Jarlmadangah Burru Aboriginal Community, south east of Derby in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, is built around strong social values and a dedication to the maintenance of Nyikina-Mangala Law and Culture.

Nyikina and Mangala are the two language groups in Jarlmadangah Burru. Nyikina is the traditional language of the area, while the Mangala language came across from the desert with the people who were forced into slave labour on the pastoral stations on the Fitzroy River.

Nyikina-Mangala elders John and Harry Watson witnessed the theft of Aboriginal land, the denial of education and the impoverishment of their people. Jarlmadangah Burru is the result of their life-long struggle to maintain their language, law and culture, and educate new generations.
A commitment to cultural values, an alcohol and drug free policy and inspired leadership have made Jarlmadangah Burru a successful Aboriginal community in the traditional and modern worlds.


The community, formed in 1987, now has its own clinic, school, camel tours, cultural mapping and community development programs, a women's centre and the Ngyginah Cattle Company which now runs Mt Anderson Station. All major decisions concerning the community are made at meetings where everyone gathers and can have their say.

Nestled amidst the beautiful Grant Ranges, in one of the world's last great wilderness regions, with vibrant history and culture, Jarlmadangah Burru is a perfect example of a successful and creative Aboriginal Community.



Jarlmadangah Burru Aboriginal Community, PO Box 381, Derby, W.A. 6728.

Email contact: jarlmadangah1@bigpond.com