Heather Picalla

Heather Picalla (also recorded as Pickalla) was a respected Yuin Elder remembered for her gentleness, her language strength and her unwavering care for family and community. She had a calm, dignified presence and that is the way she is remembered.

Heather was a fluent first-language speaker, having learned Yuin language directly from her father. Community members recall that if someone named an English word “dog”, “octopus” she would immediately answer with the correct word in language. Although she passed the language to her own children, most of them have since passed on, leaving her as a significant cultural link in the community’s intergenerational memory.

She is remembered as a kind, inclusive woman “without a mean bone in her body”, who looked after not only her children but also nieces, nephews, siblings and extended kin. Elders recall her arriving at school at lunchtime to take her sons for lunch, gathering her sons and then including the other boys too, treating everyone as family. After her first husband passed away, she continued to hold the family together with strength and grace.
People speak of her having a “sixth sense”, a quiet wisdom and a way of knowing. She was a loving aunty, a generous community woman and a deeply respected Elder, still spoken of with warmth.

In addition to her knowledge of language and heart for family, Heather was known for being fast on her feet! The Dawn Magazine May 1954 Edition records that Heather Pickalla represented Wallaga Lake School at the Cobargo District School Sports carnival and won second place in the girls race.