Grant Ngulmiya Nundhirribala has been selected as the Northern Territory’s Australian of the Year for 2025. Known mononymously as Ngulmiya, the cultural leader, artist and songman from Arnhem Land has been awarded for his work as as an “ambassador of music, language and culture across the world”.

Ngulmiya. Photo supplied

An internationally-recognised artist, Ngyulmiya’s vocal style features improvisation over traditional Red Flag songs and stems from a vocal tradition developed in isolation over centuries. He performs in Wubuy language and is a pioneer in cross-cultural collaboration; exploring how diverse musical cultures can work together through composition and how art can bridge cultural differences.

For decades, he has been the leader of the traditional Red Flag Dancers, and a founder of the Numburindi Festival in Numbulwar. He is also the founder of Yilila, a band that combine traditional Red Flag songs with contemporary rock and reggae music.

He has collaborated with the likes of The Australian Ballet, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Yothu Yindi, the Budapest Art Orchestra, the Bali Mandala Gamelan and Luke Howard, and has travelled to Japan, Barcelona and Bali to conduct collaboration. He...