Aunty Beth Wright (Elizabeth Wright), Cultural Advisor

Elizabeth Wright  (better known as Aunty Beth), is of the Wayilwan Nation from Warren and the Gamilaraay Nation from Walgett. Aunty Beth grew up on Gamilaraay and Yuwaalaraay Country.

Aunty Beth learned and taught the Gamilaraay and Yuwaalaraay languages when she was living on Country.

Aunty Beth, however, has been instrumental in reawakening the Wayilwan language, her father’s language, in Warren. She has high level understanding of linguistics. Aunty Beth spent hundreds of hours listening to recordings of Wayilwan Elders housed in the sound archives of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) in Canberra, Australia. She subsequently spent hours in her holidays creating a dictionary for use through TAFENSW. Aunty Beth did this to ensure Wayilwan language can be used by future generations and for the empowerment of our local Aboriginal community.

Aunty Beth and her family now reside in Dubbo, on Wiradjuri Country. She waited for permission to learn the Wiradjuri language and is now also able to teach it.

Aunty Beth’s dreaming is teaching and sharing knowledge about languages and culture, including bush foods and medicines.

Aunty Beth’s parents Jenny Wright (nee Simpson) and Peter Wright were instrumental in teaching her about her culture.

Ronald (Tiger) Cochrane, her father-in-law, shared his knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal bush foods and medicines, Aboriginal astronomy and messages animal’s bring.

Aunty Beth’s teaching has a huge impact on young people and adults in relation to Language, culture and identity. unty Beth has the ability to quickly build trust and a positive rapport with young people, an essential skill when working with youth.Aunty Beth has high level cultural competencies. She ensures the cultural safety of local communities through listening to community and following their lead.  She has been provided permission by the local Warren community to teach Wayilwan language in Warren. 

Aunty Beth teaches 7 Aboriginal languages. Aunty Beth and Uncle John have 4 daughters and 9 grandchildren.