Rochford Street Review was saddened to learn of the death of poet and activist Lionel Fogarty. The following tribute was posted by The Yugambeh Nation (https://www.yugam.be/) on their social media feed. It is reproduced with permission. Please be aware that this article includes the name and images of an Aboriginal person who has died.
Vale Uncle Lionel Fogarty: A Mununjali Giant (1958 – 2026)
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Yugambeh Nation pauses in deep “Gijeri” (sorrow) to honour the life and legacy of a true legend of our Jagun (Country) who passed yesterday —Uncle Lionel Fogarty.
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A world-renowned Mununjali poet, a fierce activist, and a warrior for our people, Uncle Lionel was “proper famous” not just for his books, but for the fire he carried in his soul. Born at Barambah (Cherbourg) and always connected to the Beaudesert region, he didn’t just write poetry; he used the English language as a tool to dismantle the systems that tried to hold us down.
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Uncle Lionel was a pioneer of “guerrilla poetry.” He broke every rule of the coloniser’s language to make sure our Murri truth was heard loud and clear. From his tireless fight for justice regarding Deaths in Custody to his international literary acclaim, he remained a man of the grassroots.
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- Warrior: He carried the memory of his brother Daniel Yock and all our fallen kin in every verse.
- Poet: He showed the world that our Black words are sacred, raw, and revolutionary.
- Legend: He travelled the globe but his heart never left the scrub and the community.
“I am the language you couldn’t kill.”
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We walk taller today because Uncle Lionel paved the way. He showed us that being a Black man in this country means being a poet, a fighter, and a protector of culture all at once.
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Bawgal Wanyi (Thank you), Uncle. Your song remains in the wind, your fire lives in our hearts, and your words are our inheritance.
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Rest in Power. Rest in Peace.
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Rochford Street Review 