Location
Fregon (Kaltjiti) community is situated in the far northwest corner of South Australia in the Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands; it is approximately 1300kms from Adelaide by road.
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Community
Fregon Anangu School is part of the Kaltjiti community, and associated with Irintata and Watinuma Homelands. It is situated between the Everard and Musgrave Ranges and has a population of approximately 250 Anangu and about 30 non-Anangu who reside in town or on the associated homelands. Pitjantjatjara is the first language of Anangu, English is their second language.
Pitjantjatjara people traditionally occupied an area of range and sandhill country in the far north-west of South Australia and neighbouring areas of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. They had close cultural ties with their neighbours, the Yankunytjatjara to the east and the Ngaatjatjara to the west.
People envisage themselves as related to the land and other species, and each group has special rights and obligations in relation to the land, stories, rituals and resources of their region.
The community sees the school as a bridge between Anangu and non-Anangu culture with a very important role in empowering young Anangu with the 'skills for determination' through literacy development. Anangu are involved in school decision making through the school and community councils.
History
The first foreign intrusion into the Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands and world view occurred in 1873 with the expeditions of William Gosse and Ernest Giles who were seeking a route for the Overland Telegraph Line to the west coast of the continent.
Pastoral leases were granted for areas to the east, in Yankunytjatjara country, but the proclamation of the North-West Aboriginal Reserve, an area of 56 721 square kilometres, in 1921, provided some protection for the lands and people in the Pitjantjatjara area.
In 1936 the 'South Australian' Government (accepted the plan in principle and) offered a 1000 pound establishment grant if matched by public subscription. Later in the year the proposal was ratified by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Sydney. In 1937 the Ernabella Mission was established.
In the 1960's a movement began to establish outstations. The first outstation was set up at Fregon in 1961 to provide employment in cattle work. A government reserve was also established at Musgrave Park, and was later given its traditional name Amata again. Indulkana was established in 1963 on part of the Granite Downs Station, and Mimili in 1972 at Everard Park. Kenmore Park was acquired in 1976 for the Pitjantjatjara people.
In March 1981 the first draft of the Pitjantjatjara Lands Rights Bill was passed. On the 4th of November 1981 one of the most important events in the history of South Australia took place when the inalienable freehold title to 102 360 square kilometres of their land was handed over to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people.
