Oswald "Ossie" Cruse is an Australian activist and Aboriginal elder.
Cruse was born in 1933 in Orbost, Victoria. He became active in the area of Aboriginal rights after the 1967 Australian referendum, touring Africa with former prime minister Gough Whitlam and becoming a member of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples.
Cruse was created a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1977 Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours and a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2001 Australia Day Honours.
References
Further reading Quentin McDermott, Uncle Ossie Cruse: One of Australia's last 'great Aboriginal patriarchs', Australian Story, ABC News 2 Jul 2017 Member Profile: Ossie and “BJ” Cruse, 25 September 2015, New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council.
External links Ossie Cruse, Australian Story episode, 3 July 2017 ABC TV.