{{Short description|Australian Aboriginal activist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2015}} {{Infobox person | name = Clarrie Isaacs <br /><small>JP</small> | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date|1948|09|04|df=yes}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{Death date and age|2003|11|26|1948|09|04|df=yes}} | death_place = Dunsborough, Western Australia | body_discovered = | death_cause = | resting_place = Karrakatta Cemetery | resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --> | nationality = | citizenship = | other_names = Yaluritja<br />Ishak Mohamed | known_for = Activism | education = Perth Modern School | children = Graham Isaacs, Naomi Isaacs, Amber Lankester Isaacs}} '''Clarence Frederick "Clarrie" Isaacs''', also known as '''Yaluritja''' and '''Ishak Mohamad Haj''', (9 April 1948 &ndash; 26 November 2003) was an Aboriginal Australian activist.

==Life and career== Isaacs attended Perth Modern School, where he studied technical drawing. He later attended the Clyde Cameron College in Albury, a union-backed training centre.<ref name="west1">{{cite web | url=http://www.west.com.au/clarrie/ | title=YALURITJA CLARRIE ISAACS (Haj) J.P. | publisher=west.com.au | access-date=12 May 2010}}</ref> After converting to Islam Isaacs undertook a pilgrimage to Mecca, earning the right to use the honorific title Haj.<ref name="west1" />

In the early 1990s Isaacs was among a number of activists, including Michael Mansell, who formed the Aboriginal Provisional Government. At various times Isaacs styled himself as the President of the Aboriginal Government.<ref name="greenleft1">{{cite news | url=http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/28557 | title=Yaluritja Clarrie Isaacs – a lifetime of activism | work=Green Left Weekly | date=10 December 2003 | access-date=12 May 2010 | last=Benbow | first=Anthony}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.west.com.au/clarrie/pres.html | title=Media Statement for the 1996 Australian Federal Elections | publisher=west.com.au | work=Aboriginal Government of Australia | access-date=12 May 2010 | last=Isaacs | first=Clarrie}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/legcon_ctte/completed_inquiries/pre1996/native_title/03-1app2.pdf|title=Details of Meetings|work=Australian Senate|publisher=Parliament of Australia|pages=39|access-date=12 May 2010}}</ref> Isaacs, with other activists, travelled to Libya using Aboriginal passports issued by a group that later became known as the Aboriginal Provisional Government.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19880621&id=ADopAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9JYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5192,46886 | title=Libya backs black passports, say Mansell | work=The Age | date=21 June 1988 | access-date=12 May 2010 | last=Walker | first=Antony | via=Google News Archive}}</ref> Attempting to use the passports on their re-entry to Australia, they were initially refused entry to Australia by immigration officials.<ref name="greenleft1" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CDopAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9JYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4057,6639483|title=Mansell group held up in passport hitch|last=Frail|first=Rod|date=30 June 1988|work=The Age|access-date=28 May 2010}}</ref><ref name=messagestick1>{{Cite episode | title = Desperate Times | series = Message Stick | network = ABC Television | airdate = 14 May 2004 | transcript = yes | transcript-url=http://www.abc.net.au/tv/messagestick/stories/s1104740.htm }}</ref><ref name="prentis1">{{Cite book|last=Prentis|first=Malcolm D.|title=A Concise Companion to Aboriginal History |publisher=Rosenberg|year=2008|pages=17–18|isbn=978-1-877058-62-2}}</ref>

Isaacs was a prominent figure in protests against development of the Swan Brewery site in Perth during the late 1980s.<ref name="greenleft1" /> He was also prominent in efforts to return the pickled head of 19th century Noongar warrior Yagan from Britain.<ref name="muecke1">{{Cite book|last=Muecke|first=Stephen |title=Ancient & modern: time, culture and indigenous philosophy|year=2004|publisher=UNSW Press|location=Sydney|isbn=0-86840-786-0|pages=41, 42|chapter=Morning Coffee With Clarrie}}</ref>

In 1991 Isaacs was a founding member of the short-lived New Left Party, considered a successor of the Communist Party of Australia.<ref name="mcdonald1">{{Cite book|last1=McDonald|first1=Tom|last2=McDonald|first2=Audrey|title=Intimate union: sharing a revolutionary life |date=January 1998|publisher=Pluto Press Australia|isbn=1-86403-051-8|page=358}}</ref> In the 1993 Western Australian state election Isaacs stood for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Fremantle.<ref name="abcelection1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/wa/2009/fremantle/|title=2009 Fremantle By-election|work=ABC Elections|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=13 May 2010}}</ref> Isaacs stood as a candidate for Racism No! in the 1996 Western Australian state election for the Legislative Council in the South Metropolitan Region.<ref name="parliament1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/intranet/libpages.nsf/WebFiles/Publications+1996+WA+Election+AG/$FILE/1996+WA+Election.pdf|title=South Metropolitan Region|work=Western Australian State Election 1996|publisher=Parliament of Western Australia|access-date=12 May 2010}}</ref> At the 2001 Australian federal election Isaacs was a candidate for the Australian Senate, however he only received 260 votes.<ref name="aec1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/federal_elections/2001/results/SEN_WA.htm|title=Senate Results - First Preference Votes by Candidate - Western Australia|publisher=Australian Electoral Commission|access-date=12 May 2010}}</ref>

He was chairman of the Derbal Yerrigan Health Service and was a Western Australian delegate to the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.<ref name="naccho1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.naccho.org.au/Files/Documents/ACF11EF.pdf|title=Aboriginal health sector loses three great friends|date=February 2004|work=NACCHO News|publisher=National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation|page=7|access-date=13 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706125636/http://www.naccho.org.au/Files/Documents/ACF11EF.pdf|archive-date=6 July 2011}}</ref> Isaacs was a justice of the peace.<ref name="parliament2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Parliament/commit.nsf/(Report+Lookup+by+Com+ID)/E6ED8B9C75F43177482569050031AB24/$file/lg051rp.pdf|title=List of submissions received by the Committee|work=Standing Committee on Legislation|publisher=Parliament of Western Australia|access-date=13 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080731152723/http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/commit.nsf/(Report+Lookup+by+Com+ID)/E6ED8B9C75F43177482569050031AB24/$file/lg051rp.pdf|archive-date=31 July 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Isaacs died 26 November 2003 in Dunsborough, Western Australia. He was buried on 12 December 2003 at Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth.<ref name="abc1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2003/11/27/998910.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121231045516/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2003/11/27/998910.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 December 2012|title=Aboriginal activist Clarrie Isaacs dies|date=27 November 2003|work=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=12 May 2010}}</ref><ref name="dia1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.dia.wa.gov.au/News/Newsletter_Y_Archive_View.aspx?nid=58|title=Funeral for Indigenous activist|date=3 December 2003|publisher=Department of Indigenous Affairs|access-date=12 May 2010}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://portal.mcb.wa.gov.au/name-search/ns-detail/?id=c09e22d9-de1c-ec11-b6e7-00224814cbf0|title=Name Search|publisher=Metropolitan Cemeteries Board|access-date=2023-06-15}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Isaacs, Clarrie}} Category:1948 births Category:2003 deaths Category:Australian Indigenous rights activists Category:Burials at Karrakatta Cemetery Category:Trade unionists from Perth, Western Australia Category:People educated at Perth Modern School Category:Noongar people