Celebrating 9 Legendary Aboriginal Playwrights

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As we celebrate NAIDOC Week 2023 with the theme “For Our Elders,” we reflect on the resilience and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. In particular, we celebrate the contributions of Aboriginal playwrights, who have brought to life the experiences and stories of Aboriginal people through their works. From Jack Davis to Nakkiah Lui, these playwrights have not only entertained audiences, but also challenged perceptions and contributed to a greater understanding of Indigenous culture and history. This NAIDOC Week, we pay tribute to these talented playwrights and their significant contributions to the arts and to communities across Australia.

1. Jack Davis of the Nyoongar people. He was a playwright, poet, and activist, who wrote several plays exploring the experiences of Aboriginal people in Australia, including “No Sugar” and “The Dreamers.”
2. Wesley Enoch of the Noonuccal Nuugi people. He is a playwright and artistic director, known for many works, including “The Sunshine Club”,  “Little White Dress”, “Black Medea” and “The 7 Stages of Grieving.”
3. Leah Purcell, a Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka woman. She is an actor, writer, and director, known for her award-winning play “The Drover’s Wife” and her film and television work.
4. Jane Harrison of the Muruwari people. She is a playwright, novelist, and screenwriter, known for her plays “Stolen” and “Rainbow’s End.”
5. Andrea James of the Yorta Yorta/Gunaikurnaipeople. She is a playwright, director, and screenwriter, known for her plays “Yangali Yangali” and “Sunshine Super Girl”.
6. Nakkiah Lui of the Gamilaroi people. She is a playwright, actor, and TV writer, known for her plays “Blaque Showgirls”, “Black is the New White”, “Kill the Messenger”, “Blak Cabaret”, and “Blackie Blackie Brown.”
7. Richard Frankland of the Gunditjmara people. He is a playwright, filmmaker, and musician, known for his plays “Walkabout” and “Conversations With the Dead.”
8. Kylie Coolwell, a proud Aboriginal woman. She is an actor and playwright, known for her play “Battle of Waterloo” and her work on “Redfern Now”
9. Ursula Yovich, of Aboriginal (An-Barra clan from western Arnhem Land) and Serbian descent. She is a playwright, actor, and singer, known for her one-woman cabaret “Magpie Blues”, and co-writing projects “Barbara and The Camp Dogs” and “The Man with the Iron Neck.”

NAIDOC Week 2023 is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Australia and to reflect on the importance of honouring our Elders. Through the works of Aboriginal playwrights such as Jack Davis, Leah Purcell, and Wesley Enoch, we gain a deeper understanding of Indigenous culture and history and are reminded of the resilience and strength of community in the face of adversity. As we celebrate NAIDOC Week 2023, let us remember and honour the contributions of these talented playwrights, and all those who have come before us, and continue to strive towards a future of honest dialogue.