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This year's 29th Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAAs) marked a few new developments and some more commemorative. This year is the 25th anniversary of ANKAAA, the Association of Northern Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists, the Darwin-based peak body for Top End Art Centres which began life in 1987 as ANCAAA - the 'C' taking in Central Desert artists until the formation of Desart (representing Central/Western Desert Aboriginal artists/art centres) in 1992-3. ANKAAAs milestone was commemorated at the 29th NATSIAAs opening with ceremonial dance, led by longstanding ANKAAA Chairman, Yirrkala-based artist/ambassador Djambawa Marawili. Former ANKAAA Chairman Tommy May (from Fitzroy Crossing) was also brought to Darwin for the commemorations, remembered in the '25th Anniversary Edition' of ANKAAAs Arts Backbone journal for his 'positive determination about Aboriginal people having control of their own Art Centre management and sharing culture through art'.1
ANKAAA is, of course, vividly present at each NATSIAAs - through the many ANKAAA-affiliated finalists each year including Djambawa, and again this year - understandably a regular finalist in the Bark Painting category. And through the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, held at the Darwin Convention Centre and coinciding with the NATSIAAs' opening weekend; the annual showcase for ANKAAA member art centres, as with...