Nola Taylor

Nola Taylor is a Manyjilyjarra language speaker born around 1956 at Wirrinyinyalkujarra, a waterhole north of the Martu native title determination. She is a Martu pujiman (born in the desert). Her family walked across the western part of the Great Sandy Desert, north to Joanna Springs and south to Parnngurr. Nola remembers meeting up with group members who came in from the Percival Lakes area in 1964. She left the desert as a 9-year-old child in 1965 and went with her family to Jigalong Mission. Nola went to the mission school, was locked into dormitories during the week and was only allowed back to visit her family on weekends. In 1970 the missionaries left Jigalong when Nola was 14 years old. She and her family moved to the Nomads stations of Warralong and Strelley. Nola met Nyari Morgan, and they moved to Parnngurr community, where she brought up her three children.

Nola joined the KJ women’s ranger team in Parnngurr and has been on many on-country trips and camps. She provides a vast source of knowledge, experience and support for the women in Parnngurr. She can read and write well and contributes to the KJ language program by assisting with translation and general language knowledge. Nola is very generous with her time and is always available for work.

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