Ric Chauvel Carlsson, the grandson of the acclaimed filmmaking couple Charles and Elsa Chauvel who made world famous movie Jedda, travelled to the 2015 NAIDOC Awards ceremony in a surprise reunion with Person of the Year Rosalie Kunoth-Monks.
Rosalie, 78, starred in the film 60 years ago, a production that was the first Australian film nominated for a coveted Palme d'Or at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival, up against East of Eden with James Dean. It made a .
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Meet the NAIDOC Person of the Year 2015 - Rosalie Kunoth-Monks
Ric's grandparents were concerned that Rosalie, the young Alywarr and Amnatyerr woman from remote Northern Territory, had been overexposed to the public after featuring with Robert Tudawali in the tragedy about an Indigneous girl's exploration of identity and survival after colonisation.
Instead, Rosalie grew into a woman who is known for her work to protect her peoples and land from injustice.
She is particularly known for her work opposing the federal government's control of Indigenous communities in Northern Territory under the NT National Emergency Response, following allegations of sexual abuse , which was seen as a manoeuvre to disempower First Peoples.
Instead, Rosalie grew into a woman who is known for her work to protect her peoples and land from injustice
She is now advocating a treaty between First Peoples and the Australian government in the effort towards sovereignty and eliminating discrimination of Australia's First Peoples.
"Let's talk about standing on sacred ground in real terms," Ms Kunoth-Monks said in her acceptance speech at Friday's ceremony.
"I need now to call for that treaty which seems to be leaving us all the time whilst we talk about entering other people's constitution. Let our white brothers and sisters come to us and look at our constitution too please."
