Dr Jared Thomas
Recipient of the Tirkapena Indigenous Award 2021
Dr Jared Thomas, a Nukunu man from the Southern Flinders Ranges, is a curator, arts administrator, international award-winning author and change maker.聽
A penchant for storytelling is fundamental to Jared鈥檚 work as the Research Fellow, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Material Culture and Arts at the South Australian Museum and UniSA.
The Museum is home to the world鈥檚 largest collection of Aboriginal cultural material, comprised of more than 30,000 objects.
鈥淓very object holds a story about the wonders of life on the Australian continent,鈥 said Jared.
鈥淎boriginal Australia is the longest continuous living culture on the planet, there鈥檚 so much scope to transform the world鈥檚 understanding of Aboriginal people and culture.鈥
Prior to joining the Museum, Jared was the Manager of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts and Culture at Arts South Australia. He has also been a lecturer at the University of South Australia, focusing on the politics of Indigenous representation in literature, film and media as well as the relationship between representation, policy and public conversation.
In 2019, he received a Churchill Fellowship to 鈥榠nvestigate colonised people鈥檚 interpretative strategies in permanent gallery displays in America, Canada, New Zealand and Norway.鈥
Currently, he is a member of the Australia Council for the Arts Aboriginal Strategic Initiatives Panel, a board member of Arts Law, as well as an Ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
These sustained contributions to his field in both a professional and volunteer capacity have positively impacted outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Winner of the Tirkapena Indigenous Award, Jared said, 鈥淪uccess for me is bringing change for other people.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 not so much about what I can accomplish individually, it鈥檚 really about seeing that people have a better understanding of Aboriginal life, culture and aspirations.
鈥淚t鈥檚 seeing that young people have improved literacy, have a better understanding about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, and that Aboriginal people are participating as much as possible in our cultural institutions, our education systems and our public life.鈥
Nominations for the 2023 Tirkapena Indigenous Award are now open until 17 July 2023.