{{Short description|Indigenous Australian performer}} {{For|those of a similar name|Richard Whalley (disambiguation)}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} '''Richard Barry Walley''' OAM (born 1953) is a Nyungar man and an Aboriginal Australian performer, musician and writer, who has been a campaigner for the Indigenous cause. Walley is also a visual artist.
==Life and career== Walley, born in 1953 in Meekatharra, {{convert|750|km}} north of Perth, Western Australia, spent much of his childhood at Pinjarra, {{convert|80|km}} south of Perth.<ref name="Murdoch">{{cite web|url=http://www.murdoch.edu.au/vco/secretariat/records/citations/walley_r.pdf |title=Honorary Degree Recipient |publisher=Murdoch University| accessdate=10 February 2010}}</ref> He began his work in social justice for Indigenous Australians in the Perth region, Nyungar country, at a young age.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.portrait.gov.au/portraits/2015.64/richard-walley|title=Richard Walley, 2015|website=National Portrait Gallery collection}}</ref>
He is known for helping to develop the modern Australian welcome to country ritual,<ref>{{cite news|title=40 years of the 'modern' Welcome to Country|url=http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2016/03/richard-walleys-welcome-to-country|publisher=Australian Geographic|accessdate=12 April 2020|author=Penberthy, Natsumi|date=3 March 2016}}</ref> when in 1976 he and Ernie Dingo and created a ceremony to welcome a group of Māori artists who were participating in the Perth International Arts Festival.<ref>{{cite news|title=Perth International Arts Festival gives welcome to west country|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/stage/perth-international-arts-festival-gives-welcome-to-west-country/news-story/18eda9115f366089fb6cc86e366ef36c|work=The Australian|access-date=2 August 2018|author=Westwood, Matthew|date=15 February 2016}}</ref>
In 1978, he founded the Middar Aboriginal Theatre<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cscr.murdoch.edu.au/ait/cs_middar.html|title=Indigenous Tourism in the South West Region of Western Australia|publisher=Murdoch University|accessdate=9 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220103729/http://www.cscr.murdoch.edu.au/ait/cs_middar.html|archive-date=20 February 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> with three friends,<ref name="Murdoch"/> including Ernie Dingo, who he had met playing basketball. Walley had realised early the powerful potential of theatre to raise issues and bring messages to the broader community, black and white. Aiming to take the Nyungar culture from the south-west corner of Australia to as many people as possible, the Middar group went on to perform in 32 countries,<ref name="Murdoch"/> on every continent, to live audiences totalling almost ten million people.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
After acting in theatre and TV, Walley went on to further develop his theatre skills, holding the role of either director or assistant director in 10 productions in theatre and TV from 1982 to 1993. Several of these productions took place in the United States and the UK.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780195533811.001.0001/acref-9780195533811-e-3293|title=The Oxford Companion to Australian Literature|first1=William H.|last1=Wilde|first2=Joy|last2=Hooton|first3=Barry|last3=Andrews|date=20 May 1994|publisher=Oxford University Press|via=www.oxfordreference.com|doi=10.1093/acref/9780195533811.001.0001|isbn=978-0-19-553381-1 }}</ref> In March 1990, the Aboriginal National Theatre Trust staged the world premiere of his play ''Munjong'', directed by Vivian Walker (son of Oodgeroo Noonuccal<ref>{{cite web | title=Kabul Oodgeroo Noonuccal, 1953- | website=Fryer Library Manuscripts | date= 19 February 2020 | url=https://manuscripts.library.uq.edu.au/index.php/kabul-oodgeroo-noonuccal-1953 | access-date=8 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Kabul Oodgeroo Noonuccal | website=AustLit | date= 23 July 2014 | url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A26682 | access-date=8 August 2022}}</ref>), at the Victorian Arts Centre.<ref>{{cite web | title=Aboriginal National Theatre Trust Limited - records, 1902-1991 [Catalogue record] | website=State Library of New South Wales. Old Catalogue| url=https://archival.sl.nsw.gov.au/Details/archive/110089855 | access-date=8 August 2022}}</ref>
In 1993, Walley was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to the performing arts and Nyungar culture.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/32382/04_aia_music.pdf |title=AIA – Music |publisher=Australia Council for the Arts |accessdate=10 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313025808/http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/32382/04_aia_music.pdf |archivedate=13 March 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Australian Honours Search Facility |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/search?searchText=richard%20walley |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=honours.pmc.gov.au}}</ref>
Walley is also a renowned didgeridoo player and has produced a six CD collection of didgeridoo music that is inspired by the six seasons of the Nyungar calendar. He has played didgeridoo live at London's Royal Albert Hall, as well as in Greece, Slovenia, Japan, Mexico, the US and Canada.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}
From 2000, he served as Chair of the Australia Council's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board, a position he had held previously between 1992 and 1996.<ref name="Media release-2002">{{cite web|url=http://www.dbcde.gov.au/Article/0,,0_5-2_4009-4_112525,00.html|title=Dr Richard Walley reappointed to Australia Council|work=Media release|publisher=Senator Rod Kemp (Federal Minister for Arts)|date=2 December 2002|accessdate=10 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716072625/http://www.dbcde.gov.au/Article/0,,0_5-2_4009-4_112525,00.html|archive-date=16 July 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} </ref>
