Jessica Mauboy, Thelma Plum And Shellie Morris Win Big At NIMA Awards

It's been a glorious night for women in the indigenous community at the National Indigenous Music Awards, with a number of female artists going home with the top awards.

Pop singer and one of the stars of The Sapphires, Jessica Mauboy won the cermony's biggest award National Artist Of The Year, after several years of nominations in that category. New Talent Of The Year went to emerging indie-roots musician Thelma Plum, who has had a very impressive twelve months in the industry, which has included some major local deal signings, touring and releasing an EP.

Shellie Morris & The Borroloola Songwomen took home the coveted Song Of The Year for their beautiful track Waliwaliyangu li-Anthawirriyarra a-Kurija (Saltwater People Song) off their album Ngambala Wiji Li-Wunungu: The Song Peoples Sessions, which our Dan Condon called an "incredibly important release". Morris also picked up the award the G.R. Burarrawanga Memorial Award that is given to artists from the Northern Territory.

It was another big night for Australian music legend Archie Roach. Not only was he inducted into the NIMA Hall Of Fame, Roach won National Album Of The Year for his latest effort Into The Bloodstream.

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Archie Roach

One of the highlights of the ceremony besides the actual awards, was the tribute to icons Yothu Yindi and the late Dr Yunupingu, which included a stirring and powerful rendtion of Treaty from Gurrumul and East Journey's Rruwan Maymurru. The special performance also included Shellie Morris, Bunna Lawrie, members of The Medics, Kutcha Edwards and was MC'd by Peter Garrett.