Alitya Rigney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alitya Wallara Rigney
AO, PSM
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| Born | 27 November 1942 |
| Died | 13 May 2017 (aged 74) Adelaide, South Australia
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| Nationality | Narungga and Kaurna |
| Other names | Alice Rigney |
| Citizenship | Australian |
| Alma mater | University of South Australia |
| Occupation | School teacher and principal |
| Known for | reviving Kaurna language |
| Spouse(s) | Lester Rigney |
| Children | 3 |
Alitya (Alice Dorothy) Wallara Rigney (born November 27, 1942 – died May 13, 2017) was an important Australian Aboriginal leader. She was a respected elder of the Kaurna people. She also helped bring the Kaurna language back to life.
Contents
Alitya Rigney's Life Story
Early Life and Education
Alitya Rigney was born in 1942 at the Aboriginal Mission in Point Pearce. After finishing primary school, her teacher helped her attend Unley Girls Technical High School in Adelaide. This was important because local high schools did not accept Aboriginal children then.
After high school, she returned to Point Pearce. She trained as a nurse and started her family there. She worked at the local kindergarten. Later, she became a School Support Officer at Maitland Area School.
Becoming a Teacher
Alitya Rigney eventually became a registered teacher. At first, she could only teach at Point Pearce. She then moved to Adelaide to study at the de Lissa Institute teachers college. This college is now part of the University of South Australia. She was the only Aboriginal student among 400 others.
After graduating, she taught at a primary school in Adelaide. She made history by becoming the first Aboriginal person to work as a bureaucrat in the South Australian Department of Education.
Leading Aboriginal Education
In the 1980s, Alitya Rigney worked hard to create new places for Aboriginal education. She helped establish the Kura Yerlo Aboriginal Centre in Largs Bay. She also played a key role in setting up the Kaurna Plains School in Elizabeth.
She became the principal of Kaurna Plains School. This made her the first female Aboriginal principal of a primary school in Australia.
Awards and Recognition
Alitya Rigney received several important awards for her work. In 1991, she was given a Public Service Medal. This award recognizes excellent public service.
In 1998, the University of South Australia gave her an honorary Ph.D. This was to honor her groundbreaking work in Aboriginal education.
Legacy and Family
Alitya Rigney passed away in Adelaide on May 13, 2017. Her husband, Lester, had been buried the day before in their home country at Point Pearce.
Her three children have all followed in her footsteps in education. Lester-Irabinna Rigney is a Professor of Education at UniSA. Eileen Wanganeen is a teacher and education leader. Tracey Ritchie is a principal Aboriginal consultant at the Department of Education and Child Development.
After her death, she was honored again. She was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours. This is a high award for outstanding achievement and service.
