The Indigenous actor David Gulpilil has received the lifetime achievement award at the 2019 Naidoc awards.

The annual awards, which recognise the significant achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, were presented in Canberra on Saturday night.

The national Naidoc committee co-chair, John Paul Janke, said the awards provide the opportunity to showcase Indigenous excellence.

“They celebrate our past, our present and our future and [how] individuals’ unwavering determination and work enrich our communities,” he said.

David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu AM has been recognised for revolutionising the way the world sees Aboriginal people by bringing traditional culture to the big screen.

He has enjoyed an acting career spanning 50 years, appearing in iconic films such as Walkabout, The Last Wave, Crocodile Dundee, The Tracker and Rabbit Proof Fence.

Dean Duncan, the national diversity manager at the non-for-profit organisation Lifestyle Solutions, has been awarded Naidoc person of the year as a champion of diversity, social justice and equality.

The full list of 2019 Naidoc award winners:

Person of the year – Dean Duncan

Lifetime achievement award – David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu AM

Female elder of the year – Thelma Weston

Male elder of the year – Greg Little

Caring for country – Littlewell Working Group

Youth of the year – Mi-kaisha Masella

Artist of the year – Elma Gada Kris

Scholar of the year – Professor Michael McDaniel

Apprentice of the year – Ganur Maynard

Sportsperson of the year – Shantelle Thompson