Famous actor and musician Balang T. E. Lewis honoured in Katherine mural

The mural, on the main street of Katherine, is a replica of a black and white photograph taken by a family member in the small, remote community of Beswick, just over 100km from Katherine.

The Murrungun man who was born and raised in Ngkurr might be known across the world for his trailblazing acting career, but in Katherine he is better remembered as the musician with an important message.

Those who knew him best say he wanted to "raise Indigenous stories from the dust, so everyone can better understand Indigenous culture".

Mr Lewis was famously propelled into stardom after he was discovered in an airport while on a sport trip and offered the lead role in the 1978 film The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith.

He spent 20 years living in Melbourne carving out a career in acting and music before returning to the Northern Territory with his partner to establish the Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation and develop acclaimed events like the Walking with Spirits Festival.

"I remember Balang as a brave, brash, gentle and generous man, and he is an example of the amazing people who have come out of the Katherine region," Katherine Regional Arts executive officer Jacinta Mooney said.

A key player in shining a light on the famous figure, with the Chief Ministers Office, Mrs Mooney said the mural underlines the "incredible contribution he made, and the amazing work he did."

"I hope it will remind people of what is possible," she said.

"It is important to remember these people and make sure these stories are not lost, because they inspire and put faith into humanity."

The mural brings the small town's tally of rapidly evolving walls to almost 25, and is the second in a string of street art portraits telling the stories of people from Katherine and the region.

Late last year in November, a black and white portrait of an Alawa man, known as Neighbour - who saved the policeman who'd arrested him moments before from drowning in a river - was plastered high on Railway Terrace.

The mural was a tribute to a well-known story of bravery and was aimed at changing perceptions in a town with almost no other obvious markers to its rich history.

It was painted by Darwin street artist Jesse Bell, who has been forging ahead with Katherine's newest mural for the past 24 hours.

Working with Darwin artist David Collins, the pair from Proper Creative, say they are excited to be involved in preserving and highlighting role models on Katherine's walls.

"The 'Neighbour' mural was really received well, people were talking about it down south," Mr Collins said.

"Neighbour was of national hero status and Tommy was well known across the globe for his amazing work.

"This mural celebrates a man who achieved so much, he went through trauma and had a successful music and acting career.

"He was a real multi-dimensional guy."

Mr Lewis died suddenly from a heart attack on May 10, 2018.

A year after his death, Djilpin Arts hosted a series of concerts as a homage to its founding and artistic director Mr Lewis.

His vision was a "culturally safe place where everyone could come together to learn, share, exchange and enjoy," a Djilpin Arts spokesperson said before the first of three Beswick concerts.

Over the next year, many more tributes were held in Katherine and across Australia, including smoking ceremonies with Bunggul - an ancient custom which involves smoldering native plants, warding off bad spirits and releasing others.

Wherever he spent prominent time, dancers from Beswick have traced his footsteps, smoke in tow: his house in Katherine, the Melbourne cinema where his last film was screened and the Djilpin Arts centre, to name a few.

Mr Collins said the mural is a way to carry on the legacy of a larger-than-life character, who worked hard to preserve and share his culture.

"He is a reminder to everyone from Katherine, especially Indigenous people, that they can do amazing things, and for the people who don't know the history, hopefully they will be prompted to find out."

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