Last Saturday (9 August) I went to the National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMAs), held in Darwin, for the very first time.
To get there I walked 'round the way towards the Botanical Gardens, keeping pace with a family for a little while. They showed me the way and told me they were excited for BARKAA. Then they stopped in the shade for a breather, and I carried on. That's how my NIMAs began – with a beautiful family, buzzing for the artists who were just like them.
At the gate I grabbed my media pass and pootled towards the stage. The rig was impressive – you could feel it was built to hold stories, pride, and basslines. Giddy already, I ducked backstage to find a few media crews setting up for interviews.
I was the odd one out, strictly analogue – pen and a slim pocket-size restaurant order pad, the kind with numbers at the top. I bring them to gigs so I can scratch down as much as possible and later attempt to decipher the scribbles.
That method earned me a raised eyebrow from Zepplin of Velvet Trip, who was surprised I had no recording gear, but patient and open all the same. We started with the easy truth: his outfit slayed. Complimenting his earrings broke the ice, and soon he was talking about the magic of live shows.
"Performing is different – bringing our music to the stage and everyone's there, not finding us on the algorithm, it's so much sweeter." When Velvet Trip hit the stage later, they gave us that sweetness, that groove, that proof.
As the sun settled, I joined the crowd for the Welcome to Country. Perched on the hill, a new human to Garramilla Larrakia Country, I felt the warmth of saltwater people ready for a deadly night.
It wasn't just the headliners – though BARKAA, Miss Kaninna, Emma Donovan, and Jessica Mauboy each hit with pure force – it was everyone. Every nominated artist, every winner, every MC, every backing band and dancer.
The ceremony saw Jessica Mauboy inducted into the NIMAs Hall Of Fame. "Thank you to the NIMAS for creating this space for us. From humble beginnings in Darwin to international stages, music has been my voice, my escape and my connection to the people all over the world.
"I'd like to dedicate this moment to my ancestors. You have paved the way for people like me. Music is a universal language and it has the power to heal, connect and inspire.
"It's a dream come true, I'm truly humbled. . . Mob has a seat at the table. Here's to the music, the magic and many more beautiful moments ahead."
There were two multiple award winners, with Emily Wurramara and Andrew Gurruwiwi Band both walking away with two gongs. "Thank you very much. I've been doing this since I was 14 years old. I've had a lot of people tell me I couldn't do what I've done, but I've gone and done it," Emily told the crowd.
"I'd like to thank my mum here. I'm very, very, very honoured. You know I've toured around the world, was just in Canada, but there's nothing like coming back home and playing for mob. Music is freedom."
While Andrew Gurruwiwi Band kept it short and to the point: "Yo, thank you friends, family. It's been a big year, a big road. Big things are coming."
Winner of Album Of The Year was BARKAA, who also performed live earning some of the biggest crowd responses of the night. "I can't believe we got Album Of The Year, it's only an EP," she said. "That's how we do it! When one of us wins, we all win.
"I'm so proud to be a black fella – I love you mob, to the dreamtime and back! I wouldn't be where I am without you."
This night was threaded with magic, the kind that makes you forget you're holding a pen instead of a phone; and knowing it's all living on YouTube means we can relive it, pause it, and smile at the moments we didn't want to end.
I for one was in awe of the speeches and if I had more word space, I'd just have them all here for you to read, but maybe you'll catch them on the videos instead. The night ends too soon and the hill was still humming, conversations spilling over with praise, pride, and the unspoken magic of seeing Mob shine on their own stage.
The NIMAs aren't just an awards night – they're a pulse check, a celebration, and a reminder these voices, these stories, these songs are the living archives of this country. So, listen up.
Sure this was my first NIMAs, but I hope it won't be my last. Next year, I'll walk that same way through the Gardens, maybe with another family to point the path for me, and I'll carry the sound of this first NIMA night with me – the didjeridu, the verses, the saltwater warmth.
Even in my gawky glory, I belonged – and that's the magic of music and community, it brings us together.
Read the 2025 NIMAs winners.
