WALMATJARRI ELDER AND BLUES MUSICIAN WINS $50,000 PRISE FOR DEBUT ALBUM

Kankawa Nagarra, a Walmatjarri elder and blues musician, has been awarded the $50,000 Australian Music Prize (AMP) for her debut album, Wirlmarni.

In an interview with Ngaarda Media’s Tangiora Hinaki, Nagarra explained that the album is a collection of songs she has written over the years, inspired by her ancestors. "The word Wirlmarni means disappeared," she shared. "It tells the sad story of the elders who are no longer with us—the storytellers who have passed on."

Nagarra described her album as raw and stripped back, with just her guitar and vocals. "There’s no band, just the sound of nature, the wind, and family. It’s the raw stuff," she said. "Maybe that’s what the judges noticed—the simplicity and the connection to the land. When I was singing by the river, someone was wrapping up kangaroo tail, and you could hear that too."

Nagarra hopes the recognition will bring pride to her community in Wangkatjungka and inspire others to value their cultural heritage.