Yankunytjatjara Anangu woman, Karina Lester is set to receive the Bettison & James Award at this year's Adelaide film festival this Sunday.  

The Bettison & James Award provides $50,000 in recognition of inspiring lifelong contribution by an individual working in any field.  Karina is Aboriginal Co-Manager and Senior Aboriginal Language Expert for the Mobile Language Team (MLT) at Adelaide University and is celebrated for her dedication to language revival and preservation.  

She's also an anti-nuclear activist, and ambassador with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), sharing family stories linked with early British nuclear weapon testing on Emu Plains with one instance causing her Father to be blinded by the black mist of Totem 1.

Yankunytjatjara Anangu woman, Karina Lester is set to receive the Bettison &amp; James Award at this year's Adelaide film festival this Sunday. &nbsp;
The Bettison &amp; James Award provides $50,000 in recognition of inspiring lifelong contribution by an individual working in any field. &nbsp;Karina is Aboriginal Co-Manager and Senior Aboriginal Language Expert for the Mobile Language Team (MLT) at Adelaide University and is celebrated for her dedication to language revival and preservation. &nbsp;
She's also an anti-nuclear activist, and ambassador with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), sharing family stories linked with early British nuclear weapon testing on Emu Plains with one instance causing her Father to be blinded by the black mist of Totem 1.

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Karina Lester receives 2026 Bettison & James Award 

The Wire - 30 October 2026

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The Wire Thursday 29 October 2026

A new community story telling exhibition launched in Port Adelaide, celebrates water stories and the port as a central point of connection, migration, First Nations knowledge and belonging, bringing together generations and cultures. 

Sea Country to Safe Harbour by the Australian National Maritime Museum highlights the port as an important intersection of departure and arrival industry and exchange. 

The project centres local voices, waterways and relationships. Residents will be invited to share memories of water, travel, work, family and home. 

Nanette Louchart-Fletcher, Assistant Director Australian National Maritime Museum, says the inspiration to the exhibition was simple and based on a desire to share water stories together as a nation. 

A new community story telling exhibition launched in Port Adelaide,&nbsp;celebrates&nbsp;water stories and&nbsp;the port as a central point&nbsp;of&nbsp;connection, migration, First&nbsp;Nations knowledge and belonging, bringing together&nbsp;generations and cultures.&nbsp;
Sea Country to Safe Harbour by the&nbsp;Australian National Maritime Museum highlights the port as an&nbsp;important intersection of departure and arrival industry and exchange.&nbsp;
The project&nbsp;centres&nbsp;local voices, waterways and relationships. Residents will be invited to share memories of water, travel, work, family and home.&nbsp;
Nanette Louchart-Fletcher,&nbsp;Assistant Director&nbsp;Australian National Maritime Museum, says the inspiration to the exhibition was simple and based on a desire to share water stories together as a nation.&nbsp;

Karina Lester receives 2026 Bettison & James Award

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