Meet Rhoda Roberts AO

Stories Without Boundaries

I had the pleasure to travel to Alice Springs, Australia in April 2022 to meet Rhoda Roberts AO, Curator of the Parrtjima Festival 2022. Our the trip to Alice Springs was part of a short vacation with my son to enjoy the Parrtjima Festival and to deeper our understanding of our First Nations Community - it was a magic eight-day journey.

Who is Rhoda Roberts? Rhoda Roberts is a Bundjalung woman, a nurse, journalist, broadcaster, actor, producer, writer, art advisor, and artistic director. Rhoda is also responsible for a lot of major cultural moments in Australia, from the Awakening Ceremony during the opening of the Sydney Olympics in 2000 to coining the phrase Welcome to Country.

As a leader in the Australian and First Nations Community, Rhoda was awarded the Order of Australia (AO) in 2016 for "distinguished service to the performing arts through a range of leadership and advocacy roles in the development, promotion and presentation of contemporary Indigenous culture."

In another podcast, hosted by accalimed journalist, Narelda Jacobs called, 'No Filter,' story entitled, 'Now is the time to awaken those sleeping spirits," Narelda describes Rhoda Roberts as one of the most influencial Australians going.

An extraordinary Australian, Rhoda tells all and provides and honest and inspiring insight into the exciting opportuity we have to celerate our first nations culture - the oldest culture on earth.

We pay respect to elder’s past, present and emerging of the Arrernte (pronounced Arrunda) people - the traditional owners of Mparntwe (pronounced m'barn-twa) the land we shared in Alice Springs where we recorded this podcast.

What is Parrtjima ? Parrtjima is the meeting place where old meets new. It is the only authentic Aboriginal light festival of it’s kind, showcasing the oldest continuous culture on earth through the newest technology – all on the 300-million-year-old natural canvas of the MacDonnell Ranges in Central Australia.

Thank you to Northern Terriory Major Events Media Team for supporting us and providing accredited access to Parrtjima 2022 and connnecting us with Rhoda. The Podcast was recorded remotely at the Alice Springs Desert Park Media Hub.

Thank you to Albert Brown, Podcast Producer (my talented son) for sharing this journey and recording/editing/producing this podcast under complex conditions.

Stories without Boundaries is produced by Profile Your World.

Producer Albert Brown - Podcast Creator and Interviewer, The Cat.

Contact @ https://www.instagram.com/profileyourworld/">@profileyourworld>

Contact Rhoda Roberts @ https://www.facebook.com/rhoda.roberts.1

Contact Northern Territory Events @ https://ntmajorevents.com.au/