Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil, who passed away in November, was an iconic figure in Australian cinema, with performances in several key films. Born into the Aboriginal Yolngu tribe in Arnhem Land in northern Australia, Gulpilil developed his skill as a ceremonial dancer, a specific talent that attracted the attention of Nicolas Roeg, who in 1969 was scouting locations for a new film. Roeg gave the 16-year-old his first acting role in Walkabout.

His performance was unusual at the time because, other than documentaries, Aboriginal roles had previously been played by non-Aboriginal actors, even ones performing in blackface. Gulpilil’s emergence in the mainstream corresponded with a “new wave” of Australian film that included The Last Wave, Rabbit-Proof Fence and Crocodile Dundee, along with many other films.

“Acting came natural to me,” Gulpilil once said. ”I know how to walk across the land in front of the camera, because I belong there.” The rangy elegance of his frame was matched by mesmerizing movements and a natural charisma that often incorporated a mischievous sense of humor.

David Gulpilil’s profile as a public figure took him around the world and provoked personal periods of depression and substance abuse. But he fought his demons by consistently returning to his roots as a dancer, musician and storyteller, continuing to enhance the profile of his culture.

In his review of The Tracker in The New York Times, critic Stephen Holden wrote: “Mr. Gulpilil has the mystical aura of a man so profoundly in touch with the earth that he is omniscient and safe from harm.”