Name: Samantha Rose Duncan
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Age: 20 years old
From: Born in Moree NSW, raised in Tamworth NSW
Who is your sponsor?
The Tamworth Local Aboriginal Land Council
What is the most interesting thing about you?
I love my sports. I’ve been playing league tag with the Bendemeer women’s side for the past 4 years (and still counting). My younger sister and I played together in the women’s rugby league 9’s competition last month in November and from there, we have now been selected to play in the first women’s rugby league group 4 team for 2018 with a clear pathway to the Australian Jillaroo’s rugby team. So this will be yet another challenge for me to take on for the New Year and I couldn’t be more excited. I’m also very proud of my younger sister. I can’t wait to start this journey with her next year. I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d want to do this with.
Where would you send someone to visit if they were in Tamworth for the first time?
I’d definitely recommend a tour out to Boundary Rock with our elder Len Waters. The rock is located just outside of Tamworth near Moonbi. Boundary Rock is an Aboriginal sacred site with lots of significance to our Gomeroi land. There is Aboriginal artwork on the rock dated back from over 700 years ago made from ochre and either goanna or echidna fat to ensure the painting stays on. It tells multiple stories about our culture and Len would be able to expand more on this with his cultural knowledge and story-telling. It’s a very spiritual place and you will learn about our ancestors and what they did from hundreds of years ago.
What’s your favourite thing about the Country Music Festival?
My favourite thing about the Country Music Festival would definitely be the music, the people and the diverse range of events that the town runs throughout the 10 days.
Who or what is your favourite band and/or song?
My favourite song at the moment would be ‘blue ain’t your colour’ by Keith Urban.
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What has been the best thing about the Queen Quest so far?
I’d definitely say getting to meet with the other entrants was a highlight of the quest. I’ve created some special friendships with these ladies. I have to add our toastmaster’s speech craft workshop as well. This was a major highlight of the quest in helping myself and all the other entrants gain more confidence in public speaking and within ourselves. I can definitely say that the toastmaster’s workshop helped me feel more confident in speaking at the festival next month. It has helped me so much.
What would you do if you were crowned Queen?
I would continue doing exactly what I’m doing now. Being a role model and an inspiration not only to our Aboriginal people, but our non-Aboriginal people as well while encouraging them to find their purpose and do what they love. I would represent Tamworth and the whole of our community in a beautiful and positive light. I would be blessed if I were crowned Queen because it will be yet another barrier broken down for my people. It will just go to show if you aim for the sky, you can definitely reach for the stars. It will be proof that hard work surely pays off and 2018 would be a complete new year and new challenge for me to take on once again and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
What Queen responsibility or perk are you most looking forward to?
Being an ambassador for Tamworth is what I’m definitely keen to do. It would be a brand new challenge for me to take on and I like challenging and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I feel as if I were to represent Tamworth as an ambassador, I will be able to speak on the highlights of region as well as our unique Aboriginal cultural history of Tamworth.