Betty Berry was born in Katherine. Her family came to Barunga in the 1970s. They lived most of their lives in the country near the sawmill behind Maranboy Police Station. Betty speaks Kriol and understands Jawoyn.
Betty’s skin in Beliny and her moiety is Duwa. Betty’s father was Old James Berry. He came from Queensland. Her mother was a full Jawoyn woman, named Sarah. Her skin was Gotjan. Sarah’s Aboriginal name was Jelawoijwoij. Her birthplace was at four-mile creek, which is called Woijwoijluk. Her clan (dawaro) was Gowarung, the same as Paddy Babu. Betty’s mother’s mother was full Jawoyn. She was Old Fanny Plumdjum. Her skin was Galidjan and her dawaro was Yulkmann. She was the auntie for Old Penny Misbuanga, who was also Yulkmann.
Betty teaches in the culture camp at Banatjal, with the other ladies. There are a lot students, especially from Flinders University and Charles Darwin University. Sometimes, Betty and the Banatjal ladies ‘smoke’ visitors who are going on this Aboriginal land for the first time. They use leaves from a special gum tree. They sing out in Jawoyn to all the ancestors, telling them that there are visitors in the area. They also teach students about bush medicine and bush tucker.
Betty has recently starting working at Barunga School, teaching Jawoyn language. Prior to this, she has worked at the Bamyili Clinic.
Betty has travelled to Adelaide and will be travelling to Canberra in October, 2019. She is thinking about travelling overseas.
