Gaja Kerry Charlton is a First Nation person, an Elder and a Yagarabul Cultural Custodian. Her Tribes are recognised in three south east Queensland native title claims - the Yuggera Ugarapul People (YUP); the Quandamooka Peoples (Goenpul and Jandaiwal of Tjerrangerri / Stradbroke Is.) and Gubbi Gubbi / Kabi Kabi (Ngunda, Undambi).
Gaja Kerry is also Walangama from the Gulf, South Sea Islander from Rotuma, and Celtic from her father. Founded in a Goori strong family and childhood spent mostly on country, Gaja Kerry is a devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
A career spanning community building, teaching, training, cultural education, counselling, social justice, arts, reconciliation and a few committees and Boards (State Government Indigenous Languages Policy working group; Co-Chair of RAP Steering Committee, University of Queensland; Forde Foundation Board of Advice; SLQ IAG) reflects her passion for Goori rights, education, healing and truth-telling.
She is a cultural linguist, researcher and family historian who has co-authored a few books, including the inaugural Yagarabul lexical handbook titled “An Introduction to the Languages of Moreton Bay.” Her work now includes being an Indigenous Industry Fellow in the School of Languages and Culture at the University of Queensland.
