NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award recognises Bangarra’s Stephen Page

When the 2016 National NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award was announced, Stephen Page expected to hear the name of a senior elder. Surprised to be nominated, he was shocked to win. But it surprised few of his peers, who have seen Stephen pack far more than a normal lifetime into his fifty years, and play a central role in celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in Australia and overseas.    

A descendant of the Nunukul people and the Munaldjali clan of the Yugambeh tribe of southeast Queensland, Stephen is the Artistic Director of the internationally renowned Bangarra Dance Theatre and director of the critically acclaimed film Spear. Yet, the jetlagged Stephen regarded his chances of winning so low he considered leaving the Awards night early to catch up on some sleep.    

“I wasn’t prepared to win the National NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award because there are so many great elders out there who deserved the award before me,” Stephen said.

“Those elders laid down the concrete on the dirt path so I can walk forward. To be recognised by my black peers is a humbling experience.”

In his acceptance speech, Stephen spoke of his recent struggles, including Sorry Business earlier this year following the death of his brother and Bangarra Music Director David Page. These setbacks would have stopped many in their tracks but Stephen’s life and art helped build his resilience.

“I have resilience because you know you have family and can celebrate culture,” Stephen said.

“Bangarra also gives me a healthy foundation. Art is a great way to heal and grieve and we have seventeen full time dancers from different walks of life and song lines that keep me strong and focussed.”

So what does a National NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award winner do next? For Stephen, it is pushing further the boundaries of his art.    

“I want to continue to work with my black peers to produce important black stories that need to be told. I’m inspired by the Treaty campaign so I’m looking at how I can portray this important moment in art.”