The Robe River Kuruma Women Rangers Team

Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation (RRKAC) is the representative body for the Robe River Kuruma (RRK) People across the Pilbara region of Western Australia. For over 30,000 years, the RRK People have cared for their Country using traditional connections that have been passed down through generations.

In August 2023, RRKAC officially launched their own Jajiwurra Rangers program that facilitates the maintenance of a healthy Country and healthy culture. The program helps ensure RRK people can continue to contribute to and enjoy cultural, social, environmental, and economic outcomes of their lands and waters.³RRKAC, Country and Culture, Robe River Kuruma Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, June, 2024, [link]

They have formed an RRK Women Ranger Team to address the gender imbalance in the field and promote equal opportunities and skills in environmental management and cultural conservation.⁴Nicholas Haney, Chief Operating Officer, e-mail to Australian Indigenous Governance Institute, 4 July 2024. Empowering women to step into these roles develops their leadership capabilities and promotes the preservation of gender-based knowledge. Establishing a women’s team ensures that RRKAC can uphold cultural protocols in their environmental and cultural heritage. The inclusion of women-specific traditional knowledge and responsibilities is essential for effective, holistic caring for Country programs.