Archie Roach Has Been Emotionally Farewelled At The National Indigenous Music Awards
Roach was inducted into the NIMA Hall of Fame back in 2013.
Gunditjmara-Bundjalung music icon Archie Roach has been farewelled in an emotional ceremony at this year’s National Indigenous Music Awards, just one week after his tragic passing.
– CONTENT WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that the following article contains images and names of deceased persons. –
Archie’s sons, Amos and Eban Roach, have given permission for Archie’s name, image, and music to be used.
In a fitting tribute to the beloved songman, Emma Donovan — who recently toured alongside Roach on his final national tour — performed his 2012 track ‘We Won’t Cry’ alongside Fred Leone, Yirrmal, Marlon x Rulla, and other artists at the Darwin Amphitheatre on Larrakia Country.
“If there’s anything I’ve learnt from them two beautiful people [Roach and his late wife Ruby Hunter] it’s that you can say what you need to say in a song,” said Donovan. “Sometimes you don’t need to talk.”
The tribute to Roach comes after the beloved musician and activist was inducted into the NIMA Hall of Fame back in 2013, the same year his album Into The Bloodstream won Album of the Year.
In addition to the tribute to Roach, the legendary Dr G Yunupingu (also known as Gurrumul) was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame, with his family present to accept the honour on his behalf. Prior to his untimely death in 2017, Yunupingu won Artist of the Year seven times, and once more posthumously in 2018.
Ultimately, Baker Boy — who recently played a last-minute Splendour In The Grass side show after his set was cancelled due to bad weather — took out the top awards of the night, winning Album of the Year for his debut album Gela, and Artist of the Year for the third time since his NIMA debut in 2017.
National Indigenous Music Awards 2022 Winners
Artist of the Year
Baker Boy
Album of the Year
Baker Boy – Gela
New Talent of the Year
Jem Cassar-Daley
Song of the Year
King Stingray – ‘Milkumana’ (songwriters: Roy Kellaway / Gotjirringu Jerome Yunipingu)
Film Clip of the Year
Barkaa – ‘King Brown’ (Directed & Produced by Sonder Films, Executive Producer: Vyva Entertainment)
Community Clip of the Year
Numulwar, NT – Loud & Proud (Directors & Producers: Indigenous Outreach Projects/Matthew Mastratisi/Franceska Fusha/Lesley Phillips/Jordan O’Davis/Numbulwar Community & School)
Hall of Fame
Gurrumul
Archie Roach Foundation Award
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