Katungal NAIDOC awards celebrate Aboriginal contributions to all of society

Katungal present the awards annually, but only hold an awards night bi-annually. Because of COVID, the 2022 awards were the first since 2018.

While Katungal focuses on Aboriginal health, the awards recognise the many and diverse ways local Indigenous people give back to, and excel in, the community.

Event organiser Angela Nye is proud of the way the awards recognise great achievements in all areas of the community.

"When you look at Indigenous people, you need to look at them in a holistic way," she said. "Not just health."

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She said Aboriginal people were an asset to the whole community, and it was important to celebrate that through the awards.

"Aboriginals are contributing to the community in many ways," she said. "They help and assist the community to move forward."

NADIOC week has been an annual event in Australia since 1975, and was a day of celebration before that. It seeks to highlight the richness of Aboriginal heritage and culture within society.

"NAIDOC events are about celebrating and sharing our culture with the non-indigenous community," Ms Nye said, "so we all come together for a common goal.

"These awards do that."

The awards recognise exceptional efforts by Indigenous people in many key areas across society, and Ms Nye said celebrating individual efforts empowered the winners with a sense of accomplishment, confidence and pride.

She hopes winners will be inspired to keep giving back to the community and pursuing their passions.

The award winners were: