David Dhalatnghu Gulpilil (1 July 1953 – 29 November 2021), known professionally as David Gulpilil and posthumously (at his family's request, to avoid naming the dead) as David Dalaithngu for three days, was an Indigenous Australian actor and dancer, known for the films Walkabout, Storm Boy, Crocodile Dundee, Rabbit-Proof Fence and The Tracker. He was one of the Yolngu people and was raised in a traditional lifestyle in Arnhem Land, in northern Australia, and was a skilled dancer as a young man when British director Nicolas Roeg recognised his talent. He also made several appearances on stage. He was honoured with numerous awards for individual films and for lifetime achievement, and also published books and artworks. Early life and education Gulpilil was probably born in 1953, although he stated in the 2021 documentary about his life, My Name is Gulpilil, that he did not know how old he was. Local missionaries recorded his birth on 1 July 1953, based on "guesswork". He was a man of the Mandjalpingu (Djilba) clan of the Yolngu people, who are an Aboriginal people of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. As a young boy, Gulpilil was an accomplished hunter, tracker, and ceremonial dancer. Gulpilil spent his childhood in the bush, outside the range of non-Aboriginal influences and did not set eyes on a white man until he was 8 years old. He received a traditional upbringing in the care of his family, until the death of his parents, after which he attended the school at Maningrida in North East Arnhem Land, where he was assigned the name "David". When he came of age, Gulpilil was initiated into the Mandhalpuyngu tribal group. His skin group totemic animal was the kingfisher (the meaning of the name Gulpilil) and his homeland was Marwuyu. After appearing in his first film, Walkabout (1971), Gulipilil became fluent in English, adding to his linguistic ability in several Aboriginal languages. Career Film and television In 1969, Gulpilil's skill as a tribal dancer caught the attention of British filmmaker Nicolas Roeg, who had come to Maningrida scouting locations for a forthcoming film. Roeg promptly cast the 16-year-old unknown to play a principal role in his internationally acclaimed motion picture Walkabout, released in 1971. Before this, any portrayal of an Aboriginal character in Australia had been played by a white actor in blackface. This was also groundbreaking, as it was the first