“For his outstanding contribution to Aboriginal art and culture, his achievements as a custodian and craftsman of ceremonial instruments and boomerangs and for bringing the culture of the Kimberley to the wider community.”

Paul Sampi was born at Lombadina Misson, north-west of Broome in 1932. His Aboriginal name is Jangan Birra after the country between Barred Creek and Carnet Bay. He is the third youngest in a large family with eight brothers and four sisters. He grew up at a time when school-age children were separated from their parents.

“It was really hard. We would only see our parents on certain days at certain times. The rest of the time we stayed in dormitories while our parents lived in camp. We were reared up by the German priest. We couldn't practise our Law - it was against Catholic rules for us to go through the Law.”

It wasn't until the early 1960s that Aboriginal people were allowed to practice their Law on Catholic missions. Paul's father was the Lawman and told Paul at a young age that he would become a leader. As part of his heritage, Paul's father and people began to teach him to make and use boomerangs. His father died when he was thirteen years old, after which time he was raised by his mother and uncle. Paul Sampi went to Broome to be initiated into the Law at the age of fifteen and continued to craft ceremonial instruments.

Paul has now been making ceremonial boomerangs for the music and songman for over thirty years. The ceremonial boomerangs differ markedly from the ones used for hunting, sport or souvenirs. Each boomerang Paul creates differs according to the type of wood used, what it will be used for in the ceremony, and who will use it. His ceremonial instruments have now been sold in forty-five countries.

As a young man, Paul played a role throughout the hard hat pearling days, going out to sea working on the pearling luggers. He worked and mixed with Asian men through the assimilation period when Aboriginal people were forbidden to 'associate' with other races whilst on shore. He also was a young man when Broome was bombed by the Japanese and has interesting tales to tell about this time.

Paul Sampi now lives at One Arm Point. He is the leader for the Law for the Bardi people and also knows the Law for Nyikina and Yawuru. He is well known and respected throughout the west and east Kimberley as one of the bosses for the peninsular and has made numerous trips as a representative for his people throughout Australia and overseas.
”Setting up Law and Culture centres is really important - not only for elders but for the younger generation. It is important for all elders to teach the Law to the younger generations. Otherwise it is not worth calling yourself Aboriginal unless you know about the Law and practice that Law.”

Paul Sampi is an advocate for the protection of Aboriginal culture and travels extensively to foster a better understanding of Australia's Indigenous people. He travelled to Europe in 1979, the United States of America in 1996 and Japan in 1997 to protest the misrepresentation of Aboriginal people. 

Paul is a senior lawman who also "has a big place in the whole of the Kimberley" through his involvement in the Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre at Fitzroy Crossing. Since 1984 he has been involved with the centre and worked on the executive for many years. He has represented the centre nationally and state wide, often visiting museums. He and other Elders of the region have worked together to develop plans to preserve traditional culture. He carries much responsibility as a cultural leader in the region and with other Elders has worked to develop plans in order to preserve traditional customs, law and teaching.

There is no doubt that Paul is a Western Australian who, as a Bardi man, has lived through a myriad of experiences and some very bleak periods of history. Despite this, he does not carry any grudges or negative feelings towards those who have oppressed his people.

Paul and his wife Jessie (nee Wiggan) have eight children, twenty- eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Paul is a humble cultural custodian who puts his family, culture, people and homelands at the centre of his life.

He speaks from the heart, sharing and fostering an understanding of Aboriginal law and culture among people all over the world. He says, "Speak with your heart because people understand you better and they know you are a true leader." Through his way of being, Paul Sampi demonstrates that traditional culture is very much a part of contemporary life.

Reference; Yirra: land, law and language-strong and alive, Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre (KALACC), 1996. ibid. Mark Bin Bakar, February 1999.