Revitalising Indigenous language

Thursday 1 March 2007

Stemming the loss of traditional Indigenous languages is the focus of a seminar at the University of Newcastle tomorrow.

Languages Alive Project organiser Ray Kelly said the seminar would bring together Aboriginal people to consider the future of traditional language in their community.

"As time passes our community is facing issues like the geographical borders of traditional language, who owns the language and, importantly, who can speak and understand traditional language," he said.

"Inside a traditional language there is so much information and knowledge and its vital this information is not lost.

"We want to encourage Aboriginal people to bring their traditional language alive again and this is the first step in an ongoing discussion on how we may achieve this.

"This will also ensure that Aboriginal people who have not been introduced to their traditional language are exposed to it and the history and knowledge that it brings."

The project is being led by the Many Rivers Aboriginal Language Centre and Muurrbay Language Centre.

Photo opportunity: 9.30am, Friday 2 March 2007, Wollotuka School of Aboriginal Studies at the University of Newcastle.

For comment: Ray Kelly 0401 002 932