Promoting Australia's first languages

First Languages Australia is working toward the time when Australia’s first languages are acknowledged and respected nationally, where languages are in general use by language community members, and where language programs are conducted in all regions and integrated into mainstream programs.

The awareness, promotion and acceptance of our first languages will bring benefits to all languages. The ongoing marketing strategy of First Languages Australia, first drafted in 2011, uses the media to create an atmosphere of support for Indigenous languages and language programs nationally.

We want our languages to be heard and used in the media and daily life; we want our languages to be treated as equal to English and other languages.

Our marketing plan includes both short and long term goals. Its aim is to permeate the public psyche so that, when language workers are looking for support for their local projects, they find there is general awareness that our languages are important, diverse and alive across the country.

First Languages Australia has been actively implementing this marketing strategy through various projects and activities including:

• Working in partnership with

  • NAIDOC

  • ABC

  • Qantas

  • NITV

  • ICTV

  • Reconciliation Australia

• And sharing resources such as

  • This Place

  • Marrin Gamu

  • The Mother Tongue Project

  • Yamani — Voices of an Ancient Land (in collaboration with the Queensland Indigenous Languages Advisory Commitee)

  • Australia's Got Language Talent Contest (filmed at Puliima National Indigenous Language & Technology Forum 2017)

  • Gambay — the national Indigenous languages map

  • ABC Regional station IDs

  • ABC radio stories

  • Language legends video clips.

The strategy is updated frequently with new activities prioritised as opportunities arise. All materials produced will continue to be promoted along with initiatives that emerge from the strategy, with the hope of reaching the goals outlined.

“Since the implementation of the national marketing strategy in 2011, we have developed partnerships with local, state and national media organisations. This is creating opportunities to promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages to the broad Australian audience. This kind of promotion is creating an awareness and acceptance of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages within Australia.”
Geoff Anderson

Photo in header: Woorabinda State School students performing Dillee Walloo their winning Ghungalu entry in the 2017 Marrin Gamu: Indigenous Language Song Competition with ABC Education