Special Projects | Bi-lingual Family and Community Studies Project | Creating Indigenous Futures Disability

Bi-lingual Family and Community Studies Project

Caritas has funded projects at Nungalinya College for nine years.  The current Bi-lingual Family and Community Studies project includes funding for the position of a bi-lingual Facilitator, Gamiritj Gurruwiwi.  A commitment to long term to financial support from Caritas has been critical in the growth of programs and student numbers in the School of Family and Community Studies. 

Caritas has been very significant because the longevity of the funding has allowed us to trial different models of training and delivery and then implement the model that was deemed most successful.  We found that a mainstream facilitator working with an indigenous facilitator from a remote community provided two completely different skill sets, yet were both totally necessary.  By teaming mainstream and indigenous, both world views of the two cultures can be discussed, ‘both ways’ learning occurs. Discussion and negotiation occurs throughout the life cycle of the preparation, delivery and training of the course. Of particular importance for the students is being able to understand the dialogue - it is being delivered in a language they understand!  This model is now reflected in all aspects of the work of the School of Family and Community Studies.

Gamiritj Gurruwiwi's Story

At the Graduation ceremony in December 2007, Gamiritj received the Inaugural Teacher's Award from the College pictured right. Here in her own words is her story.

 My parents bought me up in a very strict way.  They sent me to school every day and gave me work of cleaning and cooking after school. My parents and families were my role models, so I grew up with the skills of understanding and knowing about two world views of education.

  My first education as a Yolngu child I learnt from my mother, aunties and grandmother about the seasons of the environment and Yolngu Culture.  After learning from Yolngu educators my mother took me to get the second education which was the Balanda Education.

  In 1973, I had to go into Darwin to do a course for 6 months as a tailor at Frog Hollow School (Adult Education Centre).  I started working at the old sewing centre at Galiwin’ku which used to be an old school. Sixteen ladies and one Balanda woman were employed there by the council members. We worked very hard making many clothes so that we could sell them to communities to make money.

 Most of our customers that came in for ceremonies from around Arnhem land were the ones that bought our clothes from the centre.

Sometimes the Sewing Department sent them out to sell clothes to various small communities at the outstations.  Our centre was a money-making Small Enterprise Centre that benefited the whole community.

 In 1983, after working at the sewing centre for about 10 years I desired to do a course. I studied clerical skills for 6 months at NT University. After the course I went to Goulburn Island and got a job at the ALPA store for another 6 months. In the first 5 months of 1984 I worked at the office as a pay clerk.

 In 1987 there was a new project called the Remote Area Children Services. It was a Government project under the umbrella of the Uniting Church.  There was one Balanda women and myself working in the field. Our work was to do research in Arnhem land talking with people to discuss issues about children’s needs such as; health, underweight children and neglect.

 After three years later a new project was offered to me called the Domestic Violence Project. Two people were employed, myself and another Indigenous woman. This work had to cover the whole of the Northern Territory.

 In 1992 I started work at Nungalinya College.  Our first class room was in the area where chapel is now, that’s where 12 ladies went to study. In that time, the rules of each community said only leaders of the church could choose the 2 ladies and 2 men to study Theology and Women Studies (Bi- Cultural Life Studies).

 Students come from all different places to study: Arnhem land, Queensland, Western Australia, Alice Springs, Torres Strait and Tiwi Islands.

 In 1993 Adi Dunlop, Margie Perkins and I decided to change the course name from Women Studies to Bi-Cultural Life Studies, meaning both ways of learning. At that time we also changed the number of students from 12 to14. The students had to come away from their communities for one year to study here.

 I worked at Nungalinya College for 3 ½ years Teaching in Bi-Cultural Life Studies.  In 1996 I desired to do more study at Northern Territory University, Adult Education Vocational Studies for 3 years. I graduated with an Associate Diploma of Education.

 In 1999 I came back to Nungalinya College to work. I found that Adi Dunlop was still here with two new teachers Dawn Cardona and Kathy Wright. We also had part time tutor Maria, helping students with their literacy after class. In 2000 Amanda Donohoe became a new tutor for SoFACS for a year.

 Adi Dunlop developed our course with help from Shirley Gundhumawuy. Dawn Cardona took on the position of Co-ordinator for 3 years so that Adi could teach which she loved to do.  Adi then retired so Amanda Donohoe got the position in 2001. In 2002 Dawn Cardona became the Principal of the College and Amanda Donohoe became Coordinator and Teacher of SoFACS.  I was still assisting Adi in teaching, translation and student services. 

 I am still at Nungalinya College working as a Teacher and Translator.  Our student numbers have increased. Sometimes we have 18 in the class and more want to come, but we have to tell them to come next year. This course is offered to adults over 15 years of age both male and female. We have some students over 60 years of age. The students come in from many remote communities including Galiwin’ku, Gapuwiyak, Ramingining, Langarra, Milingimbi and the Tiwi Islands.

 Students choose our College because they feel like they are at home and they like the atmosphere.  Also they know there are Yolngu Teachers to translate in language that will help them in the area of misunderstanding, lack of confidence, jargon words and also in reading and writing.

 When Balanda Teachers explain the subject we, the Yolngu teachers, will explain that subject to the students in Yolngu Matha.  Then every Yolngu student will have better understanding and better picture in their mind of the subject.

Thank you Caritas!

 

Nungalinya College Incorporated PO Box 40371,  Casuarina NT 0811 Phone: (08) 8920 7500   Fax: (08) 8927 2332 Email: info@nungalinya.edu.au