03/25/2026
He doesn't speak English. He doesn't know his own age. But he flew 2,000 miles for her.
Gali Yalkarriwuy Gurruwiwi is an elder of the Galpu clan and a Yolngu Mala leader from Elcho Island in north-east Arnhem Land, one of the most remote communities in Australia. He doesn't know his exact age and speaks almost no English. But in 2015, he flew nearly 2,000 miles to be at his granddaughter Sasha's Year 10 graduation at Worawa Aboriginal College near Melbourne.
He wasn't just there to watch. His dream was to perform a traditional ceremonial dance with Sasha and her sister Alicia at the ceremony. Even though he felt unwell that morning, he danced. When asked how he felt, he touched his chest and said one word: proud.
Sasha, who speaks three Indigenous languages and grew up hunting and fishing on Elcho Island, said going to boarding school actually strengthened her connection to her culture. She plans to become a nurse and return to her community.
