Yami Lester
Encyclopedia
Yami Lester is a Yankunytjatjara man, an Indigenous
person of northern South Australia
.
In the 1950s, while still a young boy, he was blinded by a "black mist" from the south.
After the mist passed, his family's camp experienced sudden deaths, outbreaks of skin rashes, vomiting
, diarrhoea and temporary and permanent blindness
. It is generally accepted that this black mist was fallout
from British nuclear tests at Maralinga
and Emu Junction which were taking place at that time.
As a young man, he joined the Aboriginal Advancement League in Adelaide
, however, he wanted to take more direct action, in the manner of Charles Perkins, probably the most prominent Indigenous activist at that time.
He began work for the United Mission, in Alice Springs, as a welfare worker and interpreter for the courts. He later became involved in the Institute of Aboriginal Development which was concerned with Aboriginal education and language
. Yami took a great interest in cross-cultural issues and programs.
After a position administering business affairs for the Mimili community, Yami worked with the Pitjantjatjara Land Council on Aboriginal lands rights
issues with the South Australian Government
. He worked as an organiser and interpreter assisting the handover of freehold title
to the Anangu
people in 1981, which came about as a result of the Pitjantjatjara Land Rights Act, (SA).
His most significant contribution to the rights of Aboriginal people was helping gain recognition for the atomic tests at Maralinga and an acklowledgement for the Aboriginal people who had been affected.
His actions helped lead to the McClelland Royal Commission
in 1985, which found significant radiation hazards still existed at the Maralinga test sites. Recommendations included group compensation for the Maralinga Tjarutja
people and an extensive, long-term clean up operation to restore the land.
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
person of northern South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.
In the 1950s, while still a young boy, he was blinded by a "black mist" from the south.
After the mist passed, his family's camp experienced sudden deaths, outbreaks of skin rashes, vomiting
Vomiting
Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose...
, diarrhoea and temporary and permanent blindness
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
. It is generally accepted that this black mist was fallout
Nuclear fallout
Fallout is the residual radioactive material propelled into the upper atmosphere following a nuclear blast, so called because it "falls out" of the sky after the explosion and shock wave have passed. It commonly refers to the radioactive dust and ash created when a nuclear weapon explodes...
from British nuclear tests at Maralinga
British nuclear tests at Maralinga
British nuclear tests at Maralinga occurred between 1955 and 1963 at the Maralinga site, part of the Woomera Prohibited Area, in South Australia. A total of seven major nuclear tests were performed, with approximate yields ranging from 1 to 27 kilotons of TNT equivalent...
and Emu Junction which were taking place at that time.
As a young man, he joined the Aboriginal Advancement League in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, however, he wanted to take more direct action, in the manner of Charles Perkins, probably the most prominent Indigenous activist at that time.
He began work for the United Mission, in Alice Springs, as a welfare worker and interpreter for the courts. He later became involved in the Institute of Aboriginal Development which was concerned with Aboriginal education and language
Australian Aboriginal languages
The Australian Aboriginal languages comprise several language families and isolates native to the Australian Aborigines of Australia and a few nearby islands, but by convention excluding the languages of Tasmania and the Torres Strait Islanders...
. Yami took a great interest in cross-cultural issues and programs.
After a position administering business affairs for the Mimili community, Yami worked with the Pitjantjatjara Land Council on Aboriginal lands rights
Native title
Native title is the Australian version of the common law doctrine of aboriginal title.Native title is "the recognition by Australian law that some Indigenous people have rights and interests to their land that come from their traditional laws and customs"...
issues with the South Australian Government
Government of South Australia
The form of the Government of South Australia is prescribed in its constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
. He worked as an organiser and interpreter assisting the handover of freehold title
Fee simple
In English law, a fee simple is an estate in land, a form of freehold ownership. It is the most common way that real estate is owned in common law countries, and is ordinarily the most complete ownership interest that can be had in real property short of allodial title, which is often reserved...
to the Anangu
Anangu
Anangu, more accurately "Aṉaŋu" or "Arnangu" is a word found in a number of eastern varieties of the Western Desert Language , an Australian Aboriginal language of the Pama–Nyungan family, spoken in the desert regions of western and central Australia. Before the arrival of non-Aboriginal people in...
people in 1981, which came about as a result of the Pitjantjatjara Land Rights Act, (SA).
His most significant contribution to the rights of Aboriginal people was helping gain recognition for the atomic tests at Maralinga and an acklowledgement for the Aboriginal people who had been affected.
His actions helped lead to the McClelland Royal Commission
McClelland Royal Commission
The McClelland Royal Commission or Royal Commission into British nuclear tests in Australia was an inquiry by the Australian government in 1984-1985 to investigate the conduct of the British in its use, with the then Australian government's permission, of Australian territory and soldiers for...
in 1985, which found significant radiation hazards still existed at the Maralinga test sites. Recommendations included group compensation for the Maralinga Tjarutja
Maralinga Tjarutja
The Maralinga Tjarutja are the Indigenous Australian people who traditionally inhabit the remote western areas of South Australia. They are a Southern Pitjantjatjara people.The lands of the Maralinga Tjarutja bear their own name...
people and an extensive, long-term clean up operation to restore the land.
External links
- South Australian Government http://www.aboriginaleducation.sa.edu.au/pages/Learners/Yami_Lester/
- Silence and speech: remembering South Australia’s nuclear history http://www.iratiwanti.org/print.php3?page=silence
- Lester, Yami, Yami: The Autobiography of Yami Lester, (Alice Springs, Jukurrpa Books, 2000, ISBN 1-86465-025-7