Professor N'arwee't Carolyn Briggs AM
Professor N'arwee't Carolyn Briggs AM is a highly respected Boonwurrung Elder, cultural leader, and spatial design collaborator whose lifelong contribution has significantly influenced Australian design thinking. Her practice merges Indigenous knowledge systems, language reclamation, and spatial storytelling to advance both cultural revitalisation and contemporary design discourse.
Her design achievements include co-leading public installations such as Ngargee Djeembana (ACCA, NGV, MPavilion) and shaping frameworks within the Wominjeka Djeembana Research Lab at Monash University, where she guides cross-disciplinary projects that reframe design through Country and community. Her professional activity spans decades of advocacy, education, and advisory roles, including as founder of the Boonwurrung Foundation.
Carolyn has made an altruistic contribution by mentoring Indigenous youth, preserving oral histories, and advocating for the rightful place of First Nations knowledge in Australian culture. While not a formal member of the DIA, her work directly aligns with its mission to elevate ethical and culturally intelligent design practice.
She has received national and international recognition, including being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia and serving as the City of Melbourne’s Elder in Residence. Her work has been published in academic papers, major cultural exhibitions, and design journals, and she is regularly sought after by institutions and governments for her guidance and cultural authority.
She was named the NAIDOC Female Elder of the Year in 2011, was listed on Victoria’s Honour Roll of Women in 2005, and served as a judge for the Australian Good Design Awards.
Carolyn’s character and public profile embody integrity, humility, and visionary leadership. Her induction into the DIA Hall of Fame would honour a truly foundational figure whose impact transcends disciplines and continues to shape the future of inclusive, regenerative, and culturally rooted design in Australia.