This report contains the name of someone who has passed away.
The late Maitland Parker remains a giant in his community and widely-respected Banjima Elder who dedicated his life to healing his home, 'poison Country' in the Pilbara.
A moving and brave telling of his final year, intimate family moments and continued fight to clean up Country - his Yurlu, in-language, was recognised with the Walkey Walkley Documentary Award last week.
Yurlu | Country is a legacy film.
Mr Parker passed from illness linked to the destruction of Banjima Country - mid-20th century mining of asbestos and three million tonnes of tailings left after the mining ceased.
Boyhood exposure resulted in Uncle Maitland growing ill with mesothelioma, alongside others, while access to his homeland later became and remains restricted.
Aboriginal people in Western Australia have the highest incidence of mesothelioma in the world, the film tells.
It's considered the largest contaminated site in the Southern Hemisphere.
Six decades have passed since the health of their country, and later their community, changed for what may be forever.
"We have to look at avenues to be able to bring that message across, because this happened in my Elders' generation, and then as a young person as Banjima, you sit there and you think, 'Well, our Elders didn't have a say, but now we have some kind of say'," Mr Parker's niece Johnnell told National Indigenous Times during early preview screenings in August.
"Uncle Maitland highlighted that country is sick and it is poisoned, and it's been poisoned for the last 60 years," she said.
Ms Parker is also a director on the board of Banjima Native Title Aboriginal Corporation.
Already a five-time Walkley winner previous to the latest honour, Yaara Bou Melhem directed Yurlu | Country, with support of crew, including Indigenous members of the team, Tom Banningan, and distributed by Illuminate Films.
The late Mr Parker is credited as co-writer and executive producer.
The documentary came out in front at the Walkleys in front of high quality finalists The Palestine Laboratory from Al Jazeera English and Black Leaf Films, and the ABC with Wild Pacific Media's The Kimberley.
Ms Bou Melhem told National Indigenous Times "it was clear Maitland and his Yurlu, his country, were one".
"Maitland's story was so powerful. Not only was he trying to clean up and heal the largest contaminated site in the southern hemisphere, but it mirrored his own struggle with mesothelioma, something that he developed as a result of exposure to his country," she said.
"We wanted to work with him, and he wanted to work with us to really honor his story, honor the fight, and try to get this cleaned up for the next generation."
On the Walkley recognition, Ms Bou Melhem said Mr Parker and his family "bravely brought us into their lives so that together, we could bring this largely 'out of sight, out of mind' issue into full view".
"Receiving a Walkley - the highest honour in Australian journalism is huge for propelling Banjima people's campaign to clean up Wittenoom on the national stage," she said.
Johnnell Parker, Mr Parker's wife Marjorie Hughes, and his daughters Coreen and Renira described their uncle, husband and father as a gentle and devoted family man.
Significant areas of Banjima Country and culturally significant signs remain inaccessible for Traditional Owners while sickness is a reality for many Elders and other community.
That fight "is just in its infancy", Ms Parker believes, with others to carry on with it.
"This story resonates with all Traditions Owners who have had family grow up there, who have been raised there, who have buried family there," Johnnell Parker said.
"For me, it's (Yurlu | Country') a story of love for his family, for his grandchildren, his daughters and his wife. Being able to share intimate moments and going through this journey with them, watching the film and bringing to support his message, is a full credit to them".
