When Maningrida resident Jonah Ryan began his journey to becoming a ranger he admits to feeling shame.

The other young men who joined at the same time hadn't proceeded due to that same feeling, leaving Ryan as the only male in the class, a complicated position due to separation of genders still ingrained Indigenous culture to protect women's and men's business.

But, Ryan persisted, and the girls who he was worried would make fun of him quickly welcomed him into their sisterhood.

"Next minute I started to connect with them girls, you know, they ended up being my sisters, you know, like all my sisters in the same class," Ryan said.

Ryan is now proud of his work as Bawinanga Ranger caring for the Djelk Indigenous Protected Area in the Northern Territory's West Arnhem Land.

Jawoyn Ranger with Student at Nitmiluk National Park. Photo: Tamati Smith

He is one of countless young rangers to rise up through the Northern Land Council's learning on country program, which this month marked its 10-year anniversary.

What started as the junior rangers program at Yirrkala and Yirrkala homelands has grown into one of the country's most successful two-way learning efforts bringing schools and rangers together in 15 communities.

Learning on country is a two-way system to bring balunda (non-Indigneous) and Yolngu ways of education together.

It can be as simple as getting out of the classroom to work with rangers in land management practices, identifying native food and finding resources for weaving.

Jonah Ryan at Nitmiluk National Park Photo by: Tamati Smith

Northern Land Council chairman Samuel Bush-Blanasi said developing children into leaders was one of the most important benefits of the program.

"I have my brother's two grandkids here... they part of the program in Barunga and so is young Jonas - I was there at Maningrida when he first graduated," he said.

"Now he's got a full-time employment, Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation BAC ranger.

"It is our responsibilities as adults to make sure grandkids and kids to go to school."

While his newfound sisters drove him through the program, it was Hollywood magic which piqued Ryan's initial interest in ranger work.

A diehard fan of Star Wars, Ryan saw becoming a ranger as a path to the light side of the force.

A peculiar comparison at first, it is an apt analogy for the empowering influence on-Country work can have for Traditional Owners.

"This teacher came to me, he was like my Obi-Wan from Star Wars," Ryan said.

Jonah Ryan with LoCP students and his grand mother. Photo: Tamati Smith

"He told me one day you will be a ranger, you know, and that's what Obi-Wan said to Luke Skywalker, he told him you will be a Jedi."

Early on Ryan was curious to learn the balunda way, but as he spent more time with his old people he realised how important the Yolngu way was to his education.

"Like my old man always say, learn both side, you be really strong," Ryan said.

"Now that I carry all of that knowledge them old people left for me and I'll make sure I'll make them proud up.

"Then, you know, I'll do what they promised me to do is to teach the younger generation."

Ryan's story is a prime example of learning on country's ability to instil cultural identity into education, and a core reason the Federal Government honoured its anniversary with a new six-year, $29.4m funding package to expand the program to 19 sites.