Stephen "Baamba" Albert (1950 – 13 November 2019) was an Indigenous

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal ...

actor and singer. He starred in the musicals ''

Bran Nue Dae __NOTOC__ ''Bran Nue Dae'' is a 1990 musical set in Broome, Western Australia, that tells stories and of issues relating to Indigenous Australians. It was written by Jimmy Chi and his band Kuckles and friends, and was the first Aboriginal Austra ...

'' and ''

Corrugation Road ''Corrugation Road'' is an Australian musical set in a mental hospital, about an Aboriginal schizophrenic patient. It was written by Jimmy Chi, his band Kuckles and friends, the creators of '' Bran Nue Dae''. It is based on Chi's own experienc ...

''. ABC TV,

George Negus Tonight ''George Negus Tonight'' (formerly titled ''Dimensions'') was an Australian current affairs Current affairs may refer to: News * Current Affairs (magazine), ''Current Affairs'' (magazine) a bimonthly magazine of culture and politics. * Current ...

br>Interview With Stephen ‘Baamba’ Albert, 11/08/2003
/ref> Albert was born in the Western Australian town of

Broome __NOTOC__ Broome may refer to: Places Australia *Broome, Western Australia **Broome International Airport **Broome Tramway **Roman Catholic Diocese of Broome **Shire of Broome **Attack on Broome during World War II United Kingdom *Broome Park, Ke ...

. He grew up with his mother, a Bardi woman, and his stepfather, a Japanese man who had worked in Broome's pearling industry. He was influenced by members of his extended family who had learnt orchestral instruments at the

leprosarium A leper colony, also known by many other names, is an isolated community for the quarantining and treatment of lepers, people suffering from leprosy. ''M. leprae'', the bacterium responsible for leprosy, is believed to have spread from East Afr ...

near

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gain ...

. Initially taking up training as an apprentice diesel mechanic, his professional musical career began in 1968 with the band Broome Beats, which fused Indigenous, Asian, and European musical influences.2009 WA Citizen of the Year Award Finalists
/ref> His performance career included working for

Jimmy Chi James Ronald Chi (1948 – 26 June 2017) was an Australian composer, musician and playwright. His best known work is the 1990 musical '' Bran Nue Dae'' which was adapted for film in 2009. Early life Chi was born in Broome, Western Australia in ...

in ''

'' and ''

'', as the sidekick for

Mary G Mark Bin Bakar is an Indigenous Australian musician, comedian and radio announcer, writer, director/producer as well as an indigenous rights campaigner based in Broome, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. He is best known for his r ...

, Sydney Morning Heraldbr>Snap, cackle and pop
by Katrina Lobley, May 28, 2005 appeared in the SBS drama series '' The Circuit''WA Toda
Broome and the Kimberley become the latest movie set
/ref> and presented the ''

Bobtales ''Bobtales'' is an Australian animated series of aboriginal dreamtime stories produced in Perth, Western Australia in 1997 and aired in 1998. Thirteen 5-minute episodes were produced by independent film company Gripping Film and Graphics and t ...

'' TV series. Albert was also the first chairman of the National Aboriginal Education Committee and was the director of Goolarri Media. Albert was part of the local community who formed the Broome Aboriginal Media Association who own the Goolarri Media Enterprises. Goolarri Media operate two TV stations and one radio station broadcasting from Broome in the Kimberley region. He died at a Perth hospital on 13 November 2019, aged 69.

References

External links

Australian Film Commission
Stephen "Baamba" Albert

Stephen "Baamba" Albert
Short Biography
Stephen "Baamba" Albert
Baamba's 2015 album Baad
{{DEFAULTSORT:Albert, Stephen 1950 births 2019 deaths Australian male singers Indigenous Australian musicians Indigenous Australian male actors People from Broome, Western Australia