GET INSPIRED National NAIDOC Week Awards 2024: All of this year’s finalists and winners AdminJuly 6, 20240238 views Black excellence and community leadership were honoured at the 2024 National NAIDOC Week Awards in Tarndanya (Adelaide) on Kaurna Yerta Country on Saturday evening. The awards celebrated First Nations excellence, with 28 finalists in the running for 10 awards. Aunty Muriel Bamblett won the coveted NAIDOC Person of the Year award, while Aunty Dulcie Flower AM received a Lifetime Achievement Award. A fierce advocate for her community, Aunty Dulcie has been instrumental in improving health outcomes for First Nations peoples. NAIDOC co-chair Aunty Dr Lynette Riley said all of those who were nominated and recognised as finalists “epitomise our ongoing fight for rights and demonstrate our ongoing excellence”, and lived up to the theme of this year’s NAIDOC Week theme, “Keep the fire burning! Blak, loud and proud.” “When I think back to the first calls to arms by our old people to challenge the Centennial Celebrations and to let the world know we have survived and held our ground for sovereignty in this Country, I know they knew the struggles were just starting and would continue for many generations,” she said. “I am in awe of all our people’s strengths, perseverance and congratulate them all for keeping the fires burning.” Here are all of the evening’s finalists and winners. Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Loading… Creative Talent Award Finalists Colleen Tighe Johnson Graham Akhurst WINNER: Naarah Naarah is a Gija woman from the Kimberly who grew up in lutruwita/Tasmania. She is an actor, performer, singer and creative who has actively sought to elevate Indigenous representation in the arts. (Supplied: naidoc.org.au) Female Elder Award Finalist Aunty Flo Watson Aunty Glendra Stubbs WINNER: Aunty Millie Ingram Aunty Millie Ingram, a Wiradjuri Elder from Cowra, NSW, is a leader and political activist who has championed education and land rights and has left a lasting impact on history. (Supplied: naidoc.org.au) Male Elder Award Finalists Uncle Dr John Binda Reid WINNER: Mr Kim Collard — Balladong/Wadjuk Elder of the Noongar Nation Uncle Klynton Wanganeen Kim Collard, a Balladong/Wadjuk elder of the Noongar Nation, has had a significant impact on Indigenous communities, devoting himself to his professional and philanthropic endeavours. (Supplied: naidoc.org.au) Youth Award Finalists WINNER: Dante Rodrigues Piper Stewart Ieyesha Roberts Dante Rodrigues is a professional fighter who was the first Aboriginal kickboxer and territorian to represent Australia at an Olympic level. (Supplied: naidoc.org.au) Education Award Finalists Shelley Ware Dr Stacey Kim Coates WINNER: Warlpiri Education and Training Trust The Warlpiri Education and Training Trust was set up to use royalties from the Newmont Tanami gold mine to improve education and training outcomes for yapa (Warlpiri people) in the Tanami Desert. (Supplied: naidoc.org.au) Sportsperson Award Finalists WINNER: Alex Winwood Bailey O’Neil Natasha Leslie Alex Winwood, a proud Noongar man, is a world class boxer who has ranked high in several international boxing championships throughout his career. (Supplied: naidoc.org.au) Caring for Country and Culture Award Finalists Dr Theoni (Tia) Whyman Aunty Fran Bodkin WINNER: Alick Tipoti Alick Tipoti is a renowned visual performer, artist, cultural leader and advisor who is known to his people as Zugub meaning spiritual ancestor.(Supplied: naidoc.org.au) Innovation Award Finalists WINNER: Tui Nolan Narelle Henry Common Ground First Nations Tui Nolan, a proud Gudjal man, has dedicated the past nine years of his career to advancing machine learning models. (Supplied: naidoc.org.au) Person of the Year Award Finalists WINNER: Aunty Muriel Bamblett Georgia Weir Bianca Brackenridge Aunty Muriel Bamblett, a proud Yorta Yorta/Dja Dja Wurrung woman, is the CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) and has been since 1999. (Supplied: naidoc.org.au) Posted 12h ago12 hours agoSat 6 Jul 2024 at 9:10am, updated 10h ago10 hours agoSat 6 Jul 2024 at 11:28am Source link