News

Young champions at Puliima 2015

Young Champions 2015 It was a pleasure to be able to invite nine of our younger language champions to Puliima 2015. Each of the Young Champions gave an engaging presentation on the work they are doing in their communities. They also attended numerious Puliima sessions and participated in breakout work facilitated by Yugambeh woman, and Cadets Manager for the PCYC, Sally Baisden.

This year the nominated young champions travelled from Maningrida, Ngukurr, Parkes, Harvey Bay, Adelaide and Townsville.

The young champions each expressed their delight at being able to attend the forum and learning from the diverse language activities happening around the country.

Facilitator Sally Baisden has been working in youth development for over a decade. Sally reported that the opportunity to work with the group of dynamic and powerful Young Champions was very fulfilling.

"The forum was invaluable in strengthening our understanding of the immense body of work that is being conducted across the country in the realm of Indigenous languages and culture," Sally said.

Young Champions, 2015:
Jason O’Neil - Wiradjuri
Abigail Carter - Burarra
Annalee Pope - Waka Waka
Meyalah Blackman - Gurang/Toolooa/Nywaigi
Corey Theatre - Gunditj-Marra/Kurnai/Djap Warrung
Angelina Joshua - Marra
Alwyn Ross - Butchulla
Bruce Waia - Butchulla/Gubbi Gubbi
Maritza Roberts - Marra

Language revival a healthy path to indigenous survival

A story by Rick Morton for The Australian

The community at La Perouse, with the help of the NSW government, has built a resource of words and phrases in the Dharawal language.
Community members have been trained in Certificate I and II courses and a K-6 syllabus is being developed.

Children are greeted with “Naggangbi” — “how are you?” — and farewelled with “Nandawabi” — “see you in the future” — each day.

“Sydney is in the Western world and for our community’s survival we have to engage,” Mr Ingrey said.

“But why not have both our worlds side-by-side?”

General manager of the Gujaga Children’s Service in La Perouse Shannon Williams said language loss fed into other social traumas; poor education, isolation, suicide.

In one Canadian study of indigenous people, researchers observed a direct link between speaking their native tongue and reduction in suicide rates among their youth.

In British Columbia, those who reported less than half of a cohort with conversational knowledge of their language had suicide rates six times higher than those where a majority had language skills.

Read the full article here.

UN Declaration of Human Rights translated into Pintupi-Luritja

A story By Hannah Walmsley with Alex Sloan for the ABC.

Over the past few years Pintupi-Luritja people have been working to translate the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights into their languages.

Pintupi-Luritja is said to be the first language of about 2000 people in Central Australia, and the second language of many more people.

The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights is the world's most translated document, having been translated into more than 460 languages since it was first adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948.

This is the first time it has been translated in to an Indigenous Australian language.

You can download the translation here: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Pages/Language.aspx?LangID=piu
Or download the English version here: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Pages/Language.aspx?LangID=eng

Read the full article at here.

Australia's Got Language (documentary)

AGLCover The Australia’s Got Language Talent Content was an entertaining parody inspired by talent programs such as X Factor, Australia’s Got Talent, Red Faces and Australian Idol – showcasing Deadly Aboriginal Australian talents performing in their Aboriginal Languages.

The Australia's Got Language Talent Contest is part of the Puliima National Indigenous Language Forum, a biennial event hosted by Miromaa Aboriginal Language and Technology Centre. PUliima brings people together from all over Australia pioneering project ideas from community based Indigenous language projects all sharing a common ambition of preserving and celebrating the languages of our country.

The charasmatic and entertaining judges for the night were Leonard Miller from Far West Language Centre, Geoff Anderson from Parkes Wiradjuri Language Group, Vicki Couzens from Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages and Karina Lester from the South Australian Mobile Language Team. Audience participation was loud and proud and extremely encouraged.

Filmed by First Languages Australia on location in a relaxed cocktail dinner setting, on the night of August the 28th 2013, Australia’s Got Language documentry is a low budget high entertainment program, celebrating and showcasing the depth and diversity of Aboriginal Language and Culture across Australia.

Watch the 14minute film.

