Melanie Cook

Nganmarriyanga, NT

My name is Melanie Cook, I’m from Palumpa, I am a proud Murrinh-Patha Kura woman. My mum is Ngengikurungurr, from Peppimenarti and my Dad is Murrinh-Patha Kura from Yekwuhn tribe.

I grew up in Palumpa, moving back and forth to Peppimenarti, but mostly in Palumpa. I went to a few different schools, St Johns in Darwin and then I went to Worawa College and then finished at Chisholm Sports Institute, playing AFL for Melbourne Football Club.

With the Melbourne Football Club they have a partnership with the Chisholm Institute where we do 3-4 days training with them, as well as schooling through TAFE. The Academy has basketball, netball, soccer and other sports. It was hard at times, but I always managed myself while I was there.

I came back to Palumpa after that and started my first job at the West Daly Council. I worked there for two years in an admin role (2019-2020). Then I moved to the school, and worked as part of Family as First Teachers (FaFT).

In 2022, I left Palumpa and went to work at Purple House in Alice Springs. I moved there with my mates. I worked at Purple House for a whole year. We looked after our elders from different communities within the Macdonell Region. We were helping them when they were on dialysis, doing washing and cook ups, bank runs and helping the elders with what they really need. I really liked it there.

After that, I found the job I have now at Thamarrurr Development Corporation (TDC). I do activities for the ladies and cook meals for the elders. Sometimes we do beading, colouring and weaving. We go out fishing sometimes, I take the ladies out. I also run the op-shop in the community. I go everywhere with TDC. I’ve had the opportunity to go to Broome, and I am going to Wagga Wagga next time for a Women’s Forum as part of the Thamarrurr Aboriginal Women’s Council (TAWC).

I was interested to take up the opportunity to work as a researcher. It was fascinating to hear what people had to say, and it is interesting for me. It was a good opportunity to build myself up. I’ve been able to work in both Murrinh-Patha and English interpreting for people who were participating in the research, and supporting all voices to be heard.\

Research Projects