Robert Tudawali facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Tudawali
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Tudawali at Bagot Aboriginal Reserve, 1960
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Robert Tudawali
1929 Melville Island, Northern Territory, Australia
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| Died | 26 July 1967 (aged 37–38) Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
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| Resting place | Darwin Cemetery |
Robert Tudawali (1929 – 26 July 1967), also known as Bobby Wilson and Bob Wilson, was an Australian actor. He was also an Indigenous activist. He became famous for his main role in the 1955 Australian film Jedda. This made him the first Indigenous Australian film star. He was also the Vice-President of the Northern Territory Council for Aboriginal Rights.
The Tudawali Indigenous Film and Television Awards (Tudawali Awards) still celebrate amazing achievements by Indigenous people in the Australian film industry.
Contents
Early Life
Tudawali was born and grew up on Melville Island. This island is in the Northern Territory. His parents were from the Tiwi community.
He had a basic education in Darwin. Even so, Tudawali learned many English words. When he was young, he was a great Australian rules football player. He often moved between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. In the late 1930s, he used the name Bobby Wilson in Darwin. He got this name from his father's employer. Before acting, he worked for the Royal Australian Air Force. He also worked in an army store and as a waiter.
Actor and Activist
Robert Tudawali became the first Indigenous Australian film star. This happened after he played the main character, Marbuck, in the 1955 film Jedda. In 1958, he acted as Emu Foot in Dust in the Sun. This was a mystery film based on a book called Justin Bayard.
Using the name Bobby Wilson, he appeared in several episodes of the 1960 TV show Whiplash. He was also in the ABC television play Burst of Summer in 1961. Many people thought his role in Burst of Summer was very much like his real self.
Fighting for Rights
Tudawali was the Vice-President of the Northern Territory Council for Aboriginal Rights in 1966. He worked with other activists like Dexter Daniels and Brian Manning. He also worked with author Frank Hardy. They worked to show the unfair wages and conditions of Aboriginal stockmen in the Northern Territory. This led to the Wave Hill walk-off in 1966.
Tudawali had planned to give talks to workers' groups across Australia. These talks were to support the stockmen. However, the Northern Territory government stopped him from traveling. This was because he had tuberculosis at the time.
Later Life
Tudawali married Peggy Wogait in 1948. They lived at the Bagot Aboriginal Reserve. Later, he married another woman named Nancy.
He passed away on 26 July 1967, at Darwin Hospital. He died from tuberculosis and injuries. His funeral was held in Nightcliff, Northern Territory.
Film and TV Roles
- Jedda (1955) as Marbuck
- Dust in the Sun (1955) as Emu Foot
- Whiplash (1959–1960, Seven Network, TV series) as different characters like Kuanspa and Roonga
- TV play Burst of Summer (1961, ABC Television) as Don Reynolds. He flew from Darwin to Melbourne for this live TV show.
Legacy
In 1987, Steve Jodrell directed a TV movie called Tudawali. This movie was a docu-drama about Robert Tudawali's life. Ernie Dingo played Tudawali in the film.
Around 1993, the Media Resource Centre started a new award. It was for Indigenous film-making and was named the Tudawali Award.
Images for kids
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Tudawali at Bagot Aboriginal Reserve, 1960
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Tudawali in 1955
