Recognising Margaret Mickan, awarded an OAM for service to the Indigenous communities of the Northern Territory and the Kimberly.

Ms Mickan has worked with Indigenous communities for over three decades as a literacy worker and translator, specialising in the Kriol language, one of the most widely spoken Indigenous languages in Australia today.  

"I accept this honour to highlight the importance of having literature and         teaching materials in every Australian Indigenous Language, including Kriol,” she     said, and highlighted the importance of its use as part of education.

Ms Kickan coordinated the team that launched the complete Kriol Bible, stating:

"I also wish to acknowledge and thank the amazing, committed Indigenous Kriol translators, checkers and many others who together completed the Kriol Holi Baibul. It is a testament to their ownership of the task and their faith and perseverance."

Following this, she acted as a Facilitator and Translator on the Kriol Bible Translation Team, as a part of the Australian Society for Indigenous Languages (formerly Summer Institute of Linguistics).

She concludes, "it is an honour to receive this award and in doing so, I wish to honour and thank the Kriol people in the Kimberley and the Top End for accepting me into their communities and families and for teaching me Kriol."