NYUL NYUL RADIO LEGEND INDUCTED INTO THE WA WOMEN'S HALL OF FAME
BY TANGIORA HINAKI
Nyul Nyul legend, Sandy Dann is the host of the Country Affairs radio program at Goolarri Media in Broome and she has just been inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame.
Ms Dann’s program is shared across the North West of WA and is a testament to the twenty-plus years she has highlighted Aboriginal stories.
Ms Dann told Ngaarda Media’s Tangiora Hinaki about her travels from Boorloo to Rubibi when she was diagnosed with glaucoma as a child.
“Although it can be looked on as a downer, she said. I've grown to celebrate it for what it is.
Having a difference makes you a lot stronger. It makes you competitive and you certainly are up for any challenges that life or anyone wants to throw at you.
“Catching the plane to Perth as a child was always just .. oh. Children here didn’t have that opportunity”
A big compliment I always got back from old people is that I had ‘old people's eyes’ and ‘I was an old person”. The weirdest thing is today, people still refer to me as an elderly person because Glaucoma is an old person's problem.
Sandy started her radio journey at the ABC for work experience and then moved on to 6nr which was Curtain radio.
“I entered Noongar radio as a volunteer on a Saturday night - that was my introduction.
I got an insight into Redfern radio because I was in Sydney at the time. I was at the Aboriginal dance theatre and it was burning inside of me to want to work with media one day and be that voice on radio.”
Ms Dann reminisced about the stories that still are meaningful today.
“Stories that still bring a tear to my eye... I would have to say, Jandamarra. When that book was first ever written those two old people who assisted Howard Pedersen. It was so emotional doing that interview with them. That is one story that will always be there in my heart.
Pat Dodson, the father of reconciliation a man who stood for a voice. Pat, taking on the leadership and doing it in his quiet way for Aboriginal matters in this country.”
Ms Dann is grateful for the growth of First Nations Media.
“The growth of First Nations Media is amazing. To think that once upon a time there would only be five CDs, three cassettes and two records on the shelf but now we’ve got libraries, we’ve got studios, we’ve got voices.”