Margaret Heffernan (linguist) facts for kids

Margaret Heffernan (born 1944) is an important Central Arrernte elder, linguist, author, interpreter, and translator. She helped create the writing system, called an orthography, for the Arrernte language.

Margaret Heffernan's Early Life

Margaret Heffernan was born in 1944 at a special place called Werlatye Atherre, near the Alice Springs Telegraph Station. This place is part of her family's Caterpillar Dreaming story. She is also connected to the Water Dreaming, as she was conceived at another sacred site, Apmere Yetwernte.

When Margaret was a child, her family often traveled across Central Australia. They moved for family gatherings, important ceremonies, and for work. In 1949, her family went to the Jervois Range. Her father worked at an old copper mine there.

After about a year, her family returned to Alice Springs. They wanted to be near family for her mother's new baby. Soon after, they lived at Yambah Station for about a year.

In 1951, Margaret's family settled in Alice Springs for a while. They lived at Middle Camp. Here, Margaret began attending school at the former Bungalow. This place was then an Aboriginal Reserve. Margaret remembers that older people worried about school. They felt it took time away from ceremonies and traditional teachings.

In 1953, her family moved to Santa Teresa. Margaret lived separately from her family in a school dormitory. She could only visit her family on weekends. She finished school in the late 1950s.

After school, Margaret worked in the kitchens at Amoonguna. There, she met her husband, Tommy Dixon. He was an Anmatyerr man from Napperby Station. In their early marriage, they traveled between Napperby Station and Santa Teresa.

Margaret Heffernan's Career

Margaret Heffernan started working in linguistics after becoming a bilingual education teacher. She taught at Santa Teresa School. This work inspired her to study a Diploma of Linguistics. She attended the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education.

At Batchelor, she worked with linguist Gavan Breen. Together, they created the writing system for the Arrernte language. This system is called an orthography.

After her studies, Margaret taught at the Institute for Aboriginal Development. She also taught at Yipirinya School. She helped create Central Arrernte language versions of the "Honey Ant Readers" books.

In 2018, Margaret published her life story. The book is called Gathering Sticks: lighting up small fires. She wrote it with Gerard Waterford and Francis Coughlan. Her goal was to help young people keep their traditions strong. She also wanted to help keep the Arrernte language alive. She hoped her book would share her life story with her children and future generations.

Personal Life

As of 2019, Margaret Heffernan lives in Hidden Valley. This is a town camp in Alice Springs. She lives there with her daughters.

Margaret has a Catholic faith. She believes the church should do more to support the Aboriginal community.