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About Us

Papulu Apparr-Kari Aboriginal Corporation (Home or House of Language) is the name of the Language Centre in Tennant Creek.

The area covered by the Language Centre is over 2500 kilometers squares. From Borroloola in the north to Barrow Creek in the south, the Western Australia Border in the west to the Queensland border in the east (one of the biggest areas covered by a language Centre in the Northern Territory).


Papulu Apparr-Kari Aboriginal Corporation (PAK) was established since 1987 and was registered with the Office of Aboriginal Registrar in November 1987. PAK has always aided in the local community in all cultural and language issues. Our main objective is to record, revive and retrieve the Language and Culture of the Barkly Region. We obtain this in several different ways. We employ speakers of the languages of the Barkly Region and service many Languages.

We were a Community Development Employment Program (CDEP) organisation until July 2009 and unique as we were the first, and the only Language and Cultural Centre in Australia that was operating a CDEP.


We were one of the most successful CDEP’s in Australia.
We were one of two organisations’ that were successful in obtaining tri-annual funding from MILR in 2009.


Our Board of Management is made up of members from all over the Barkly region and to give all a say our constitution has been adapted to enable communities to vote for people in there region/ward to represent the language speakers of the region/ward on our Board of Management.

Our vision is to record, restore and revive the Languages of the Barkly Region and to promote employment and economic opportunities and training pathways for the Indigenous people through various programs, enterprises and in particular new media and multimedia technology.


"To leave Language footprints across the Barkly Region."

Our Logo


In 2001 Papulu Apparr-Kari Aboriginal Corporation held a competition to design a new logo for our use in all aspects of our organisation. The competition was a great success and attracted many applicants. The designs were judged, and all applicants’ names were withheld until the decision was made and the best design chosen by the judges. To everyone’s surprise when the envelope was opened for the design that was chosen, that it was Mrs. Judy Nixon’s.

The logo was then given to our media section to work on to make it ready for production use and it has been utilised since that day on all our uniforms, documents, and publications. We are proud to wear the logo that was designed by such an inspirational woman.


Papulu Apparr-Kari Aboriginal Corporation (The Language Center) PAK is dedicated to keeping the memory of Mrs. Judy Nakkamarra Nixon alive and strong within our organisation and the wider community. A prominent Indigenous woman in Tennant Creek, Mrs. Nixon and her family members were involved in the establishment of many organisations and businesses that are still in operation today.


Mrs. Nixon and her family members were an integral part of establishing the Language Centre, and they continued to be key members and dedicated employees today.  Mrs. Nixon was a founding member, serving in the Governing Board to provide guidance and direction. She began to work fulltime for the Language Center in 1997 until her passing in July 2013. Her tireless work alongside her elders is the reason we have such publications as the Warumungu Dictionary and a Learners Guide to Warumungu, amongst many others.


In 2019 PAK established the Mrs. Nakkamarra Nixon award for excellence in language preservation, awarded to an individual, family or community for outstanding work in preserving their language and culture. PAK has also named the newly extended training room the Mrs. Nakkamarra Nixon Learning Room, in her honour.

We are committed to keeping her memory alive, as her knowledge and wisdom has and will benefit all for generations to come and we thank Mrs. Nixon’s family for allowing us to continue to use the artwork/logo/products that encompasses everything Papulu Apparr-Kari Aboriginal Corporation stands for.

Committee Members

Frankie Curtis

Chairperson

A local Arrernte man, Frank Curtis served the people of central Australia for a period of twenty years in his role as an Aboriginal Community Police Officer, Frank helped to develop a Youth rehabilitation camp at Umbussa Amurra outstation. Frank enjoys working with young people to build up their self-esteem and confidence. He strives to instill in these youth a vision that someday they will end up being leaders of their country. Frank is passionate about finding ways for Aboriginal people to return to country and live on their homelands.

Lennie Barton

Deputy Chair

Hello, My name is Lennie Barton and Iʼm from Elliott community 250km north of

Tennant Creek.

My Tribe is Jingili & Muddburra.

I have worked at Papulu Apparr-Kari for a number of years.

I joined the board a few years ago and I was Chairperson for 2 years,.

This year Iʼm the vice chair

I enjoy being on the board because we are from different tribes around the

Barkly region and we talk strong about languages around the Barkly.

Rod Wason

Hi my name is Rod Wason. I was born in Mareeba Queensland; I came to Tennant Creek for five day and ended up being still here 18 years later. In the past I have worked for Julalikari disability, HAAC and Homemakers for three years. I then became a member of Papulu Apparr-Karri Language Center staff as CDEP Supervisor for the men and then went on loan to the Tennant Creek High School, for about three months and ended up getting a full time position as an Aboriginal and Islander Education Worker, a position in which I worked until 2016, before enjoying my retirement.

I have in the past been the chairperson or the deputy chairperson for the Language Center for a number of years and have thoroughly enjoyed working in both positions.

Joseph Williams

I’m a proud Warumungu man, I am the third generation in my family to serve on Papulu Apparr-kari’s governing board. I live in Tennant Creek and currently work at Nyinkka Nyunyu. Myself and my family both have strong ties to the Barkly and to PAK, with many of my family being founding members.

Brenda Crafter

Hello, my name is Brenda Crafter I am a PAK board member for the Tennant Creek region. I enjoy my role on the PAK board because I get to tell my people what is happening with language back home. I’m also a Language speaker at Papulu Apparr-Kari, I record the language to help keep my language alive.

