John Kundereri Moriarty

Moriarty was born around 1938[1] in Borroloola in the Northern Territory of Australia, to a tribal Aboriginal woman, who spoke seven Aboriginal languages, and an Irishman from County Kerry. As such he was classified as half-caste. The policy at that time was generally to remove "half-caste" children from "full-blood" mothers. He was removed from his mother at four years of age, making him part of the Stolen Generation,[2][3] and did not see his mother for another 10 years.[4]

Up until that age, he spoke only the Yanyuwa language. His Aboriginal name is Jumbana and his ceremonial name is Kundareri. He explained that Kundareri is a formal name, linking him to culture and sacred and other ceremonies, while Jumbana is more informal, like a given name, which is allocated by the older people in the community and sometimes called a "bush name".[3] He was placed in a home for Aboriginal children at Mulgoa in the west of Sydney, and a few years later, in 1949, was moved to St Francis House in Adelaide,[2] where he met Gordon Briscoe, Charlie Perkins, Malcolm Cooper, and others would later become Indigenous activists.[4][3] It was also at St Francis where he started playing football. His talent was recognised, and as it became his passion, he was given a pair of football boots and a new goal in life.[5]

Moriarty was a foundation member of South Australia's Aborigines' Progress Association in 1964, becoming vice-president of the organisation, which fought for land rights and established the groundwork for an Aboriginal legal service (now referred to as an ATSILS, a specialised community legal centre).[4]

Moriarty played association football (soccer) for South Australian First Division teams Port Thistle and Adelaide Juventus before playing for Adelaide Croatia, alongside St Francis House schoolmates Perkins (also his cousin) and Briscoe.[2][4][6][8]

In 1960 he was selected to play his first game for the state, which meant travelling to Western Australia. In order for him to be allowed to travel out of the state, the South Australian Soccer Federation had to get permission from the Protector of Aborigines[4] (Clarence Edmund Bartlett,[9] who also wrote a book about Point McLeay mission[10]). Also in 1960, Moriarty was the first recognised Indigenous Australian to be selected for a national soccer team.[5] He was selected to play in an Australian national team tour to Hong Kong, but the tour was cancelled after Australia's expulsion from FIFA.[2]

Moriarty's career ended after a collision with a goalkeeper, after he had represented the state of South Australia 17 times. After retiring, Moriarty served on the board of Adelaide Juventus (later Adelaide City).[2]

In 1983 Moriarty founded the Jumbana Group in Adelaide, with the Balarinji brand being the most prominent component.[3]

In 1994 Moriarty was commissioned by the Australian national airline, Qantas, to design artwork for a Boeing 747-400 aeroplane. The finished result was the "Wunala Dreaming", which was first displayed on (VH-OJB[19]), then on (VH-OEJ[20]).[21] This was "the largest piece of movable Aboriginal art".[4] A second aeroplane, a Boeing 747-300, was painted in 1995 and is known as "Nalanji Dreaming" (VH-EBU[22]).[21] He was also responsible for repainting two NR class locomotive to Indigenous livery.[23]

Prior to founding Balarinji, John was a public servant in various departments of Aboriginal Affairs, both state and federal.

Between 1994 and 2004 Moriarty served on the board of Indigenous Business Australia.[24]

In 2000, he wrote an autobiography, Saltwater Fella, published by Viking Press.[25]

He and his cousin Charlie Perkins were interviewed by Australian journalist John Pilger in his 2002 book The New Rulers of the World.

• 1992 – South Australian Aboriginal Businessman of the Year
• 1997 – Honorary Doctorate of the University – University of South Australia[26]
• 2000 – Member of the Order of Australia[27]
• 2001 – Flinders University Convocation Medal[28]

• ? – Advance Australia Award for service to industry and commerce