Scholar, cultural protector dies at 49
Nicolas Rothwell; 13/5/08
Scholar and grandmother, translator and cultural defender, Dr R. Marika, who died, aged 49, over the weekend near her home in northeast Arnhem Land, was one of Australia’s most prominent and admired traditional Aboriginal leaders. Dr Marika’s long list of achievements, appointments and accolades highlighted her brilliance; but they give little clue to the determination, bravery and sweetness of character that made her so loved by her wide circle of friends. Born into the Rirratjingu clan-group of the Yolngu people, the eldest daughter of the land rights campaigner Roy Marika, she devoted her life to education and to the cause of communication between the English-speaking mainstream and her own society.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23688827-5013404,00.html
Testing time for remote students
Natasha Robinson; 13/5/08
Maj O’Neill, principal of the remote St Francis Xavier School at the Northern Territory community of Daly River, reckons sitting her students down for today’s inaugural national literacy and numeracy testing will be a bit like “getting a tooth pulled”. “You have to get through the pain to have the benefit later,” she told The Australian from the community, 220km southwest of Darwin. The pain lies in confronting the large gulf in the ability to read, write and count that exists between indigenous children in Daly River and privileged, non-indigenous children in the capital cities.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23688821-5013404,00.html
Tags: Aboriginal, Australia, Education