WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story includes the name and image of an Indigenous person who has passed away.
This article may be distressing to some readers.
At the entrance to the Old Timers / Ilyperenye Town Camp, Kumanjayi Little Baby's immediate family — including her big brother — paid a special tribute more than a week after she disappeared.
They returned to where she was last seen alive.
NITV and SBS were invited by family to capture the moment, their emotions still incredibly raw and gut-wrenching to witness.
Ceremonies across the Northern Territory this week have paid tribute to the five-year-old girl who was allegedly murdered after she disappeared on 25 April.
Kumanjayi Little Baby's body was found on Thursday last week, five kilometres from where she went missing.
47-year-old Jefferson Lewis has been charged with her murder and two other offences that cannot be published for legal reasons.
He will face court in Alice Springs via video link on Tuesday, while remaining in police custody in Darwin.
In a rare move by NT courts, the proceedings will be live-streamed, due to the high level of public interest.
Alice Springs Mayor Asta Hill said the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) has been inundated with donations for Kumanjayi Little Baby’s family and to support her funeral.
An official vigil will be held in Alice Springs — and in most capital cities across the country — on Thursday evening.
“This is a community that deeply loves and cares for one another and stands together, and I just wish more of that story was being told in the coverage," Hill said.
"We’re here for Kumanjayi Little Baby’s family, we stand with them, we feel utterly heartbroken for them."
Crowds at Monday's Bangtail Muster festival, an annual parade through the streets of Alice Springs, donned her favourite colour, pink.
Asta Hill said the planned event went ahead at the wishes of Kumanjayi's family.
"This is a community that deeply loves and cares for one another, we're here for Kumanjayi Little Baby's family, we stand with them," Asta Hill said.
Hill says a lot of the news coverage nationwide has "distorted the reality" in Central Australia.
"The reality here is that we've actually seen the best of our community in the worst of times. This community has come together, we've stood shoulder to shoulder," she said.
Lorraine Liddle attended the parade to watch her grandchildren take part.
She said it was "great" community could come together after a "really hard week".
"There is an enormous community spirit here, this is a great town, things do happen that aren’t good that we would like to change in the future, but this is a good town," Lorraine said.
Another attendee, Ashley Renton shared the same sentiment.
"I think people get led up the garden path by publicity for sensationalism where I’ve lived here for 15 years, it's a great place to live," Ms Renton said.
On Monday morning in Darwin, up to 100 people attended a saltwater ceremony where they also paid tribute to the young girl.
Larrakia elder Christine Fejo-King said it was organised after community members asked to share their "trauma, grief and sorrow."
“What happened is not a part of our culture. Our men love us. They love our children, our grandfathers, our uncles, our fathers love us, and that is the message that is, there is the love of family and community and so, so we responded,” she said.
This story was produced in collaboration with NITV News with reporting from Emma Kellaway and Josh van Staden in Alice Springs.
Readers seeking support can ring Lifeline crisis support on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14, visit lifeline.org.au. Resources for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders can be found at Headspace: Yarn Safe.
For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.
