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Nyungar youth excited to learn their traditional language
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Photo: Nyungar elder and Australian Research Council Fellow at Curtin University, Associate Professor Len Collard speaks as part of the AIATSIS Seminar Series in Canberra yesterday. Professor Collard is encouraged by the growing interest shown by many young people in the South West of Australia to learn their traditional language. (Photo: John Paul Janke) |
1 May 2012
Nyungar elder and Australian Research Council Fellow at Curtin University, Associate Professor Len Collard is encouraged by the growing interest shown by many young people in the South West of Australia to learn their traditional language.
Speaking in Canberra yesterday, Professor Collard noted the growing number of Aboriginal organisations in south west Australia who were working to reclaim language, working to spread an appreciation of Indigenous culture, and working to create opportunities for Indigenous people.
“As far as interest goes - we can be buoyant that for once the news is good news – our kids want to speak their parents or grandparents language,” he said.
“Initially it may only be a few words such as words for a welcome to country or certain phrases – even swear words – although there are not many of those. It all works towards carrying on the journey to reclaim language.”
Professor Collard was addressing a lunchtime gathering at AIATSIS as part of the 2012 Seminar Series. Titled Nguny Walwalbaliny Nitja Katatjin Boodjera Kwel: Koora, Yiye Mila Boordawan (I am creating the knowledge of Country place names: from the past to now and into the future) the Seminar examined the Nyungar people’s contribution in recording place-names in Nyungar country in colonial times.
“The Nyungar people are the traditional owners of the lands of south western Australia and the karluck, our home fires, are central to our cosmology and the Nyungar language is commonly used for place names in the south west of Australia.
“However, the background of the creation of these locations and the meaning of their names are yet to be fully researched and understood from an Indigenous perspective by non-Indigenous people,” Associate Professor Collard emphasised.
Explaining how, culturally, such place names occurred, their significance and meaning, Professor Collard said that sadly, little academic or scholarly research has been undertaken in the south-west in relation to place names until now.
“My project at Curtin University uses a data base model which we have created which investigates Nyungar word lists to interpret the meanings of place names in the area my Grandfather Tom Bennell called “ngullar boodja” (or “our land”).
“I have taken a Nyungar approach to link dreamtime yarns and word meanings to Nyungar language lists that we collected in the colonial period from 1829.
Professor Collard demonstrated how the data base – once created – is used to gain insights into place name meanings in his ‘country’ of south west Australia – or the total area from Esperance up to and including Geraldton.
“I was born in the small WA country town of Pingelly, near Brookton, and in those areas my extended family, and ours is a big extended family, always spoke our language when we were together.”
But Professor Collard said he didn’t know exactly how many people spoke the language today.
“In fact I’m not sure any formal studies to count the number of language speakers for that part of Australia has occurred,” he said,
“However, there are ongoing moves to create something like our own language institute or some such similar organisation for that part of south west Australia”.
“I think that by learning language it can, in the future, create opportunities. It all depends what is made of these opportunities.”
Professor Collard said there was no doubt that more and more international visitors appreciated being able to meet and learn from Aboriginal Australians – and there was no doubt they hoped to hear an Aboriginal language being spoken.
“Whereas in many areas the situation for our people is far from healthy, I believe in relation to language and culture the future will offer opportunities. Slowly, thank goodness, our culture is finally being more appreciated with more people understanding that it a unique part of the experience Australia can offer people.
“In short, at least in relation to language and culture, I think this is an area that is wide open for opportunity. We must make sure we take that opportunity, make sure it is not squandered.”
Professor Collard’s lecture was part of the regular AIATSIS weekly Seminar Series, a series that over the coming months will see a number of prominent Indigenous people - and international visitors – deliver seminars focusing on Indigenous languages.