The state funeral will honour Professor Buckskin’s life and contribution in advancing the rights and educational outcomes to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia and internationally.

Members of the public are welcome to attend and pay their respects. Please register to attend.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the funeral service may contain images and references to people who have died.

In lieu of flowers, the family has kindly requested consideration for people and organisations wishing to honour Professor Buckskin to donate to White Ribbon Australia and Cancer Council South Australia.

Watch the livestream

If you are unable to attend, the funeral will be livestreamed and available to watch from 10:30am ACST on Friday 12 June 2026.

The event will also be streamed on the SA Government Facebook page.

About Professor Peter Buckskin AM PSM

A proud Narungga man from Guuranda (Yorke Peninsula), Professor Buckskin was one of Australia’s most influential Aboriginal education leaders, with a career spanning more than four decades.

His work shaped policy, strengthened institutions, and advanced the rights and educational outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia and internationally.

Beginning his career as a teacher, Professor Buckskin held senior executive roles in both state and federal government, served as a ministerial adviser, and led major reforms in Indigenous education. He was the inaugural Chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC), the national peak body for Indigenous education, that advises government across the education sector from early childhood to higher education.

Professor Buckskin’s academic leadership included serving as Dean of the University of South Australia’s David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research, where he championed culturally grounded teacher education and Indigenous research excellence.

He has also chaired the South Australian Aboriginal Training and Employment Consultative Committee (SAATECC), driving systemic change in training and employment pathways.

Professor Buckskin represented Australia in international forums including UNESCO and the Working Group of Experts to the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, contributing to policy frameworks that recognise and protect Indigenous rights worldwide.

He was an international representative of World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education (WIPCE) and was instrumental in bringing WIPCE to Adelaide in September 2022, where he was on the Organising Committee.

Professor Buckskin’s leadership has been recognised through numerous honours, including:

• Public Service Medal (PSM) for outstanding public service (2001)
• Frank G. Klassen Award for leadership in teacher education (2001)
• National Deadly Award for Outstanding Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education (2002 and 2005)
• Fellowship of the Australian College of Educators (2007)
• Inaugural Board Member of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples (2010).

Professor Buckskin’s legacy is defined by his unwavering commitment to educational justice, cultural integrity, and the empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.