Margaret Coleman is Junggayi (cultural custodian) for Bagala clan lands. Her area of responsibility is the lands around Barunga. Her step-mother is Elizabeth Coleman, who grew her up from when she was a baby in a coolamon. Her biological mother was Peggy. Her father was Dumuludu, also known as Coleman, a Dalabon man from the Mann River area. Margaret’s skin is Narritjan.
Margaret went to Barunga School when it was called Bamyili School. After that she went to Kormilda College in Darwin. When she finished school, she returned to Barunga because her father was very sick. For a long time, she helped her mother, Elizabeth, to look after her father, Coleman.
Margaret’s father passed away at home inside the house. When someone passes away, Aboriginal people sometimes ‘smoke’ the house with special leaves so the spirit for that person does not stay in the house. Today, some smoke the house and some don’t. Some people don’t smoke the house because they want the spirit for that person to stay around.
Margaret has three girls: Sheena, Darien and Janelle Hood. She has only four grandchildren, one boy and three girls. Their names are Desmond, Natalia, Alina and Phillippa.
