Robert Roberts was posthumously honored with the NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award
Australian cultural figure Rhoda Roberts was posthumously awarded the NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented during a ceremony in Alice Springs. Roberts died in March at the age of 66, according to The Guardian World.
Roberts was a member of the Wajbul-Wiebal people, part of the Bundjalung nation. The NAIDOC Awards, named after the National Aboriginal and Islander Days Committee, recognize the outstanding contributions, achievements, and accomplishments of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia.
NAIDOC National Committee Co-Chair Lynette Riley called Roberts an influential figure and highlighted her dedication to her community and culture. According to Riley, the cultural advocate’s legacy will inspire future generations.
Minister for Indigenous Affairs Malarindiri McCarthy stated that this year’s honorees embody the spirit of NAIDOC. This year’s annual event marks its 50th anniversary.
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During the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Roberts served as creative director and produced a segment of the opening ceremony titled “Awakening.” In 1991, she became the first Indigenous host of the prime-time current affairs program *Vox Populi* on SBS.
In 1992, Roberts co-founded the radio project “Deadly Sounds,” which ran for 21 years and gave Indigenous people a voice in Australia and the Pacific region. In 2012, she headed the Indigenous programs division at the Sydney Opera House, where she launched the Dance Rites competition. In 2017, Roberts became the creative director of the Parrtjima light festival in Alice Springs, also known as Mparntwe.
Other NAIDOC Award recipients include Pat Turner, who was named Person of the Year, Christine Corby and Dr. Stephen Hagan, honored as Elders of the Year; athlete Caitlin Costello; youth award winner Tyson Neil-Edwards; and artist Kaylin Whiskey. Awards were also presented to the Southern Aboriginal Corporation, the Aboriginal & Islander Independent Community School, and the Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy.
