Introducing Two New Board Members!

Our Foundation is proud to warmly welcome two new members, Merrkiyawuy Ganambarr-Stubbs and Yalmay Yunupingu to our Board.

These women have both shown impressive leadership in Indigenous education and literacy, and are committed to creating the best possible future for our nation's Indigenous youth.

Merrkiyawuy Ganambarr-Stubbs is a proud YolÅ‹u woman and leader from North East Arnhem Land, who has has written 6 books. Her children’s books are written in YolÅ‹u Matha for use in primary schools as Walking Talking texts.

Merrkiyawuy plays an important role in the bilingual education movement in Arnhem Land working with YolÅ‹u Elders to develop both-ways learning. She has developed a series of YolÅ‹u curriculum materials currently in use in Arnhem Land.

Merrkiyawuy has also been an important voice for YolÅ‹u rights. In this capacity she has regularly appeared on television and on the internet. She is currently the Principal of Yirrkala Community School. Her vision is that every child is appreciated, and that every child knows that dreams are possible.

Yalmay is a YolÅ‹u Rirratjingu woman from Yirrkala. She holds a Bachelor of Education – Teaching and Learning with Charles Darwin University as well as a Diploma in Teaching through Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. 

Yalmay is an influential educator through her leadership, cultural knowledge and commitment to early childhood education and care and has made a significant and lasting impact by developing culturally appropriate resources for families and their children. Her passion for education, linguistics and advocacy for the bilingual “Two Way Learning” philosophy, has been widely acknowledged.

In 2005 Yalmay was awarded ‘Teacher of Excellence” (Remote Community) by the Department of Education. From 2012 to 2018 she established and chaired the Indigenous Early Childhood Parent Reference Group.

Currently working with the Literature Production Centre team at Yirrkala Bilingual School, she’s translating books and songs from YolÅ‹u Matha to English. She is also an Honorary University Fellow with the Office of Pro Vice Chancellor – Indigenous Leadership at CDU.

We're incredibly excited to have both Merrkiyawuy and Yalmay on our Board, having published Nhä Nhunu NhäÅ‹al? (I Saw We Saw) in DhaÅ‹u, a YolÅ‹u Matha language just last year.

A very warm welcome to you both!

• Posted 24 June, 2020