NAIDOC Week: 8 Inspiring First Nations Women to Watch

This week is NAIDOC Week, a week that honours the rich history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Each year a theme is chosen and this year the theme ‘Heal Country’ calls for all of us to seek greater protections for the lands, waters, and sacred sites of Australia, and to protect First Nation’s cultural heritage from exploitation, desecration, and destruction.

Freelancing Gems celebrates diversity every week of the year. This week we have curated our own list of inspiring female First Nations business leaders that deserve to be celebrated this NAIDOC week and every week. Here are some women to watch.

Mulganai

Emma Hollingsworth is the Brisbane-based artist behind Mulganai. She is a Kaanju woman who produces fine Indigenous artworks. She grew up travelling Australia with her family, visiting many Aboriginal communities which reflects the diversity of her work through those experiences. From these grassroots moments, she learned and developed her own style, and Mulganai was born.

Rachael Sarra

Rachael Sarra is an artist and designer whose work is an extension of her being and experiences. As a contemporary Aboriginal artist from Goreng Goreng Country, Rachael uses art as a powerful storytelling tool to educate and share Aboriginal culture and its evolution. Rachael’s work often challenges and explores society perceptions of what both Aboriginal art and identity are.

Corina Muir

Corina Muir is an Aboriginal mother, nature protector, artist, designer, campaigner and owner of Amber Days, an ethical children’s wear label. The label is 100 per cent Aboriginal-owned and collaborates with Aboriginal artists to tell stories about their culture.

Perina Drummond

Perina Drummond is the proud Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal woman behind Indigenous modelling agency Jira Models. A stylist and model herself, Perina founded the agency in 2017 to assist in creating career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into the industry and to help shape and strengthen the Australian fashion industry.

Liandra Gaykamangu

Liandra Gaykamangu is a Yolngu woman from North-East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory Australia. She is the Founder and Designer of Liandra Swim, an eco-conscious and ethically-minded brand fusing Aboriginal Australian Culture with on-trend premium designer swimwear.

Sasha Sarago

Sasha Sarago, Editor and Founder of Ascension Mag, is a proud Aboriginal woman of the Wadjanbarra Yidinji and Jirrbal clans ‘Rainforest People’ of Cairns, Far North Queensland. A former model, Sasha grew frustrated by the invisibility of women of colour in fashion and media and in 2011 founded Ascension, Australia’s first Indigenous and ethnic women’s lifestyle magazine.

Jaynaya Winmar

A proud Noongar/Balladong woman from Quairading in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, Jaynaya Winmar has a strong background in the Employment and Recruitment sectors. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Essential Services Australia Group, supporting Indigenous businesses and championing women at work, and Founder of The Blakbone Sistahood, bringing together deadly sistas and their businesses through events and learning and development opportunities.

Alisha Geary

Alisha Geary is an Indigenous entrepreneur passionate about increasing widespread appreciation and respect for her culture and people. Along with her luxury activewear label, Faebella and emerging cosmetics brand Thirsty Turtl, Alisha is the Founder of Umelore, a platform that facilitates license procurement of Intellectual Property to help Indigenous artists promote the licensing of their digital assets.

Happy NAIDOC Week everyone 🖤💛♥️