Silas Ngulati Roberts OBE (1925 – 17 May 1983) was an Alawa man who was born at Ngukurr in the Northern Territory of Australia.
[3] Roberts, unlike his sister Mercia Butler, was able to grow up with his father and brothers at the Roper River Mission and, later married a woman named Rosie and they had seven children together.
[1][5] In 1981 Roberts decided to return to Ngukurr, his traditional home, and on 31 March 1982 was there to open the new Roper River Police Station at the request of the Northern Territory Government.
He was also employed there by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and helped in the establishment of a number of outstations in the areas surrounding Ngukurr.
He stated:[8] Mr Roberts showed great understanding of both the problems of his own people, and the problems of his own people, he was an active campaigner for land rights during the 1960s and early 70s, before land rights were introduced in the Northern TerritoryHis name is remembered in the naming of the Silas Roberts Hostel.