Published on Monday, 31 August 2020 at 12:57:28 PM
All of the photo entries from the NAIDOC Photography Competition were displayed at Geraldton Senior High School on Thursday 27 August, where our judges had the chance to review and select the top four winners from each age category.
We would like to thank everyone who participated and entered our competition. We received many amazing entries that celebrated what ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’ means to the First Nations people. The photos truly captured our history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We are excited to announce the winners for our 2020 NAIDOC Photography Competition.
Competition winners
Congratulations to all our winners from each age group:
15 years and under
1st prize winner – M.McCarthy
Wila (River)
“Going to the river with my Elders and learning our traditional ways. This is how we keep our culture alive”
2nd prize winner – Sharn Dalgety
Our Future, Their History
“This photo shows my grandparents guiding our families future generation (their great-grandchildren). They are our Elders and past leaders. We are their aspiration and future leaders.”
3rd prize winner – Mathew Hodder
Day Out Bush
“Family time out bush learning culture from our Elders about hunting and bush tucker. Everlasting flowers are out so we go out bush, kangaroos are fat and our favourite bush tucker Bimba is just right”
4th prize winner – Heidi
Three elements of healing
“Through spiritual, psychological and physical connections with Culture and Uthudu, the Arnmanu can develop or maintain a balanced/healthy wellbeing. For together the three are crucial for each one’s survival”
16 to 30 years
1st prize winner – Shaneka
My home town Tinga
“The place where I got raised by my parents and Elders in this town helped my family culture become so strong. I know so much thanks to my Elders here. I’m proud to be a Koori women walking and learning about my home and the people in my town. It means very much to me as I see more than what the photo is. It’s important to me because this is my land. this is important to me because I’m standing on my townland my great grandparents walked on and lived the background is my home”
2nd prize winner – A Whitby
Connect to Country
“This photo, to me, depicts the healing and comfort connection to country has to Indigenous people. Just being on country brings a peace learnt and handed down from generation to generation.”
3rd prize winner – Devena Smith
My Culture
“Land, Family, Law, Ceremony & Language and the five key interconnected elements we connect to the land always, was always will be.”
4th prize winner – Olivia Radegonde
Always Was, Always Will Be
“This photo means a lot to me as a mother to be proud of our skin colour, culture and people. In doing this we lead the way for our younger generations. Black and proud.”
31 to 50 years
1st prize winner – Shauna Oakley
Yambamutha – Our Children
“Our children are our future. The knowledge and culture we pass to our children now will mean our future will remain bright and our history is kept alive.”
2nd prize winner – Kurt Mcintosh
Budara
“This is an image of My Son, My Brother, Uncle and two Nephews participating in a Traditional Dance near Wooleen Station It means having a strong Connection to Country. ‘Country’ does not just mean the creeks, rock outcrops, hills and waterholes. Country includes all living things. It incorporates people, plants and animals. It embraces the seasons, stories and creation spirits. ‘Country’ is both a place of belonging and a way of believing.”
3rd prize winner – Michelle Mager
Trapped between 2 worlds
“The photo represents the journey of a young mooditj maaman who feels trapped in the white man's world he lives in while longing to connect to his culture and learn the history of his elders to keep the stories alive. Always was always will be.”
4th prize winner – Simone Little
Family
“Living in this time and placed my aim as a mother to my children second mother to nephews and nieces is to make it a safe culturally and spiritually for my family. And teaching them to gain empowerment for their Aboriginal culture and race”
51 years and over
1st prize winner – Ej Garrett
Old Man
“This is Uncle Des Hamilton. He is one of the last links to a generation that had the responsibility to help us to survive colonisation. Uncle Des carries this responsibility as well and his stories help us to keep our identity and sovereignty”
2nd prize winner – Joanne Kite-Darrie
Freedom
“Grandfather left the family for World War II, Rats of Tabrook. Amuri was given the choice to free the family from separation or join the Army. He went to fight for his family and Country. Respect, love and honour. He gave us our freedom. Always was, Always will be. 🖤💛❤ Empowering as a decision was hard to make but was selfless for his family. Did he not know that his real father was stolen from Ngukurr. He was from Stolen Generation”
3rd prize winner - Elder
Dedicated Duo
“Always was and always will be Wajatti Men”
4th prize winner – Heidi Rosenthal
Wajanu (fire) of Knowledge
“Our puguda (Elders) are the keepers of the wajanu and our abarla (children) are responsible for fuelling the wajanu so it remains awuga (lit) and healthy.”
The winners will be invited to the NAIDOC Ball in October where a ‘photo of the year’ will be announced.
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