Phil Ah Wang
Torres Strait Islander Elder Uncle Phil Ah Wang is a chef, cultural teacher and communicator who uses cooking to reconnect Indigenous people with their communities. His cooking classes, community kitchens and programs are a way of promoting healthy living, so that Indigenous people can live stronger, make focused decisions and look after their children’s futures. Uncle Phil works with schools, childcare agencies, and community organisations to teach young Indigenous people about culture and, particularly, preparing traditional, healthy food.

National Centre of Indigenous Excellence
The National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) is located in Redfern NSW and opened its doors in 2010 with the vision of an Australia where young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people could create futures with no limitations while remaining strong in their culture. Working in the frameworks of arts and culture, learning and innovation, health and wellness and sport and recreation, the NCIE facilitates programs for young Indigenous peoples to achieve their dreams and aspirations. The NCIE works with Pathway Partners to deliver a variety of programs to over 5,000 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people every year. Partners include the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), the National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy (NASCA), the AFL, Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s Choir and the Tribal Warrior Association.

Tjanpi Desert Weavers – NPY Women’s Council
Tjanpi Desert Weavers is a not-for-profit social enterprise of Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women’s Council; an Aboriginal governed and directed Corporation. The Tjanpi Desert Weavers’ purpose is to contribute to improving the lives of NPY women and their families by supporting cultural activity and employment through the creation of fibre art. They evolved from a need for meaningful and appropriate employment, and to enable NPY women on their Lands to earn a regular income from selling their fibre art. Tjanpi (meaning grass) supports the production and marketing of baskets, sculptures and seed jewellery made by over 400 women from 28 remote communities across three states, NT, WA and SA.

Shaun Edwards
Shaun Edwards has worked for over 15 years for the survival of Aboriginal culture and the empowerment of cultural warriors. He has been a founder and spokesperson for the Kokoberrin Tribal Aboriginal Corporation, Indigenous Environment Foundation, Give Us A Go Anti Wild Rivers Campaign, Queensland Indigenous Arts and Marketing Export Agency, Rio Tinto Child Health Partnership, House of BlackSTAR and GenerationOne. Shaun is a Kokoberrin man of the Staaten River, Cape York and grew up in Cairns. He is currently the Co-Chair of UMI ARTS, the peak body for arts and cultural practice for Far North Queensland and the Artistic Director for the 2012 Big Talk One Fire One Day Premier Cultural Festival as part of the Cairns Festival, 17th August 2012.

Djon Mundine AOM
Djon Mundine, OAM, is a curator, writer, artist and activist. A member of the Bandjalung people of northern NSW, he has been involved in the visual arts since the late 1970s. He was Art Advisor at Milingimbi, Maningrida and Ramingining in the Northern Territory from 1979-95 and initiated The Aboriginal Memorial (1987-88), a significant installation of 200 hollow log coffins or poles now on permanent display at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. Djon was awarded an OAM in 1993 and was Research Professor at Minpaku Museum of Ethnology in Osaka in 2005-2006. Between 2006 and 2009, he was based at the Campbelltown Art Centre in Sydney as Indigenous Curator of contemporary art. In 2011 he curated Cold Eels & Distant Thoughts (Newcastle University Gallery and Monash Gallery of Art), Beauty, Vanity & Narcissism (Cross Arts Project Gallery, Potts Point), Star Sky Trees Breeze (The Vanishing Point, Point Gallery, Newtown), People we know, Places We’ve Been (Goulburn Regional Art Gallery), and My Teenage Years (Lismore Regional Art Gallery). He is currently an independent Aboriginal curator of contemporary art. His work; The Song of Bennelong and Pemulwuy was accepted for the 2010 Biennale of Sydney. In 2012, Djon assisted a workshop on the character of the Sydney Aboriginal colonial figure Bungaree to initiate Bungaree’s Farm exhibition and tour for the Mosman Regional Art Gallery and Community Centre.

Tags: 2012 Deadlys® Nominees, August 2012 No. 186, Deadly Vibe Magazine, Deadlys