Sandra Jones Waistcoat

Sandra

Bruce Nelson

Treasurer

Bruce

Stephanie Anderson

My name is Stephanie Anderson. I am a Garrwa, Yanyuwa and Marra Women form Manangoora Station and Vanderlin Island. I live and work in Borroloola. My current role is Learning on Country Coordinator at Borroloola School. The Learning on Country Program is a two-way learning program which incorporates a combination of Cultural/ Traditional and Western scientific based learning activities, providing a `two-way tool box` enabling remote Indigenous students to walk strong and proud in both Aboriginal and Western Cultures. The LoCP provides school students with an opportunity to learn `on country` through a partnership of knowledgeable Senior Traditional Owners, Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers, Vocational Education and Training (VET) packages and School teachers. I am also one of the Directors on the PAK board servicing the Borroloola region. I enjoy being a part of PAK for the knowledge sharing, creation of resources and finding ways through technology to keep our language and culture alive for future generations

Our Staff

Chief Executive Officer

Karan Hayward

Chief Executive Officer

   Karan

General Manager

Anita Mayers

General Manager

Anita

Administration

Mahlie Fry

Governance Officer

Hi my name is Mahlie Fry, I was born and raised in Tennant Creek and have lived here for most of my life. I am of Aboriginal decent, and my family come from Winton, Queensland; we are from the Bidjara Tribe. I first started at PAK after I finished up at school, at the time I worked alongside my aunty Deborah K Fry as her assistant. I enjoyed my role as I gained a lot of skills, I moved to Katherine for a short time after that but before I knew it, I was moving back home to Tennant Creek. I started back at PAK in March of 2020, as a part time RSAS worker assisting in the school canteen before becoming full-time in my role. I enjoy working with the kids, seeing the smiles on their beautiful little faces and hearing all their yarns. One of the many highlights of the day. Since then, I have moved over to Administration and Governance. Governance is all new to me, but I enjoy working alongside my elders and respected community members gaining new skills and knowledge.

Nadine Bourchier

My name is Nadine and I am originally from Tennant Creek. I have been working at various areas of PAK since 2008, currently as part of the administrative team, which has allowed me to become well versed in all areas of the corporation. I love being part of the team here at PAK and the support and flexibility it allows myself and my family.

Efsta Konidaris

Efsta

Media

Jordan Gillard

Media Officer

I am Jordan Gillard and I have lived in Tennant Creek all my life. I am a Torres Strait Islander and here at PAK I work in the Media section. I started working here as a school based apprentice then went on to start in a full time role which I am still in to this day. I enjoy talking to the elders in community and visiting new communities that I haven't been too. In 2023, we launched the Warumungu Feed the Monster app which has been my highlight for 2023.

Lachlan Dunemann

Media Officer

Hi, my name is Lachlan Dunemann, I was born in Alice Springs and raised in Tennant Creek. I have family ties that connect me to the Kalkadoon mob from Mt Isa. I started working full time at PAK in late 2020 after I graduated Year 12. I work in the Media section, and I get to do a wide variety of media work such as films, recordings and helping elders restore their languages. Our team at PAK are striving to empower our next generation to be leaders of their language and culture.

Language

Vanessa Williams

Language worker - Tennant Creek

Hi, my name is Vanessa Williams and I do language work across the Tennant Creek region for PAK. I enjoy spending my time at the Primary School helping students learn the Warumungu language.

Rosemary Plummer

Language worker - Tennant Creek

Rosemary

Raylene Bill

Language worker - Elliott

Raylene

Daphne Mawson
Language worker - Borroloola

Hi, my name is Daphne Mawson and I do language work across the Borroloola region for PAK.

Peggy Mawson

Language worker - Borroloola

Hi, my name is Peggy Mawson and I do language work across the Borroloola region for PAK.

Jane Dixon

Language worker - Elliott

Hi, my name is Jane Dixon and I do language work across the Elliott region for PAK. I enjoy doing language lessons at Elliott school.

Selina Grant

Language worker - Tennant Creek

Selina

Remote School Attendance Strategy


The Remote School Attendace Program assists in getting children to school and finding out the reasons why children are not attending.

Joe Mayers

RSAS Supervisor

I come from Tennant Creek, but I briefly lived in Queensland over the years. I work for the RSAS team also known as the Yellow shirts. I’ve worked for PAK since 2015/2016. Working at PAK is good, and I like it. One of the main things I like most is interacting with the families and children while getting to know them. 

Gary Marshall

RSAS Supervisor

I am from Mount Isa Kalkadoon mob, but I’ve lived in Tennant Creek all my life. At Papulu Apparr-kari I am a SAO (Student Attendance Officer) which is also known as yellow shirts and I have been working here for 6 and a half years. I like working with children, listening to what they like and the goals they have. One of the main things I like about my job is what we do for our community and young ones, we are the stepping stones for our future generation.

Daniel Fraser

RSAS Supervisor

I am Daniel Fraser and I was born in Bedford Park Hospital, South Australia. My role is with the Remote School Attendance Strategy, and I enjoy assisting with school attendance in Tennant Creek. We have a good team here which makes it even more enjoyable.

Mattaniah Bain

RSAS Officer

Mattaniah

James Young

RSAS Officer

James

Noel Jones

RSAS Officer

Noel

Josiah Jackson

RSAS Officer

My name is Josiah Jackson, and I have started working for PAK in Mungkarta in June 2023. I have previously worked for PAK and I enjoy helping my mob get an education to be leaders in the future.

Lennie Barton

RSAS Officer

My name is Lennie Barton, and I work in the Elliott region for PAK. I work as a yellow shirt, but I also do multimedia, such as films and recording of the local languages. 

Zachariah Limerick

RSAS Officer

Hi, my name is Zachariah Limerick and I am from Tennant Creek. I am a proud Warumungu man and I am working at PAK as an RSAS worker. I enjoy my job at PAK because I get to help kids get a better education.

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