Ernie Dingo

For enquiries regarding Ernie Dingo please contact Sue Muggleton via email or on (02) 9319 7744.

Ernie Dingo was born on the 31st July, 1956 on Bullardoo Station in Western Australia.  Bullardoo is a sheep station near the Murchison River.

Ernie is Wadjarri/Yamatji.  Wadjarri is his tongue, his language which he still speaks and Yamitji is his people/nation.  He is a ‘fresh water’ man from fresh water country.  Ernie got his surname Dingo from his grandfather Dingo Jim, who was a dogger, a dingo trapper.  On his death in 1948, Dingo Jim’s name was changed by white authorities to Jim Dingo.  So the Dingo surname only came into being in 1948.

Ernie’s tribal name in ‘OONDAMOOROO’.  OONDA means shield, and MOOROO the particular carvings/pattern on the shield.

He became a performer when the basketball team he played with became a dance troupe called Middar.  From there he was offered his first acting role a co-lead actor, playing ‘Yagan’ in the Jack Davis play ‘Kullark’ in 1979.

Since then, he has worked nationally and internationally in television, film and theatre.