NEW WOMEN’S RANGER TEAM ON YINDJIBARNDI COUNTRY
Yindjibarndi Rangers and a Rio Tinto representative at Millstream last week. Pictured are Isaac Guiness, Taryn Milroy, Estelle Guiness, Haylen Wielgomasz, Lindsay McDonald (Rio Tinto) and Richard Cohen.
In the Pilbara, the Yindjibarndi Rangers have established a new Female Ranger Team to protect and preserve women’s sites and knowledge.
The Yindjibarndi Ranger program was established in 2019 to care for Country in Millstream Chichester National Park and other parts of Yindjibarndi country.
Elder Pansy Sambo said she and other Elders will provide cultural advice to the new Female Ranger Team.
“I think I have a responsibility as an Elder to be able to speak and teach and be a mentor for young people, so that the next generations become stronger, and the Yinjdibarndi nation becomes stronger and stronger,” Ms Sambo said.
Estelle Guiness started as a Yindjibarndi Ranger last week.
She said she was excited to work on country.
“It’s gonna be a good healing process for me,” Ms Guinness said.
“It’s just good to out on country; reminisce about all the memories, all the old people.
“If I could come out bush every day I would, and this is the right job for it.”
The Female Ranger Team has been supported by a new partnership with Rio Tinto.