Lazarus Lamilami

Lazarus Lamilami or Merwulidji (c. 1908 to 1913 – 20 September 1977) was a Maung man and Methodist preacher who was born around 1908 to 1913 at Brogden Beach in Warruwi in western Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Life

Lamilami was the so of Nangurulur and his wife Ngalmajulwun who were a part of the Maung language group who's territory included the Goulburn Islands. He spent much of his early childhood travelling with his family between the mainland and the Goulburn Islands and were mostly semi-nomadic. The family moved permanently to the Goulburn Island Mission when it was established by the Methodist Missionary Society of Australasia in 1916. At the mission he attended the school established there but was also initiated as a Maung man.

In 1947 Lamilami married Ilidjili and this marriage did not take place in the church but in accordance with Maung customs; they had three children together Ruby (Nangurinyara), Ronald (Ilugilug) and Lloyd (Dabidjara). That same year Lamilami began working as a carpenter at the Golbourn Island Mission and was involved with missionary activities and, as a part of this, he went on a number of tours with the other missionaries based there and delivered talks about his people and his life at churches around Australia. These talks were well received and, on his return home, he became a visiting evangelist.

In 1964 the Methodist Missionary Society of Australasia transferred him to Croker Island where he fulfilled the dual roles or carpenter and preacher. The following year he was accepted as a candidate for ministry and was sent to study in Adelaide; he was ordained on 5 November 1966 and, in doing so, was the first ordained Minister; he then returned to Croker Island. In 1968 he was given an Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to the community.

He died on 21 September 1977 of septicaemia.