Margaret Heffernan

Margaret Heffernan (born 1944), Heffernan is responsible for developing the orthography of Arrernte.

Early life Heffernan was born at the sacred site of Werlatye Atherre, just north of the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, and is part of the Caterpillar Dreaming. She is part of the Water Dreaming as she was conceived at another sacred site, Apmere Yetwernte, near Aileron.

Growing up, Heffernan had been told her birthday was 1 April 1943, but this date was invented when she first came into contact with government institutions; later records show it having been recorded as 1944. and it is here where she was forced to start attending school at the former Bungalow at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, which was by then functioning as an Aboriginal Reserve. It was her desire, in telling this story, was to pass on to her children and future generations of her family, her life story. In his review of this book artist Rod Moss says that her voice, in this book, is "irm but free of the bitterness which readers might feel warranted, her voice never pulls punches".

Personal life , she lives at Hidden Valley, a town camp of Alice Springs, with her daughters.