Uncle Rod O'Brien

Rod is a Kaurna Elder and devotes much time to helping other Kaurna people identify with the language and culture. He is an active member of the Adelaide Aboriginal community, volunteering his time as a Board member on a number of committees which include the Kaurna Warra Karrpanthi Aboriginal Corporation, Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation and Kura Yerlo Inc.

Rod has an Honors and Bachelor's Degree in Applied Science in Aboriginal Community Development and Management from Curtin University.

Prior to joining Wirltu Yarlu in 2017as a Cultural Advisor, he worked in the State Government for over 23 years in the Department for Child Protection.

Rod is passionate about reclaiming Kaurna language, and hopes to see Kaurna language and culture being in taught in every school in the Adelaide Plains region.

"My dream is for the Kaurna language to be revived to a level where there are hundreds of people able to converse in it with meaningful dialogue on a daily basis. For I believe, if it is spoken, people will gain strength, knowledge and power from its use, thus keeping alive Kaurna culture."