Can this world get any crueler. We have lost another of our own and the world is a little less colourful for not having Uncle in it.
Actor, author and revered Victorian Aboriginal elder Uncle Jack Charles has died aged 79. NOTE: This story uses Uncle Jack Charles's name and image with the permission of his family. (Taken from ABC)
In a statement, his publicist said the Boon Wurrung, Dja Dja Wurrung, Woiwurrung and Yorta Yorta man, who also had links to several other clans across south-eastern Australia, passed away peacefully this morning at the Royal Melbourne Hospital after suffering a stroke. In a career spanning several decades, the Stolen Generations survivor used his creative platforms to share painful and personal truths about the brutal impact of government policies on his community.
He also worked with the late Uncle Archie Roach to support Indigenous prisoners. Uncle Jack remained highly active into his later years, starring in ABC TV series Cleverman and appearing in SBS's Who Do You Think You Are? program last year, where he discovered the identity of his father and his family's ties to more Aboriginal nations across Victoria and Tasmania. We will post more later on about the life of Uncle Jack, but for now, we are sending our love to his family, friends, colleagues and his many, many fans the world over. RIP Uncle