JULUWARLU MARKS 25 YEARS OF PRESERVING YINIDJIBARNDI KNOWLEDGE

BY TANGIORA HINAKI

Juluwarlu Aboriginal Corporation is celebrating 25 years of cultural work today, marking the anniversary of its launch on 26 June 1999. The Roebourne-based organisation has become a cornerstone for Yindjibarndi language, stories and history, built from the ground up by Lorraine Coppin and Michael Woodley.

CEO Lorraine Coppin says today’s milestone is a moment to reflect on the people who helped drive Juluwarlu’s foundation.

“I think that’s got to go to Mr Woodley King,” she said. “He pushed me. I just went to the shop, bought a tape recorder, and sat down with him. That’s how it started.”

Lorraine also paid tribute to her parents, who were Juluwarlu’s first workers when it opened at the old homestead in Hampton Street, Roebourne.

“My mum and dad were there at the start. I remember my dad always coming to work, listening to tapes. He was so excited when we got those maps with place names. That memory is something I’ll pass on to my kids.”

Lorraine said Juluwarlu’s archives weren’t just useful for community education but were also instrumental in the Yindjibarndi native title victories.

“The lawyers and anthropologists used what we recorded. I always say the first claim was led by Woodley King, the second by Michael. It’s generational. I’m grateful to have had them both in my life.”

Michael Woodley and Lorraine Coppin in China

Juluwarlu has grown far beyond audio and video recordings. Over the years, the organisation has:

Published books in Yindjibarndi language
Created fashion and puppetry projects
Turned archival material into teaching apps
Exhibited in the new Fashion in Japan and sought partnerships with manufacturers in China
Selling goods at art fairs
Developed a digital archive storing language, plant knowledge, and cultural information

Lorraine says her favourite part of the work was being with the Elders.

“Even though we were a small group, they came in to do work. We couldn’t afford to pay them much, but they were always there. The material we have now is like gold. I think about them every day.”

Looking ahead, Juluwarlu is focusing on turning its archives into digital teaching tools and continuing its book series. New books about water, plants and animals are in the works, all backed by deep archive content and linked to sites, songs and stories.

“We’ve got this in-house digital program. It’s got names, explanations, family trees, songlines—everything we’ve built up with the community. It means when we’re doing native title or cultural work, the information is already there, with us.”

Juluwarlu's 25th anniversary is not just a date—it’s a living record of the knowledge shared by Elders and passed on to the next generation. Lorraine says that work is far from over.