On this page: About | Considerations | Freedom of movement | Campuses | With thanks
The Lands is a remarkable piece of Australia. It holds a rich biodiversity and a pioneer-like history. You will have the opportunity to work with the Ngaanyatjarra people – Yarnangu.
The Aboriginal people (Yarnangu) who reside in the communities are part of a single social system that is referred to as the Western Desert Cultural Bloc. The Ngaanyatjarra people maintain a rich cultural heritage that is based on a close connection with the land. They have a unique culture in society, economy, religion and outlook.
The Ngaanyatjarra Lands are situated in the east of Western Australia comprising some 250,000 km2 (about the size of Victoria) stretching from the tri-state border with South Australia and the Northern Territory. Approximately 2,000 Aboriginal people live in 11 communities that comprise the Ngaanyatjarra Lands.
The Ngaanyatjarra Lands school comprises eight campuses – Blackstone Campus, Wanaran Campus, Jameson Campus, Warakurna Campus, Kiwirrkurra Campus, Warburton Campus, Tjukurla Campus and Wingellina Campus – across the Western Desert of Western Australia. Find out more about each campus here.
The predominant language spoken is Ngaanyatjarra though in some places people speak Western Desert dialects of Pitjantjatjara and Pintupi. Other Aboriginal languages are also spoken as family connections reach far and wide.
There is an organic nature of life on the Lands where students and their families remain highly mobile. The Aboriginal people in the Lands still hunt and gather bush tucker in traditional ways. A priority for the school has been to build and consolidate a range of administrative and instructional systems. To address the issue of highly mobile students the school has created:
- Integration of two-way learning.
- Individual learning plans for all students so that teachers on different campuses are aware of their program and level of attainment.
- A curriculum outline that includes a focus on the Aboriginal Literacy Strategy and a three-year rotating integrated curriculum.
Some considerations for you:
- The consumption and/or possession of alcohol is prohibited across the Lands. The decision by the Ngaanyatjarra elders to ensure their communities were dry was a conscious decision. If you are found with alcohol the consequences could be severe as you will likely have to relinquish your right to remain on the Lands.
- If going for a walk outside the community or after dark, take someone else with you.
- Lock your doors when you are home and when you are out, the same as you would living in any other town.
- Do not interfere with family disputes. If you see violence, call the police.
- When you know there is trouble in an area of the community, stay away from the area and don’t get involved.
- If you wish to go for an exercise run, the airstrip is the best place in most communities partly because they have more of an even surface and because it is quiet. This means that running clothes will be less of an issue, however if female it is recommended not to wear anything too revealing.
There are a number of cultural traditions and considerations living on the Lands. There are strong differentiations in Ngaanyatjarra society. It is generally easier for women to speak to women and men to speak to men. Age also plays a part in relationships with people. The Ngaanyatjarra style is to be modest and indirect in order to avoid offence.
Funeral attendance is compulsory for extended family and people often travel great distances to be in a sorry camp over a period of time prior to the actual funeral. When this happens, one campus may find itself overflowing with students, while other places will be almost empty.
Traditional men’s and women’s business remains very strong. The senior people are keen to teach the young people about the traditional ways of hunting, gathering and cooking bush tucker and are concerned that their young people do not lose their traditional language and culture.
Freedom of movement
Ngaanyatjarra people themselves do not see all parts of the Lands as freely accessible, even to other members of their own group, so visitors should not see it all as freely available to them either.
There are sacred sites within the landscape as well as storage places for ceremonial objects that may be quite close to the community or places that men regularly use for restricted ceremonial purposes. It is important to find out what areas and directions around the community are off limits.
Visitors to the Lands are required to obtain a permit to travel and even then, they must normally remain on the main roads. The Ngaanyatjarra Lands school employees have a pre-existing permit through the Department of Education. This permit allows employees to be present in the places where they undertake their work, but it does not give full freedom of movement.
Further information can be found on the Ngaanyatjarra Lands School website.
Ngaanyatjarra Lands School campuses
The Ngaanyatjarra Lands School campuses as per Google Maps.
The above information on the Ngaanyatjarra Lands has been compiled from the Ngaanyatjarra Lands School website – www.nglandschool.wa.edu.au – and the knowledge of Dr David Brooks (Ngaanyatjarra Lands School Staff Handbook). We extend our thanks to the authors.
