Elizabeth Quote

My name is Elizabeth Nabarlambarl from the Djordi clan and I would like to share my experience as a woman working as a ranger for Warddeken Land Management in the Stone Country of West Arnhem Land, NT. Working as a ranger with support from IPA and WoC has allowed me to use customary Aboriginal knowledge on a day-to-day basis, and our people desperately need to practice these fragile cultural practices that are about to disappear.

Once they are gone they will be lost forever, however through ranger work we have an ongoing chance to prevent this. In the past things have not been so good. There has been no meaningful work and not enough money to buy food. We didn't have enough money on unemployment benefits and it also made us feel no good in our hearts. But now we are working with Warddeken and we can make a living earning money by living on our own land and looking after it - we have been lucky that with support from the government we have made this a job; learning properly from our old people and working in land management. We are working as rangers, making a living and earning money, and teaching our culture to children.

This makes us feel good, strong and proud. I think that things are looking up. Every year it is getting sweeter and sweeter. Warddeken rangers are now looking after country and we are seeing things improve, for the country and for the communities. Please continue to fund these programs that bring happiness, strength and meaning to our lives. Please do this not just for us at Warddeken, but also for other Aboriginal people across the country.

- Elizabeth Nabarlambarl