Brian Tucker

Banjima/Nyiyaparli Elder
Central Pilbara Region, WA

Banyjima/Nyiyaparli Elder, Brian Tucker admits it’s not easy becoming an elder as learning and earning respect takes time. Becoming heirs to the accumulated knowledge of our ancestors is, he believes, a gradual process that can’t be hurried.

He describes knowledge as a fire that needs to keep burning so culture can live on. Brian also insists knowledge is not for us to keep, it must be shared and passed on.

Recognising the crucial yet complex relationship between language and culture, he wants people to understand that when language disappears, culture is lost. Preservation of language, stories and song for future generations is his life’s mission.

While he spent his early years as a stockman, today he is the founder of a successful 100% Aboriginal-owned mining services company. Now running for over two decades, it was conceived with the aim of getting family back on country and creating self-sustaining communities.

His visionary leadership has been integral in creating opportunities for his people to return to and remain on country.

Artist: Russell James

Size: 152cm x 152cm

Medium: Canvas