Murrungun man, actor, singer, songwriter and larger-than-life cultural icon Balang T Lewis died suddenly overnight.

Lewis, 59, was rushed to Katherine hospital. His family issued a statement on Friday morning: “It is with tremendous sadness that we confirm the sudden passing of TE Lewis late last night at his home in Katherine, Northern Territory.

“Mr Lewis will be forever remembered for his compelling and enduring work on stage and screen over 40 years, as a renowned musician, and as the driving force and vision behind Djilpin Arts with his partner and his extended family of Beswick and Arnhem Land communities. He will be greatly missed.

“The family of Mr Lewis ask for privacy during this time. However, in recognition of his extraordinary public life, they have agreed to the use of his image and voice.”

Lewis shot to fame at a young age playing the handsome, compelling lead in Fred Schepisi’s 1978 film The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, and appeared in dozens of Australian films and series over his long career, including the miniseries A Town Like Alice (1981) and We of the Never Never (1985). He also appeared in John Hillcoat’s The Proposition (2005) and more recently as Tommy in Ivan Sen’s 2016 thriller, Goldstone.

Lewis had previously worked with Ivan Sen on his powerful personal documentary, Yella Fella, where he explored the emotional cost of growing up as the child of a Welsh father and an Aboriginal mother, born on his beloved Roper River at Ngukurr, west of Katherine.



On stage, he had most recently received rave reviews as an Aboriginal “mad King Lear” in the Darwin Theatre company production The Shadow King.

He was an accomplished songwriter and musician, releasing two solo albums, and helped establish Djilpin Arts, which Lewis always said was designed to bring “healing medicine” to all people, sharing culture through stories, dance and song.