AIATSIS expertise recognised by pivotal role in endangered language work

 

  Centre for Australian Languages
  Staff from the AIATSIS Centre for Australian Languages Dr Doug Marmion with Rhonda Smith and Dr Kazuko Obata. (Photo: John Paul Janke)

15 March 2012

 A newly established Centre for Australian Languages at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) in Canberra will play a pivotal role in the on-going maintenance and recording of Australia’s Indigenous languages.

Established late last year through a three year agreement with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet – the Centre has been working on developing a range of initiatives and activities to assist in maintaining the strength of languages that are widely spoken and to preserve and revive endangered languages.

The Centre’s major initiatives will include working with Indigenous organisations and communities to conduct periodic community languages workshops and developing a website for the networking and exchange of information between key stakeholders in Australian Indigenous languages.

The Centre will also conduct Australia’s second National Indigenous Languages survey.  The inaugural survey of Indigenous languages was carried out in 2004 and the National Indigenous Languages Survey (NILS) Report was released in 2005.

AIATSIS Principal, Mr Russell Taylor, said that the Centre’s work will make a significant contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander survival and wellbeing.

“Keeping languages alive is vital for our people’s identity and spiritual well-being.  It is the expression of our people’s unique cultural knowledge and tradition,” Mr Taylor said

Mr Taylor noted that there was an overwhelming need for such a centre given the very grave situation of Australia’s Indigenous languages.

“Of an original estimated 250 known Australian Indigenous languages at the time of colonization, only 18 languages are now considered ‘strong’ and have speakers in all age groups.”

“I congratulate PMC’s Office for the Arts (OFTA) who have entered into a three-year funding agreement with AIATSIS to establish the Centre for Australian Languages as part of initiatives funded under its Indigenous Languages Support (ILS) program,” Mr Taylor said.

Mr Taylor said all five members of the Centre’s languages team were qualified linguists and would be co-managed by Dr Doug Marmion and Dr Kazuko Obata.

Dr Marmion is a former Senior Linguist at the Yamaji Language Centre in Geraldton, WA where he worked with speakers of a number of languages of the Murchison-Gascoyne region including: Wajarri, Badimaya, Nhanda, Malgana, Warriyangka, Ngarlawangka and Wanmala.

Dr Kazuko Obata, who holds a Visiting Fellowship at the School of Language Studies, ANU, worked as a community linguist for the Ngaaanyatjarra language maintenance program in the remote Aboriginal community of Warburton, WA.

The Centre’s other staff are Melissa Crowther, Felicita Carr and Rhonda Smith, a Wiradjuri /Gamilaraay woman who is also researching her own language as well as establishing a new Australian languages e-mail list.

Dr Marmion said it had taken time to establish the Centre’s expert team, which is part of AIATSIS’ Indigenous  Social and Cultural Wellbeing Research Program but they are now concentrating on making firm contact with Indigenous communities and language groups around the country.

“The team intends to play a significant role in the work already being done around Australia not just to safeguard endangered languages but also to supplement the extensive work being done to reclaim languages.”

“Having the Centre within AIATSIS is also helpful as it supplements the innovative online resource AUSTLANG – an online Australian Indigenous language database – which AIATSIS established some years ago,” Dr Marmion said.

Mr Taylor said the Federal Government had made it clear it was committed to addressing the serious problem of the loss of Indigenous languages in committing one million dollars over three years to establish the Centre.

“So much has been lost,” he added. 

“Over time we are determined to play a major role in preventing further language loss as well as making a contribution to ensuring the revival of our languages.

“We can do this by delivering activities that raise the profile and status of Indigenous languages in the wider community,” Mr Taylor said.