Wayfinders Circle Ngarridurndeng Kured

About

Ngarridurndeng Kured (We Going Home Now) follows Dean Yibarbuk, his family and community as they return to their traditional homeland in Kuwarddewardde – the rock country - to help protect their country  from devastating wildfires and reestablish their communities and support their families’ and way of life.

Key Participants

Dean Yibarbuk

Dean is a traditional owner of Djinkarr, near Maningrida, where he began his career as an Aboriginal liaison officer for the Northern Territory government and Maningrida Community School. Dean is multilingual, speaking Gurrgoni, Kunwinjku, Yolngu Matha and English, among other Indigenous languages. In the 1980s, Dean studied natural and cultural resource management at Adelaide University and Bachelor College, and since then has taken a prominent leadership role in Indigenous land conservation in Australia and overseas. Dean was a driving force behind the development of one of Australia’s oldest ranger groups, the Djelk Rangers (now Bawinanga Rangers), and in the establishment of Warddeken Land Management. He is currently chairperson of Warddeken, co-chair of the Karrkad-Kanjdji Trust, and has sat on too many boards and committees over the years to list. For much of his adult life, Dean has been a powerful advocate for the positive impacts of customary burning, and continues to travel the globe to inspire and inform others. 

Lois Nadjamerrek 

Reverend Lois Nadjamerrek is a senior traditional owner of the Mok clan estate, which includes Kabulwarnamyo, and minister at the Emmanuel Anglican Church in Gunbalanya. She is a pillar of the Gunbalanya community, and is often the first port of call for those experiencing difficulties. Lois is passionate about providing a safe and strong community for families at Kabulwarnamyo. She has extensive finance and governance experience, and for decades worked tirelessly as a director of Warddeken, Nawarddeken Academy, Karrkad-Kanjdji Trust and Adjumarllarl Aboriginal Corporation. Lois is also a skilled linguist, working as part of the team that translated the New Testament into Kunwinjku. Lois also works alongside Dr Murray Garde and other linguists as part of the Bininj Kunwok Regional Language Centre. 

Terrah Guymala 

Terrah Guymala is a senior Bordoh clan member and traditional owner of the Ngorlkwarre estate within the Warddeken Indigenous Protected Area. Terrah has been a driving force behind Warddeken’s Manmoyi rangers, starting as ranger in 2007, becoming a senior ranger in 2015 and is now the manager of cultural projects, based at Manmoyi outstation. Terrah is a director of Warddeken and Nawarddeken, and also sits on the board of Karrkad-Kanjdji Trust, Arnhem Land Fire Abatement (ALFA) NT Limited and the Indigenous Carbon Industry Network (ICIN). In 2023, Terrah was recognised for his outstanding commitment to land management, winning the NT Ranger of the Year award. In addition to all of this,Terrah is an extremely talented musician, with an impressive career spent performing solo and with the rock band Nabarlek.