May O’Brien wins Deadly Award

Bawoo Stories author May O’Brien has won the 2009 Deadly Award for Outstanding Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Education.

May was chosen from some 8000 nominations and 80 finalists for this coveted prize and travelled to Sydney to accept the award in front of a 2000-strong crowd at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.

Other winners on the night were The Yabu Band, Jessica Mauboy, The Saltwater Band, Gurrumul Yunupingu, Seaman Dan, The Last Kinnection, Jamal Idris, Michael O’Loughlin, Johnathan Thurston, Rohanee Cox, Danny Morseau, Warwick Thornton, Lorraine McGee-Sippell, Luke Carroll, Destiny Deacon, Marlene Cummins, Chicka Dixon, the Traditional Credit Union and Leah Purcell.

They were joined by special guests Jessica Mauboy, Casey Donovan and the Doonooch Dancers. The Deadlys are in their fifteenth year.