In 2001, Murdoch University in Western Australia recognised his contribution to Nyungar culture and the wider community with an honorary Doctorate of Letters.<ref name="Murdoch"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://handbook.murdoch.edu.au/people/honorary.html|title=Honorary Degree Recipients – Murdoch University|work=Murdoch University Handbook|publisher=Murdoch University|accessdate=10 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112050341/http://handbook.murdoch.edu.au/people/honorary.html|archive-date=12 November 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
In 2001, he performed in Westminster Abbey for dignitaries, including Queen Elizabeth II, as part Australia's Centenary of Federation celebrations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://samuelgriffith.org.au/papers/html/volume%2012/v12chap12.htm |title=Proceedings of the Twelfth Conference of The Samuel Griffith Society |work=Chapter Twelve : A Century of Achievement |last=Flint |first=David |publisher=The Samuel Griffith Society |accessdate=10 February 2010 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061322/http://www.samuelgriffith.org.au/papers/html/volume%2012/v12chap12.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Walley has been involved as director, designer, writer, musician, dancer and actor with a range of stage and television productions, including ''The Dreamers'' (1982), ''A Fortunate Life'' (1984), ''Bullies House'' (1985), ''Coordah'' (1985), ''Australian Mosaic'' (1988), ''Jackaroo'' (1990), ''Balaan Balaan Gwdtha'' (1992) and ''Close to the Bone'' (1993).<ref name="Media release-2002"/>
Walley is a fluent speaker of the Nyungar language,{{citation needed|date=August 2022}} and an accomplished visual artist.<ref>{{cite web | title=Gallery | website=Aboriginal Productions | url=https://aboriginalproductions.com.au/art/ | access-date=8 August 2022}}</ref>
In 2013, Walley designed a football jumper for the Fremantle Football Club to wear during the Australian Football League's Indigenous Round. In 2016 he was appointed as the club's honorary number 1 ticketholder.<ref>{{cite web|url =http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/2016-03-23/richard-walley-is-new-number-one|title =Richard Walley is new number one|first =Ned|last =Balme|date =23 March 2016}}</ref>
The Perth Symphony Orchestra paid tribute to Walley in performances on 5–6 September 2025 as part of its ''WA Stories'' series which honours icons who helped shape the state.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gannon |first=Sophie |date=2025-08-23 |title=Symphony Orchestra to pay tribute to WA legend |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/wa/perth/central/boola-bardip-perth-symphony-orchestra-to-pay-tribute-to-wa-legend-richard-walley-in-immersive-performance-c-19690620 |access-date=2025-09-09 |website=PerthNow |language=en}}</ref>
==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" ! Title ! Details |- ! scope="row"| ''Bilya'' | * Released: 1990<ref>{{Citation | author1=Walley, Richard | title=Bilya | date=1990 | publisher=Sunset Music | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/16351625 | accessdate=3 April 2019 }}</ref> * Label: Sunset Music Australia * Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''Kooyar'' | * Released: 1995<ref name="Walley-Kooyar">{{Citation | author1=Walley, Richard | title=Kooyar | date=1995 | publisher=Sunset Music | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/14037262 | accessdate=3 April 2019 }}</ref> * Label: Sunset Music Australia (SMACD09) * Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''Yoowintj'' | * Released: 1995<ref name="Walley-Kooyar"/> * Label: Sunset Music Australia (SMACD11) * Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''Waitch'' | * Released: 1995<ref>{{Citation | author1=Walley, Richard | author2=Sims, Ron | title=Waitch | date=1995 | publisher=Sunset Music | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/14427904 | accessdate=3 April 2019 }}</ref> * Label: Sunset Music Australia (SMACA13) * Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''Carda'' | * Released: 1996<ref name="Walley-Carda">{{Citation | author1=Walley, Richard | title=Carda | date=1996 | publisher=Sunset Music Australia | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/6484414 | accessdate=3 April 2019 }}</ref> * Label: Sunset Music Australia (SMAD16) * Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''Boolong'' | * Released: 1996<ref name="Walley-Carda"/> * Label: Sunset Music Australia * Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''Two Tribes'' | * Released: 2003 * Label: SunMusic (SMACD35) * Format: CD |- ! scope="row"| ''Two Roads'' | * Released: 2005 * Label: Abilya Records (Abilya 01) * Format: CD |- |}
==Awards== ===West Australian Music Industry Awards=== The West Australian Music Industry Awards (WAMIs) are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on annually by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc (WAM). Richard Walley has won one award.<ref name=wami-2006>{{cite web|title=WAMi AWARDS CONGRATULATIONS|url=http://www.wam.asn.au/wamifest06.htm|work=WAMi Festival 2006|publisher=WAMi Festival|access-date=10 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060224070435/http://www.wam.asn.au/wamifest06.htm|archive-date=24 February 2006|year=2006}}</ref> {{Awards table}} <small>(wins only)</small> |- | 2006 | Richard Walley | Best Indigenous Act | {{Won}} |- {{end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.richardwalley.com/ Richard Walley's website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Walley, Richard}} Category:1953 births Category:Living people Category:Indigenous Australian musicians Category:Musicians from Western Australia Category:Australian male stage actors Category:Indigenous Australian male actors Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia Category:Noongar people Category:Australian Indigenous rights activists Category:People from Meekatharra, Western Australia