The bi-cultural school in itself is an incredible achievement. An average school day begins with literacy and numeracy, integrated with science, history and geography and consistent with the national curriculum. Students also focus on cultural learning activities guided by the community on country that take advantage of the unique natural environment and cultural setting in which the school is situated.

But it’s what the school enables by allowing Indigenous Ranger families to stay living on country, that is having a global impact.

In February Dean Yibarbuk, Senior Warddeken Ranger and the Chair of Nawarddeken Academy was part of an envoy of Australian Indigenous conservation experts invited by the Canadian Government to visit their Northwest Territories and advise them on how to care for protected land and sea.

You can read about Dean’s adventure in this Guardian article by Lorena Allam here.

With Australian Indigenous led conservation and land management leading the world it is truly exciting to be partnering with a school brimming with our future culture and nature conservationists.

The practices that the Warddeken people have cultivated for thousands of years are profound but it is how they’ll use those ancient practices to shape the future that holds the greatest promise.

Dusseldorp Forum are committed to support the Nawarddeken Academy’s evaluation and growth into 2020.

Photo by Dan McLaren