Ahead of NAIDOC week, the National NAIDOC Week Awards was held in Adelaide on Kaurna Yerta Country on July 6, 2024, to celebrate First Nations excellence.
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00:00The 2024 National NAIDOC Person of the Year is...
00:05Aunty Muriel Bamblett!
00:07Muriel Bamblett, AO, is a proud Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Al Noorung, Boon Wurrung.
00:16She has been advocating for our young people as the CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Childcare Agency for 25 years.
00:25She is passionate that our kids grow up connected to culture and care of life.
00:31I want to dedicate this award to my mum and my dad.
00:35Both of them came off missions and reserved.
00:38Dad was born on Lake Tyers.
00:40He was put off the mission at 14 because he had fair skin.
00:43My mum came off Cummeragunja Mission.
00:46They only had Grade 3 education.
00:50Uncle Kim Collard is a Balatang Whadjuk Elder of the Noongar Nation.
00:57A prominent businessman...
00:59The mantra was always about make a dollar, make a difference.
01:03For those in the audience, the word philanthropy means for the love of humanity.
01:08So keep the fire burning.
01:11Aunty Millie Eno is a Wiradjuri Elder, originally from Cowra, NSW.
01:18She is one of the founders of Maawila, the first Aboriginal Community Controlled Early Childhood Centre,
01:26and the Waianga Aboriginal Aged Care Program in Redfern, NSW.
01:31It's important to be an Elder.
01:36Not many of us get to this age, and to be an Elder.
01:40And what is our legacy?
01:42Our legacy should be to give hope and opportunities to our younger people.
01:48And I'm so proud of our younger generations of Aboriginal people that we have coming up today.
01:54Carlito Dante Rodriguez is an entrepreneur, an athlete and a proud Tiwi Islander.
02:01He advocates for mental health awareness, running health programs for youth in the Northern Territory.
02:07Through the 1% Program, a business he co-founded with his cousin.
02:15Everyone in this room has done their part to keep the fire burning,
02:19for their mob, for their country and for their own values all across Australia.
02:24But tonight I just want to acknowledge how bright Adelaide is burning tonight.
02:28With all you amazing deadly people in this room,
02:31how all of our separate fires have come together all in one place here tonight
02:38to burn loud and proud and in unity.