Butchulla may be taught in schools

Article by Stephen O’Grady, from the Fraser Coast Chronicle

HERVEY Bay is poised to pioneer an indigenous education revolution.

Scrub Hill Indigenous Education Forum. Attending: Sandy Strait State School principal Shane Urquhart, Fraser Coast councillor David Dalgleish, Paul Herschell and Will Davis of Qld Studies Authority with Butchulla elder Frances Gala and Butchulla community linguist Joyce Bonner. Photo by Daniel Tweed

Read more: Butchulla may be taught in schools

Call for Aboriginal language studies in schools

ABC online

A Brisbane academic has called for indigenous languages to be taught in schools.

Griffith University’s Dale Kerwin says Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island dialects have been denied their rightful place as official Australian languages.

Dr Kerwin says the incorporation of indigenous language into the classroom will go a long way to create social cohesion and preserving indigenous cultural heritage.

Read the full article

UNESCO's International Mother Language Day Celebrations

A reminder that UNESCO's International Mother Language Day is officially celebrated on 21 February. This year, UNESCO has declared that the day will be celebrated in the framework of the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures.

Read more: UNESCO's International Mother Language Day Celebrations

Wiradjuri Country Signage Project Nomiated for a Local Government Cultural Award

Parkes Shire Council embraced the theme for NAIDOC Celebrations “Honouring our Elders, Nurturing our Youth".

Pictured at the unveilling are Parkes Shire Council's Mayor, Cr Ken Keith, Peak Hill Wiradjuri Elder Mrs Rita Keed and Wiradjuri Elder and Linguist Mr Stan Grant AM

As part of the NAIDOC Celebrations in Parkes Shire, a "Welcome to part of Wiradjuri Country" sign was unveiled at Peak Hill by Elders Rita Keed, Stan Grant AM, and the Parkes Shire Council Mayor, Councillor Ken Keith. School children from across Parkes Shire, Council and RTA representatives also attended.

Read more: Wiradjuri Country Signage Project Nomiated for a Local Government Cultural Award

Indigenous verse back on agenda

Should Australia's national anthem include an Indigenous verse?

The idea has been around for sometime but former senator Aiden Ridgeway has again raised the question about adding an Indigenous verse to our national anthem.

Read more: Indigenous verse back on agenda

Closure of Indigenous Languge Centre at Bourke, Western NSW

CBOnline article by Gilmour Johnstone

The future of past broadcaster of the year, 2 CUZ FM and the Muda Aboriginal Corporation Language Centre is not certain after both programs failed to gain Federal funding in the latest round of grants.

Read more: Closure of Indigenous Languge Centre at Bourke, Western NSW

Eastern States Indigenous Languages Education Roundtable.

Read more: Eastern States Indigenous Languages Education Roundtable.

Web revives Indigenous language

The notebooks belonging to lieutenant William Dawes from the first fleet has allowed historians to create an online version of the 200 year old manuscript.

The manuscript which was rediscovered in London more than 35 years ago, is one of the oldest written sources documenting Aboriginal life and culture during the colonial period.

Until now William Dawes' notebooks were only available in Australia in a poor microfilm version, but the new website has transformed the original text.

It's now available on the SBS website with high quality images and translations.

Community Language Workers Graduate

Graduation for Community Language Workers who completed a Diploma Australian Languages, and Warrgamay Elder who completed A Ba Arts (Language and Linguistics).

Article by Jedda Priman.

On Saturday 19th September 2009, students from the North Queensland region who completed their Diploma of Australian Languages participated in a Graduation Ceremony hosted in conjunction by Girringun Aboriginal Corporation and Batchelor Inst Indigenous Tertiary Education.

Three graduates – Brett Leathers (Warrgamay), Lily Hart (Djirru) and Chris Kennedy (Girramay) received their Diplomas in Australian Languages after completion of the course which was piloted as a community based course commenced in Cardwell, North Queensland and the Batchelor Inst of Tertiary Studies throughout 2007/2008. There were two more graduates who were unable to attend the ceremony – Margaret Go Sam (Jirrabal, Ngadjan) and Shantel Weare (Jirrabal, Ngadjan).

This Graduation ceremony also included a graduate Elder, Bridget Priman (Warrgamay) who completed a BA Arts (Language and Linguistics). Bridget is a Warrgamay Elder who has been working on reviving the Warrgamay Language for the past 11 years and has been involved in the Indigenous Language arena for much of that time both through a State and National level. Bridget has been instrumental in liaising with Batchelor Inst Indigenous Tertiary Education and Girringun Aboriginal Corporation to implement the community based course.

The graduation ceremony marked the success of not only the graduating students but also that of all organisations associated in the implementation of the Diploma course held on country.

"It's YOUR Language" - VACL Summer School

FREE* Summer School for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working with language.

When: 18th to 22nd January 2010 Where: Outer Melbourne (t.b.a.)

Read more: "It's YOUR Language" - VACL Summer School