Moses Tjalkabota

Moses Tjalkabota, also known as Moses Tjalkabota Uraikuria or Blind Moses (c.1869 - 6 July 1954) was a Western Arrernte man and Australian Aboriginal evangelist who was born at Laprapuntja (Ellery Creek), east of Hermannsburg (Ntaria).

In the course of his work he came to be known as "Central Australia's most gifted evangelist" and it is said that he was a master storyteller and he attracted large crowds when he preached. On Christmas Day in 1890, when his age was stated to be 12, he was baptised and chose the name Mose; this is the German form of Moses. It is believed that he was older than 12 for, as recorded by Paul Albrecht (the Superintendent of the Finke River Mission) as he held clear recollections of the Irpmankara massacre in around 1875; this is also known as the Massacre of Running Waters.

Without his father's permission Tjalkabota later returned to school and soon became a Christian. He said of this work:

A large part of Tjalkabota's message to other Aboriginal people was to place their trust in Jesus and give up their tjurunga and this message was oftentimes met with rejection. It is said that his catch-phrase was 'Churinga [tjurunga] or Christ?'.

From April 1932 he also assisted Ted Strehlow in his anthropological work;

On his death Paul Albrecht said of him:

His funeral was held at Hermannsburg and it is said that "most of the western group" of Arrernte people attended.

Resources about A biography of Tjalkabota was published by Peter Latz (botanist) in 2014:

Latz, P. K. (Peter Kenneth) (2014). Blind Moses : Moses Tjalkabota Uraiakuraia, Aranda man of high degree and Christian evangelist. Peter Latz, [Alice Springs, Northern Territory].