Stories from Bidyadanga School

La Grange Remote Community School is situated in the Bidyadanga Aboriginal Community in the Kimberley region on Karajarri country south of Broome and north of Port Hedland.

Bidyadanga is the Karajarri language word for Emu, which means pijarta or bidyada. It means a place where an emu was killed.

In around 1905 people from the Nyangumarta, Mangala, Juwaliny and Yulparija country moved from the desert into Bidyadanga. The Karajarri people, the Traditional Owners of this country, welcomed and accommodated these people into their country. Community members today still identify as being from one or more of the language groups.

We love our turquoise waters and white beaches, we also have mangroves and tidal flats that go inland before the pindan soil and typical flat edge-of-desert country starts. We are from saltwater country, there are some cliffs that are by the water, but mainly it's flat out here.

Out here we love our country and it is at the core of our whole being. The call to country and the need to protect and care for it for future generations is something close to the hearts of all community members.

The majority of stories, songs and dances that our Elders tell, and we take part in, are about the history and importance of the country and what Bidyadanga means to us.

We have lots of sacred sites like waterways, beaches, sand dunes and Boab trees. They are revered and spoken about only on special occasions and by certain people.

All of this has contributes to our rich culture and the need to preserve this for future generations is something that is taken very seriously, particularly by the adults of today.

Our school at Bidyadanga is amazing. We love it so much. We have a great bunch of teachers and they do a great job to include our families in everything we do. They encourage us to work hard to learn more so we can take strong steps into the future.