Film Credits

Produced by
First Languages Australia and
Miromaa Aboriginal Language & Technology Centre

Host/Concept
Daryn McKenny - Gamilaraay

Director/Producer
Faith Baisden

Judges
Geoff Anderson – Wiradjuri
Leonard Miller – Wirangu
Karina Lester – Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara
Vicki Couzens – Keeraywoorroong

Participants
Andy Luckaman Peters and David Wilfred – Wagilak
Jacqueline Allen – Wonnaruah
Michelle Jacquelin-Furr and Brooke Joy - Boandik
Iteka and Temana Bromley - Adnyamathanha
Joy Bonner, Karina Barney, Alwyn Doolan and Ashleigh Clarke – Butchulla
Dianne Appleby, Rebecca Youdale and Virgina Albert - Yawuru
Fay Stewart Muir - Boonwurrung
Lynnette Solomon-Dent – Monaro/Ngarigo
Corey Theatre –Gunditjmara/Gunnai
Leonora Adidi - Kalaw Kawaw Ya
Melinda Holden and Bridget Priman - Warrgamay
Faith Baisden – Yugambeh

Production Manager
Carolyn Barker

Camera/Sound
Elizabeth Warning

Editor
Leah Donovan

Sound Editor
Tfer Newsome

Funded by
First Languages Australia
Indigenous Languages Support Program, Australian Government, Attorney-General's Department, Ministry for the Arts

Australia’s first languages

Australia’s First Languages are a wonderful and precious resource.

Australia is situated in one of the world’s linguistic hot spots. Australian languages are treasures of international significance. They are a bridge to rich and important information. When a language is lost a deep body of knowledge is lost with it.

Language is also key to Indigenous well-being in Australia. Australia will be a much better place when Indigenous language communities are strong and healthy and have the power to control their own destiny.

Language bridges the dark space between tangible and intangible cultural heritage. It is most tangible at the intersection between things. It is an interface for a people to connect with the world around them, with other people within their own language community, and with people from other language communities.

Language is also undeniably an interface within community, within an individual, and within a culture.

In the late 18th century, there were many hundreds of distinct Australian social groupings, and a similar number of languages. At the start of the 21st century, fewer than 150 indigenous languages remained in daily use, and all of them are highly endangered.

The good news is many language groups are working to preserve their languages and languages are quietly and persistently being restored to use. Our languages live on.

Together with hundreds of people and organisations around the country. First Languages Australia is working to make sure these treasures are not lost and that they continue to live on strong and vibrant. We invite you to join us on this exciting journey.

Speaking Our Minds

Speaking our Minds

Indigenous languages hold the key to reconciliation

A story by Bruce Pascoe published in the AEU News, the Magazine of the Victorian Branch of the AEU, Vol 21, Issue 3, May 2015.

AEU News AEU News 2

Indigenous Languages Collections Strategy

First Languages Australia is working with Australia's major libraries and archives to implement the National Indigenous Collections Strategy (2013). Since 2010, the group has been meeting with, and coordinating meetings between, representatives from key state and national collecting agencies. The outcome of these discussions was formulated in to a strategy document which was published last year.

Exciting projects are already being implemented by a number of our major libraries and archives.

Education initiatives

Yipirinya students From training through to employment, First Languages Australia is working with policy makers and educators to help overcome the issues facing those involved with the teaching and learning of first languages.

Efforts are currently being directed to the following strategic and policy areas:

Curriculum development and implementation, through ongoing consultation with the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) for the Australian Curriculum, and state governments for regional developments.
Governments and education authorities, to establish consistent and equitable pay rates and sustainable career paths for those teaching first languages in schools.
Resource development, with a view to safeguarding the rights of language speakers and building capacity within communities to create resources.

First Languages Australia has also developed some engaging tools that teachers can use in cross-curricular and Indigenous language programs, including the Gambay languages map and Marrin Gamu.

In November 2016, First Languages Australia held the National Indigenous Languages Teaching and Employment forum in Adelaide. The forum brought together representatives from Language Centres, Departments of Education in each State and Territory, first languages teachers, universities and TAFEs with involvement in the training of language teachers, and other significant stakeholders.

This was the first step towards the development of a national strategy for the training and employment of Indigenous language teachers. The need for a national strategy follows the roll-out of the Framework for Aboriginal Languages and Torres Strait Islander Languages by ACARA.

The inclusion of Indigenous languages in education is a high priority affecting all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. First Languages Australia will continue to work with stakeholders to develop and implement a national strategy for the training and employment of Indigenous language teachers.

Following the 2016 forum, First Languages has worked with each of the states and territories to compile Nintrianganyi: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teaching and Employment Strategy, and the companion document Global lessons: Indigneous languages and multilingualism in school programs. These resources are designed to help education departments, schools and local communities understand what is needed to sustain the provision of a local language curriculum.

Thank you for organising and facilitating the Forum. We had a great time and felt privileged to be part of the Forum. We gained an insight into the amazing work that is happening all over the country and made many new friends.

Clare Mclean, Manager Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga