Kathy Mills

Kathleen Mary Mills (née McGinness; 6 April 1936 – 24 April 2022), also known as Mooradoop and Aunty Kathy, was an Australian community leader, singer, Aboriginal elder and activist in the Northern Territory of Australia. She had a large family, all musical, with several of her daughters being well known as the Mills Sisters.

Early life Kathleen Mary McGinness, (NLA interview summary currently (30 April 2022) says "Kathleen Irene McGinness", but she says "Kathleen Mary McGinness" clearly in the recording.) was born on 6 April 1936 in Katherine in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Her paternal grandparents were Stephen McGinness, an Irish seaman from Dublin (about whom she wrote a poem), and prominent elder Lucy McGinness, Alngindabu, whose children included several leaders and activists. ), activist and the Northern Territory's and Australia's first elected Aboriginal union leader in 1955, holding the position of NAWU president over three stints until 1963, was Kathy's father.

Career Mills became a strong advocate for services addressing alcohol policy and alcoholism and was a key figure in the establishment of the FORWAARD alcohol rehabilitation centre in Darwin in 1967.

Mills was the first woman to be elected to the Northern Land Council, and was involved in the establishment of Batchelor College (later Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education).

Her debut anthology of poetry, entitled Mookanunganuk : Selected poems by Mooradoop Kathy Mills, was published in 2020.

A theatrical work, Jarradah Gooragulli – Dance of the Brolgas , co-written with Jada Alberts and described as a blend of "storytelling, dance, music, language, cinematography, and song to tell a creation story alongside the story of two lovers" was being staged at Brown's Mart Theatre in Darwin from 17 to 28 May 2022, at the time of her death.

2005: Inducted into Northern Territory Indigenous Music Awards Hall of Fame (with husband David)

2006: NT Senior Australian of the Year

2019: Order of Australia Medal for service to the Indigenous community

16 March 2022: Honorary Doctorate by Batchelor Institute, "in recognition of her exceptional contributions to the wellbeing of First Nations peoples throughout her life"

Family and music Mills was married to David The whole family was musical. Parents Kathy and David were both accomplished singer/songwriters and musicians. The children include: Allyson (Ali), the main singer in the family;

A 26-minute documentary film about Mills and her family, entitled Arafura Pearl, was made by Indigenous filmmaker Steven McGregor and released in 2003 by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as part of their "Message Stick" series. It is available for purchase at ABC Commercial.

Mills also features in Blown Away (2014), a documentary film directed by Danielle MacLean about Cyclone Tracy, which caused extensive damage to Darwin in 1974. The film shows previously unrecorded responses by Indigenous Darwinians to the disaster, and Mills relates how she and her family survived by cramming into a tiny storeroom underneath their house. Her son "Arafura Pearl" also features in the film.

Death and legacy Mills died on 24 April 2022.

Mills was renowned for her memory, for both songs and historical and cultural information, which could then be passed down, and she worked hard to contribute to the community of Darwin and Aboriginal people everywhere.

Arafura Pearl: A Festival of Women was established in 2020 by Tracey Bunn, as "a celebration of women in Darwin". She chose to name the festival after the song because of its connection with Darwin, and because of the Mills family consisting of many strong women. Kathy's daughter June Mills opened the inaugural edition of the festival in September 2020. Footnotes