Thread by @TalkBlack_

Today is the start of a three month long coronial inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker, who was killed by a police officer in Yuendumu, Northern Territory.#JusticeForWalker

Kumanjayi was a beloved son, grandson, nephew and cousin who is missed by his family and community.

We'll be live tweeting at the inquest alongside Kumanjayi's families and communities.

The judge is talking the inquest through the account of what happened on the days leading up to Kumanjayi being shot.

Walpiri Elder from Yuendumu, Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves is now speaking

"Our Elders worked very very hard, and were enslaved since the very beginning. Our people have suffered. Most of us have seen and learnt what they have gone through, we still have those memories, the trauma. But we are strong in our culture. We are still here, strong."

"But the thing is that everything in our culture and system and our ways of dealing with problems we did it our way."

"Kumanjayi was someone very special. It is important to understand to have someone like him who is very special."

There was a loud bang of the gun. We had the children together to protect them. We later went to the police station to be there and to ask the question “is he alive”? There was no answer. The whole community was shattered. Completely terrified.”

Robin Japanangka Granites, another Senior Warlpiri Elder, is now speaking.

"We are here to speak the truth. We have always spoken the truth because all we have is our truth."

"We need to dig deep to let Australia know how a young Warlpiri man lost his life. This is why this inquest is so important. The pain we feel is real, and the past has led us here. For us to move forward, there cannot be another injustice."

"We know what’s best for Warlpiri people. We witnessed what happened to Kumanjayi, our parents and grandparents witnessed the last state sanctioned massacre of Aboriginal people in Australia."

"Let’s have the courage to answer these serious questions about how Kumanjayi passed. We have nothing to hide. All we have is our truth."

"For those of you who are here attending this Coronial Inquest, did you know who Kumanjayi Walker was? Kumanjayi was a quiet young man who his family loved, loved by his community, his people. But since the shooting, he has been blamed for his death."

"This Coronial Inquest, to Kardia (non-Indigenous peope), is another step towards understanding what happened. To us, Yapa (Indigenous people), this is also our life."

"What happened at Yuendumu on the 9th of November, 2019, traumatised our people by seeing a young 19 yr old family member shot down by a police officer in his own home, in front of his family, in his community, and captured on camera for the world to see."

"You would never be able to understand the feeling of hopelessness, fear and hurt that we carry because of this injustice, where a young man has lost his life."

"We fight for Kumanjayi and we will never stop fighting for justice, not only because of our love for Kumanjayi, but for the young people in our communities who deserve to live a life free of fear. No one deserves to die this way, and Australia cannot allow this to happen again."

"The shooting is caught on camera for the world to see, but this Police officer has walked away free from the hands of Australia’s justice system. It’s been 3yrs, but it feels as though it only happened yesterday."

"We won’t see Kumanjayi again in this lifetime, but what has this policeman lost? Some media labelled him a ‘hero’ while calling Kumanjayi a criminal. Just months after his acquittal, the policeman returned to the Northern Territory police force. For yapa, this is not fair."

"Parumpurru, in our language, means Justice. The Parrumpurru committee comprises of Elders, Kumanjayi’s family members, and Community. We represent our people, and we represent Kumanjayi Walker."

"This cannot be a moment in time for the paper to be left unread. Recommendations cannot be ignored. This is about change. For this change to happen, we need to be part of the outcomes. We need to lead them. For we know what’s best for our communities and our people."

"This is Arrernte country, we are all guests here on their land. What we need, and what we want, is for the Coroner to come out and sit with Warlpiri Elders and talk to us; we invite you to the Tanami desert, in Warlpiri country to be part of our culture and lore."

Coroner Armitage welcomed the invitation and made a commitment to arrange a visit, to which Uncle Robin urged they do so sooner rather than later.

Samara Fernandez‐Brown, Warlpiri woman from Yuendumu and Kumanjayi Walker's cousin is now speaking.

"I would like to acknowledge my people, the Warlpiri people for their undeniable strength and love. I extend that acknowledgement to all Indigenous peoples."

"I would also like to send my condolences and my love to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have had their hearts broken by family loss the same way we have. Finally, I would like to acknowledge Kumanjayi. You are deeply missed."

"On the night of the 9th Nov I was in Yuendumu, I was amongst all of my family and community when Kumanjayi was shot, and I was there the morning we found out he had died. The wails of my families cries still haunt me."

"The pain, and most importantly the fear. In the dark we waited, pleaded for answers, begged for the smallest of information. We got nothing."

"Kumanjayi died in Yuendumu that night. He was 19. I’d imagine he was in pain. He was scared and he was robbed of comfort. His family gathered 1m away from him, yet we were robbed of the opportunity to say goodbye. I can’t imagine any circumstance where this is excusable."

"You would think this was the worst of it, but we continue to suffer. We have had to watch as Kumanjayi gets picked apart and ridiculed by those who didn’t know him."

"As a community all we have only ever sought was justice. #justiceforwalker. Through our heartbreak we have complied, we have been respectful, and we have stayed graceful. Yet, we suffer."

"Kumanjayi is gone. He cannot be brought back. This is something we are learning to live with. The trauma of losing him is still something we are trying to live with. The ways our lives have been impacted is unimaginable."

"You cannot begin to understand how deeply his loss sits in our bodies, how it tears our spirits apart and how it will stain our country for generations to come.
So, we ask you, give us the truth. Not a sample of the truth- but the whole truth. Let our minds be free of wonder."

"Work with us, work for us, to ensure no other family experiences what we have. We are past the point of asking for change. We have an opportunity before us to action change, to forge a better way. We have an obligation. A responsibility."

"Listen to our truth, not just what you want to hear, and not just those parts that are palatable. Open your minds and hearts to us, feel our loss, and feel the urgency that we feel to change the conditions of this country."

Members of the Brown, Lane, and Walker families spoke, supporting Uncle Ned, Samara, and Robin in their opening comments.

The inquest also heard briefly from members of NT Police Association and NT Health.

The inquest now hears about the 2 laws at play in this case:

Valda Napurrula Shannon Wandaparri is a Walpiri Warumungu woman who will be an interpreter for the inquest.