Celebrating Nukunu Warrarla through Community Art at Risdon Park Primary School
July 9, 2026
On 1 July 2026, the MLT attended the unveiling of a new Nukunu language mural at Risdon Park Primary School (RPPS) in Port Pirie.
The Mobile Language Team (MLT) has been working alongside AJ Constable and Renee Woodman at Risdon Park Primary School (RPPS) since 2023 to support the school’s Nukunu Warrarla program. AJ, a Nukunu woman and the school’s Aboriginal Community Education Officer (ACEO), partners with Aboriginal Education Teacher (AET) Renee Woodman to embed Nukunu Warrarla throughout the school, creating meaningful opportunities for students to learn, use and celebrate language in both the classroom and the wider community.
During 2025 and 2026, this partnership has been further strengthened through funding awarded to the MLT under the Australian Government’s First Nations Languages Education Program (FNLE). The program has provided dedicated support for AJ’s ongoing language learning journey, supporting her to build the confidence, knowledge and skills to share Nukunu Warrarla in both school and community settings. This funding has also provided the resources and support needed to expand Nukunu language learning at RPPS through the development of educational materials, classroom activities and community engagement opportunities.
Inspired by the 2026 Reconciliation Week theme, “All In“, AJ and Renee collaborated with the school’s Thuṛa Kungapa (student leaders) to create a permanent mural celebrating Nukunu language, identity and community.
The unveiling brought together Nukunu community members, ACEOs, and AETs from schools across Port Pirie, TAFE staff, local community members, media representatives, and the Mayor of Port Pirie to celebrate the achievement.
During the event, AJ reflected on her personal journey into language work and shared how reconnecting with Nukunu warrarla has strengthened her identity as a Nukunu woman. She spoke about the importance of language revitalisation and shared the steps she’s taken on her journey, illustrating that anyone can become involved in language work within their own community. AJ then introduced the Nukunu words featured throughout the mural, inviting guests to practise speaking them together.
Following the speeches, guests were invited to explore a display of language resources created by AJ and Renee, alongside a range of MLT Language Confidence Kits. The displays showcased the incredible work being undertaken at RPPS to support language learning through storybooks, flashcards, posters, games and other classroom resources.
The following description was written by AJ, Renee and 2026 Thuṛa Kungapa leaders:
Our collaborative artwork, created by AJ with our Thuṛa Kungapa leaders, is a visual story of connection, care, and cultural strength within our school community and on Nukunu Yarta (country).
Each class is represented by a watli (camp), showing that every group belongs to a shared community, while maintaining its own place and identity. Moving between these camps is the wapma (snake), a significant cultural totem for Nukunu Thuṛa (Nukunu people). The wapma travels across the painting to ensure everyone is safe, connected, and looked after. As wapma travels, he shares stories and language, symbolising the ongoing teaching and revival of Nukunu warrarla and culture so that knowledge is not lost again.
Wapma Thuṛa, reflects the Southern Flinders Ranges, is the surrounding landscape that holds deep cultural meaning and connection to home for Nukunu Thuṛa. This grounding presence reminds us that identity, culture, and community are inseparable from yarta.
Threading throughout the artwork are watapa (tracks), representing the many people working behind the scenes to support, guide, and strengthen connections within the school and wider community. These pathways show that care and collaboration are continuous and shared.
The inclusion of paṛi (creek) acknowledges that waterways run through Nukunu yarta and lead to the thatni (sea). Kawi (water) is essential to life and connected to yarta, sustaining culture, identity, and well-being.
Together, the painting tells a story of belonging, cultural identity, and the strength of community honouring the past, supporting the present, and guiding the future.
Following the unveiling, AJ delivered a Welcome to Country entirely in Nukunu warrarla before inviting everyone in attendance to contribute to the mural by adding their own artwork to the wapma. This final collaborative element symbolised that every person present has a place within the shared story of the mural and the ongoing journey of Nukunu language revitalisation.
The MLT is proud to support AJ and Renee through the FNLEP project, which promotes community members to share and strengthen First Nations languages in education settings. Their dedication and passion continue to inspire students, staff and the wider community, demonstrating the powerful role that language plays in strengthening identity, belonging, and connection to Country.
The MLT gratefully acknowledges the support of Indigenous Languages and Arts and First Languages Australia for making this work possible. To hear more about this project, see the media coverage below (interview from 36:40 – 48:23):
If you’re interested in bringing language work to your community or school, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us to learn how you can get involved.
