Aboriginal languages revival under way
07 April 2009The push to build the Wiradjuri language has reached a new milestone with the graduation of Aboriginal language teachers at Narrandera.
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Paul Lynch said the graduation was another important step for language revitalisation in New South Wales. The 18 students graduated with TAFE-accredited Certificates in Aboriginal Language.
Wagga Wagga graduates are: Shane Atkinson Yvonne Gilchrist Brenda Kerry Gwen Walsh Rhonda French Robert Green Lorraine Parker Sandra Warren Elisabeth Edwards Michelle Gemmell
Narrandera graduates are: Roland Williams Des Bourne Stewart James Derek Lyons Kelly J Lyons Kelly G Lyons Leanne Smith
"These graduates now have formal TAFE qualifications in the Wiradjuri language that can be used to teach in schools and Aboriginal communities," Mr Lynch said.
At the Awards Presentation, Aunty Sandy Warren, a Wiradjuri Elder, and one of the successful students gave a Welcome to Country in Wiradjuri language.
The graduates were taught by Stan Grant Snr, a Wiradjuri Aboriginal Elder, who initiated the course after receiving support through the Government's NSW Aboriginal Languages Research and Resource Centre.
Mr Lynch said NSW was taking a national lead in revitalising and protecting Aboriginal languages. "Since 2005, the NSW Government has invested $1.9 million on the Aboriginal Research and Resource Centre and community language grants," Mr Lynch said.
"Before the arrival of Europeans, at least 70 Aboriginal languages and dialects were spoken in the area now called NSW," he said.
The 2006 Australian Census estimated there were only 804 people in NSW who speak an Aboriginal language in the home.
"Language is an important part of culture and Australia's Aboriginal people have the longest living culture in the world," Mr Lynch said.
Training in the Wiradjuri language is on-going at Narrandera TAFE, Wagga Wagga and other Aboriginal communities. Mr Grant Snr said: "The Aboriginal Languages Research and Resource Centre has been a big help in many ways."
"The on-going support is very important because it has helped us to provide the right resources for the course," he said.
"Learning language is geared towards learning about our culture." "Since running these courses to teach and revitalise our Wiradjuri language, we can see our students adopting important elements of our culture that we call Yindyamarra which means to show patience, respect and honour and to be courteous," he said.
"This is a vital part of behaviour to the traditional people of the land and of our culture and heritage," he said.
The Language Centre administers the NSW Government's Community Language Assistance Program, which provides grants of $5000 to $25,000 to projects to revive NSW Aboriginal Languages. For more information on the NSW Aboriginal Languages Research and Resource Centre contact (02) 9219 0700 or visit the NSW Aboriginal Languages Research and Resource Centre website: www.alrrc.nsw.gov.au
MEDIA CONTACT: Andrew Williams 0408 602 936
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