We have not been posting on social media over the last few days. We hope you could sit with us and reflect on the life of our most respected Elder – an Elder for all people, revered so widely, Dr MK Turner OAM.

As NAIDOC Week wraps we want to honour her memory and celebrate those who come behind her. She will always be one of the most prominent leaders of the Arrernte Nation. Dr MK Turner OAM was an Arrernte Elder, professor, artist, writer, language speaker, teacher, mother, grandmother, family member and friend loved and known by many people. She was a visionary who knew her law and culture is where the people and the land will always find their peace and wellbeing – that the power to heal, to learn, and find solutions are held in language and land and of being that has been held by ancestors for time immemorial. We have lost an Elder but have another forever Ancestor.

The Turner and Neale families thank everyone for the wonderful messages of love and condolences at this time of sorry.

They await the return of their family members and will announce a date for the funeral in the near future.

Family have agreed that those images currently in the public space can continue and anything that is in the private space should remain private at this time.

They want people to know that she shared a day of magic and love on Tuesday, surrounded by family and friends at the NAIDOC week celebrations, for our Elders. 500 people came, to honour her and all Elders who are the lifeblood of country and family.

As we remain in sorry business, we know that she would want to celebrate her culture and the many wonderful celebrations that occurred during NAIDOC week. For the remainder of this week we will celebrate these events, remembering that she gave us all strength, she taught us all and in every celebration there is a part of her. You will also see posts for the incredible Dan Sultan & Fender guitar auction which began earlier last week and which we wish to honour at this time.

We hope you enjoy these posts and remember to take time to remember her, our Elders and all they give to us.

Our immense love to the Turner and Neale family and to those that knew MK. We have lost a great – irreplaceable, irrepressible, holder of love and law and culture – a spirit so generous that she empowered everyone in her presence – of all cultures.

She was and will remain our guiding light. She set the standards of humility, culture, giving, responsibility and care. Always a smile, a joy of spirit, a laugh, a beauty that shone deeply. A strict law woman who never sought power but held power. She showed respect to everyone. She shared so much with so many – always giving her time for others. She was a human rights champion who would always raise her voice.

We will forever hold her vision.