A few things stand out immediately in Wuyagiba.
The first is its remoteness in south-east Arnhem Land: 700 kilometres from Darwin, its a two-hour drive to the nearest community of Ngukurr.
A four-wheel drive is a necessity to make it through the sandy tracks into town, just to get groceries or visit the medical centre.
The other thing you’ll notice in Wuyagiba is that everything is a lesson.
The tiny community is home to the Wuyagiba Study Hub, affectionately known as the 'Bush University'.
Everyone is a student, any visitor is quickly taught language and pieces of south-east Arnhem culture.
Co-founders Helen and Kevin Rogers have designed the study hub to offer two-way learning: students are given the academic tools they need to go on to further study, but lessons in culture are at the heart of everything.
“That way the students can understand the western ways and they can understand our way, Blackfulla way," Helen Rogers said.
To Kevin, the cultural side of the lessons is just as, if not more, important than the academic teachings.
"We found a way to maintain what we have and we passed that down to our young people,” he said.
“We learned from our Elders and passed that down and when other cultures, other tribes visit, we learn from them and that’s how we make it better for our people.”
The road to Wuyagiba Source: NITV / Keira Jenkins
'We're very proud'
Students who have completed Year 12 come from across south-east Arnhem land to attend the bush uni.
“It’s a place where they can really study and learn about our cultural side of things: bush medicine, bush tucker, how we interrelate, what is expected for our children to learn," Kevin Rogers told The Point.
Uncle Kevin was one of the last university graduates to come from Ngukurr - that was 30 years ago.
He trained to be a teacher, eventually returning to Ngukurr where he was the school principal for a time.
Now he’s been running the bush uni for four years.
Students learn both inside and outside the classroom at the bush uni Source: NITV / Keira Jenkins
When The Point visited the bush uni, the cohort of students were preparing for graduation after a 10-week term.
Co-founder Helen Rogers said she’s been impressed with the growth of the students in that time.
“They were a bit shy and didn’t know what to do first but then we started to work with them... and then they got the picture,” she said.
“I’m proud of them, I’m proud of each one of them.”
'Constantly learning'
The students are in lessons from 9am until 5pm six days a week - whether led by Kevin and Helen who are the head cultural teachers, or by Macquarie University ‘academic teachers’.
Andrea Jaggi is one of the academic teachers at the study hub. She said she’s also learned a lot, both from the cultural teachers and the students.
“Every field trip, every day, every night around the fire we’re constantly learning from not only Elders, Traditional Owners, but the students. They have so much knowledge to share,” she said.
“That puts us on an even playing field. We don’t always want to be the ones teaching them, it opens up that two-way learning process, [and] builds confidence.”
Graduates look to the future
The students graduate after two 10 week terms with two university level subjects completed. Source: NITV / Keira Jenkins
One of the students, Joe Daniels, is keen to go on to further study, and be a role model for younger people.
"There are a lot of things I want to [do], one of them is fashion design and the other is I wanna be an outspoken advocate for my Indigenous mob, how to help them fight for their rights and their lands.
Penny Yibarbuk has dreams of following her father’s footsteps, and working as a ranger.
I’m proud of my dad and I followed his footsteps.Penny Yibaryuk
“I feel very proud of what I’ve done so far,” she said.
“I’m excited and nervous. It’s gonna be sad leaving and going down to Sydney for uni.”
The study hub has a relationship with Macquarie University in Sydney, where there’s already a few students taking on further study.
One of those students is Kevin and Helen’s daughter Regina Rogers.
She’s studying to be a teacher, just like her father.
“I’m proud of my dad and I followed his footsteps,” she said.
Making family proud
Brianna Bara is one of the newest students to attend Macquarie in Sydney. She’s the first person in her family to attend university.
“My mum is very proud... because I’m the only one who graduated Year 12 in Darwin at St Johns, and my mum kept encouraging me to go to university so I did to make her proud,” she said.
Regina Rogers and Brianna Bara have gone on to study at Macquarie. Source: NITV / Keira Jenkins
“That’s my job down here with the students because they’re young and they’re under my wing,” she said.
“ I look after them and I have to be responsible for them, encourage them and it’s important for our culture as well.
“I’m family and I’m a support person for them as well.”
Kevin and Helen said they couldn’t be prouder of their daughter Regina, and all of the students who have graduated from the study hub.
“It makes me very happy to see them come up and I keep telling them this is our future, this is a stepping stone on the way to becoming what you want and coming back to our community and helping people,” Kevin said.
