Merwez Whaleboat is an Australian actress.

Merwez Whaleboat
Born
Townsville, Queensland[1]
OccupationActress
Notable workRAN Remote Area Nurse
Mabo
Children3

Early life

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Whaleboat, the eldest daughter of Donald (a pastor and teacher) and Dulcie Whaleboat is a Torres Strait Islander who was born in Townsville. Her native language is Mercian, an Eastern Islands dialect, and she became more articulate at English while studying drama at Heatley High School, Townsville. Prior to that, she attended Currajong State School at primary level.[2]

She left Townsville to "find her feet", but settled on Murray Island, where her parents lived, to raise her three kids[3] and externally study a double bachelor degree in Arts and Education (majoring in drama and literature) at Melbourne's Deakin University, where she is member of the Golden Key National Honour Society. She wrote and performed a one-woman play Dad, Me and Uncle Koiki while studying.[4]

Career

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For Whaleboat's performance in RAN Remote Area Nurse she was nominated for the 2006 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama.[5]

Other roles include Warwick Thornton's film The Darkside[6] and the TV productions The Straits (2012), Mabo (2012)[7][8] and Blue Water Empire (2019).[9][10]

A big lover of literature, Whaleboat is also a published poet, her poems "King Kebisu" and "Coconut Sails" feature in the anthology book "Mangoes on Fire" launched by the Tropical Writers Group of Cairns.[11] She also wrote the poem "Markai", meaning 'ghost/spirit' (2009).[12]

Personal life

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Whaleboat is mother to three daughters, Swana, Tei-ri and Diari.[13]

She became a teacher at Shalom Christian College in Townsville.[14]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
2012 Mabo Maisa Mabo TV docudrama movie
2013 The Darkside Self Anthology film

As director

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Year Title Role Type
2018 Uncle Willie Director Short documentary film

[15]

Television

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Year Title Role Type
2006 RAN Remote Area Nurse Bernadette Gaibui TV series, 6 episodes
2012 The Straits Auntie Lorraine TV miniseries, 1 episode
2015 Ready for This Mrs Ban TV series, 2 episodes
2019 Blue Water Empire Pamoy / Flora Anosa TV docudrama miniseries

Awards and nominations

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Year Nominated work Award Category Result
2006 RAN Remote Area Nurse AACTA Awards Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Cape York drama a breeze compared with role of motherhood", Townsville Bulletin, 31 January 2006
  2. ^ Menehira, Hazel (14 November 2007), "Merwez gives book a taste of Strait verse", Torres News
  3. ^ https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/lifestyle/townsvilleborn-actress-merwez-whaleboat-talks-about-ghost-stories-and-her-role-in-the-darkside/news-story/d0a504d60d67d957bdc54bec8b668e55
  4. ^ Menehira, Hazel (14 November 2007), "Merwez gives book a taste of Strait verse", Torres News
  5. ^ Campbell, Sonia (17 November 2006), "TV role brings remote issue home - Actor nurses award hopes", The Cairns Post
  6. ^ "Indigenous insight to the spirit world", The Australian, 30 November 2013
  7. ^ Kellner, Lydia (8 November 2013), "Cape York drama a breeze compared with role of motherhood", Townsville Bulletin
  8. ^ Armistead, Jane (19 July 2014), "Townsville-born actress Merwez Whaleboat talks about ghost stories and her role in The Darkside", Townsville Bulletin
  9. ^ Cockrell, Eddie (22 June 2019), "Torres tales set record Strait", The Australian
  10. ^ Dickie, Madeline (12 June 2019), "A Torres Strait tapestry for the telly", National Indigenous Times
  11. ^ Menehira, Hazel (14 November 2007), "Merwez gives book a taste of Strait verse", Torres News
  12. ^ https://www.canopyart.com.au/product/2586/
  13. ^ Menehira, Hazel (14 November 2007), "Merwez gives book a taste of Strait verse", Torres News
  14. ^ https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/lifestyle/townsvilleborn-actress-merwez-whaleboat-talks-about-ghost-stories-and-her-role-in-the-darkside/news-story/d0a504d60d67d957bdc54bec8b668e55
  15. ^ https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/p/merwez-whaleboat/46351?stxt=
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