Our Community Relations Manager Nicole Stein recently attended a Cultural Awareness Training session at the Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre in South Hedland.

Nicole has previously lived and worked in the Pilbara region and completed several cultural awareness courses, and embraces ongoing education in her field.

“Continuing my indigenous cultural education journey is very important to me. It’s not about ticking the box and doing a one day cultural awareness course; it’s about continually learning about the community and people you work with,” she says.

During the training, Nicole gained valuable insights into the indigenous languages of the Pilbara region. She was impressed by the efforts of Wangka Maya in preserving endangered languages like Nyamal; another highlight of the day was the opportunity to meet a young indigenous woman who shared a similar interest in exploring her own culture and language.

Nicole also had the privilege of meeting a Torres Strait islander originally from Murray Island, whose most famous resident was trade unionist Eddie Mabo. Eddie played a significant role in campaigning for Indigenous land rights in Australia, in particular the landmark decision of the High Court of Australia that recognised that indigenous rights to land had continued after the British Crown acquired sovereignty, and that the international law doctrine of terra nullius was not applicable to Australian domestic law.

Nicole looks forward to attending further Cultural Awareness Training sessions and continuing her indigenous education, and continuing to foster meaningful connections within the community.