk Rangers, Warddeken Land Management, Nawarddeken Academy, Karrkad Kanjdji Trust and Aboriginal Researcher Practitioners Network.
He has also collaborated with Indigenous groups across the globe, including in North and South America, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr Yibarbuk said he was sparked to action as a young man in the 1980s after spotting feral animals on his country for the first time, and seeing “elders with sadness in their eyes” when they looked at land, rock art, and sacred sites being disrespected.
“It has been a great journey, and I’m really proud of it,” Dr Yibarbuk said.
“None of these sorts of programs existed at the time that I started, there was empty country, people weren’t living there anymore.
“Now we’re back up there (on country), we have young people coming in and learning from us, they want to see the knowledge system, they want to train to do ranger work and land management.”
Dr Yibarbuk showed no signs of slowing down, calling for more to be done to control invasive weeds such as Gamba Grass: “I’m not settling yet”, he said.
Lois Nadjamerrek, former Warddeken Land Management director, said she was “really happy and so proud” of Dr Yibarbuk.
“For a long time he’s been putting Bininj (Aboriginal) and balanda (non-Indigenous) knowledge together; it’s very difficult,” she said.
“We’ve worked together sharing knowledge and ideas about land management on our country, we’ve learned a lot.”
Professor of Fire Ecology at CDU, Jeremy Russell-Smith, said Dr Yibarbuk was part of a “phenomenally successful” group focused on culture, getting people back on country, and growing business opportunities.
“What’s come out of this is an example of First Nations people taking the initiative, taking the responsibility for managing country, building a business, building autonomy, using their moneys wisely to invest in schools,” he said.
Professor Russell-Smith said he was involved with trying to launch similar projects in Africa, but it all stemmed from the Northern Territory example.
“These guys showed the way. There’s isn’t, globally, another situation like it.”
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