Old ways aided by new technology for indigenous rangers in the Tanami Desert

In the Tanami Desert, Warlpiri ranger Madeleine Dixon searches for footprints in the sand.

She hopes to find tracks of kangaroos, emus, goannas or other lizards.

Ms Dixon is one of more than a hundred Aboriginal rangers who meet at Tilmouth Well, on the edge of the Tanami, for the Central Land Council’s annual camp.

It’s a chance for rangers to catch up, compare notes and share knowledge.

This year’s highlights include the launch of a bilingual animal tracking training package that combines traditional and modern teaching techniques.

The CLC developed Yitaki Maninjaku Ngurungka (who reads the land) to ensure that future rangers retain age-old knowledge and skills in tracking.

The training package includes tailor-made learning activities, supported by resources in Warlpiri and English.

Mrs. Dixon learned to track the old way – from her parents, aunt and grandmother, who still give her advice on identifying animal species.

She is both a student and a teacher, passing on the knowledge given to her.

“We will teach the new rangers, we will teach them how to hunt,” Ms Dixon told AAP.

“And we teach other rangers from other communities who want to learn how to track.”

Experienced trackers, known as kuyu pungu in Warlpiri, knowledge holders, teachers and language experts have worked with Warlpiri and North Tanami rangers and other CLC staff to develop the bilingual training materials over the past three years.

The resources are ready to be adapted for other language groups in the deserts of Australia.

Jerry Jangala, a Lajamanu elder and experienced tracker, was critical to the Yitaki Maninjaku Ngurungka project.

“We talk about asking questions (so students) give the right answer (to) get the right words into their hearts and minds,” he said.

Nelson Tex listens as Jerry Jangala Patrick (seated) interprets animal tracks. Credit: Central Land Council

Elder Enid Gallagher has also been involved with the project from the beginning.

“We worked together to develop new ways to use old methods like recounts and replays,” she said.

“We have seen that recycling these old ways works.

“At a recent biodiversity survey, the rangers responded very well and became very excited about learning this way.”

One of the reasons the old ways need to be adapted is to account for introduced pest species.

“We want to track our own native animals, but the wildlife is right above the footprints of the native animals; the horses, cows and camels hide over the tracks,” Ms Dixon explains.

During animal surveys in 2023, rangers found populations of skinks, native hopping mice and other important species.

“We will be painting on a canvas, which will show the biodiversity monitoring we did in the Tanami last year,” Ms Dixon said.

“And now we end up with all those animals showing up in their locations on the canvas.”

Rangers learn how to drive vehicles for different terrains, practice catching venomous snakes and participate in first aid and smartphone video training.

Their work includes controlling introduced grasses, such as bank and buffalo, which have adapted so well to the Central Australian environment that they outcompete native plants, leading to habitat and food loss for native species.

This year’s camp also focuses on ranger health and wellbeing, with the Northern Territory Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance delivering a mental health and culturally responsive trauma-informed program, and a session on carbon farming.

But for Ms. Dixon, both her job as a ranger and the camp have one crucial purpose.

“I love being on Country and taking care of the country,” she said.

‘And I want to teach it to my grandchildren in the future too.

“I always take them out to look for bush potatoes. It’s the right season now and it’s green because we’ve had the biggest rainfall over the Northern Territory, it’s crazy.”

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