GURRUWILYUN YOLNGU SEASONS GAWA POSTER

Gotha (Kathy Guthadjaka)

Gotha is a senior elder from Gawa, a small family community on Elcho Island in east Arnhemland in the Northern Territory. She has worked as an educator since the mid 1960's and has always had a strong interest in research. She is currently employed as a part-time Senior Research Fellow at the Northern Institute at Charles Darwin University. Gotha is intersted in collaborative research projects where she can share her Aboriginal knowledge and expertise. Gotha's research focus is on Warramiri knowledge language, culture and country. Aboriginal education, both ways education, spirituality, identity and religion.

Gawa Yolnu Seasons Project

Gotha is passionate about her research and work in using digital technologies to engage her community and provide new ways to imagine their future. For many years Gotha has been using digital technologies to develop educational resources and materials based on her extensive cultural knowledge and in particular the Warramiri languarge. In late 2012, at a workshop held at Gawa, school children and community members worked with Gotha and Trevor van Weeran (Merri Creek Productions) to explore some of Gotha's ideas for how the community can both develop and keep Yolnu culture alive and strong. This Seasonal Calendar was one of the products of the workshop. It is now being used as a basis of curriculum in the Gawa school and has been made available to the general public.

Where is Gawa?

Gawa is a place on Elcho Island in the Arnhem Land of Northern Territory Australia.
Elcho Island is situated about 90 kilometres west-north-west of the Gove Peninsula in the Arafura Sea. Approximately 60km long and 6km wide, it is home for some 1,000 Indigenous Australians whose homelands are scattered on Elcho, several neighbouring islands and surrounding mainland regions. Elcho Island is one of the most remote communities in Australia.