Yalmay Yunupingu

Yalmay Yunupingu is a Yolŋu cultural leader, teacher, and linguist from north-east Arnhem Land, Northern Australia, and a respected voice for Indigenous land rights, cultural preservation, and ecological knowledge. She carries forward the traditions of the Yolŋu people, whose connection to Country spans tens of thousands of years.

For four decades, Yalmay guided teaching at Yirrkala Bilingual School — often called "the mother of the school" — pioneering a bilingual approach that strengthened young people's fluency in Yolŋu language and culture, from translating children's books into Yolŋu Matha to shaping generations of learners. In recognition of this lifelong contribution to education and cultural continuity, she was named 2024 Senior Australian of the Year.

Through storytelling, ceremony, traditional healing, and advocacy, she continues to protect Indigenous law, language, and cultural identity while sharing the profound ecological wisdom embedded within Yolŋu traditions. Her work bridges ancient knowledge and contemporary environmental stewardship.