Earlier this year, thinking that her life was passing her by, she gathered her courage to enrol in a Certificate One course in Aboriginal language with TAFE Western.

With limited previous computer experience, Kaye has been amazed she has been able to do this course easily at the Lithgow college through online learning and connected classroom technology, with only a few face-to-face meetings with her teacher who is based in Dubbo.

Kaye is naturally and culturally shy and this was the first training she had ever done in her life and undertaking this training is an extremely adventurous thing for her to do.

Kaye has now completed two Wiradjuri language glossaries as part of her course assignments, one of Australian birds and animals and the other a glossary of numbers from 1 to 10.

These glossaries are now being shown to students in other teaching areas of the institute.

Lithgow College Library Manager Gwenda Vayro has also been grateful to receive a complimentary copy to add to the college library collection which residents are welcome to borrow.

Lithgow people used to say Kaye’s dad, John Allan Green, was “a black man with a gentle heart” and Kaye is very proud to be his daughter.

Kaye was told as a child that her dad was not allowed to speak his language in public, nor to teach it to his children.

Kaye had always been close to her dad and knows he would be very proud to know his family now has the opportunity of following his heritage.

It has always been in her heart that she was aboriginal, but she was never before able or allowed to express that longing in any way.

Kaye has loved coming to TAFE as, she says, “it’s time for me”.

Kaye’s motto: Give honour and respect to all people, particularly elders.

For more information on courses available through TAFE Western Connect in addition to those traditionally offered at the college visit www.tafewesternconnect.tafensw.ed u.au or call 131 601.