23/04/2026
Obituary for Aunty Nora Dann
“Bandang-ak Waangki”, nidja Birdiya Maam-Yok Gloria “Nora” Dann baal kanan woori boonjar yaka-l Noongar waangki yaka.
“Language is for everyone”, this has been Gloria “Nora” Dann’s motto during her long and distinguished career in Noongar language work.
On behalf of the Noongar Boodjar Language and Cultural Aboriginal Corporation (NBLCAC), our Board of Directors, Senior Linguist and Manager, staff and members, we extend our heartfelt deepest sympathy and condolences to all the family on the sudden, very sad passing of Aunty Gloria “Nora” Dann.
We along with our Noongar community mourns the passing of Aunty Nora, a deeply respected Balardong and Wardandi Elder whose life’s work safeguarded the heartbeat of Noongar culture and its language.
For more than 30 years, Aunty Nora dedicated herself to recording, documenting, and preserving Noongar language so that future generations could speak it proudly and confidently. Her commitment was not simply academic; it was an act of dedication, cultural protection, reclamation, and love. Through her work with the Noongar Boodjar Language and Cultural Aboriginal Corporation, she became a guiding force in ensuring that Noongar words, stories, and knowledge would continue to live on the tongues of children, families, and communities across Country.
Aunty Nora was known as a strong Balardong and Wardandi woman. She was fully grounded in her identity and unwavering in her purpose. She carried cultural authority with humility and strength, offering guidance that shaped countless language workers, educators, and community members. Her voice, her knowledge, and her presence were pillars of our Noongar cultural continuity.
Her legacy is immense. Every learner who speaks a Noongar word, every classroom that teaches the language, every recording that preserves ancestral knowledge — all carry her imprint. She leaves behind a community enriched by her generosity and strengthened by her determination.
Aunty Nora’s passing is felt deeply across Noongar Boodjar and beyond. She will be remembered for her wisdom, her resilience, and her lifelong devotion to her people and her language.
Aunty Nora’s passion was reflected in Dandjoo Moordiyap Dabakarn this formed the blueprint for our work here at NBLCAC of which we are forever grateful.
Edjena-oola baal bidi naakal kalyakoorl, wer edjena-oola baal winin-woori yaka moort-al maay yoowarl-koorliny. Maam-yok Nora naakal nookert-ngoorndiny.
May her journey continue peacefully and may her legacy echo through generations still to come. Rest peacefully Aunty Nora.
