Sheryl Lowe, Naracoorte Community News
Proud Ngarrindjeri and Kauma man, Major (‘Moogy’) Sumner, from South Australia’s Coorong region, received the Premier’s NAIDOC Award 2021 last week for outstanding achievements and significant service to the indigenous community of South Australia.
On presenting the award, Premier Steven Marshall thanked Moogy for his dedication to the Aboriginal people and said: “Moogy’s work and passion is the embodiment of this year’s NAIDOC theme of Heal Country, Heal our Nation.”
In 2011 ‘Moogy’ crafted the first Ngarrindjeri bark canoe on Ngarrindjeri/Boandik country in the South East. It was the first in over 100 years.
Creating this canoe, reconnected his communities with the traditional art of canoe-building, he said.
“In 2014, he was awarded Member of the Order of Australia for his significant service to the indigenous community of South Australia through contributions to health, social welfare, youth and cultural heritage organisations,” Mr Marshall said.
“He is a world-renowned performer and cultural ambassador of Ngarrindjeri arts, crafts, martial arts, traditional dance, song and traditional culture.
He has travelled the world learning from other nations and sharing his knowledge and experiences.”
Moogy said recently that reconciliation and healing should “not just be on special days or special weeks, but we should do this every day”.
“We should reconcile with our neighbours, our friends, our family,” he said.
“That’s true healing.”
This article appeared in Naracoorte Community News, 14 July 2021.
