Conference Papers
Session L2.3. Language revitalisation
1. Audrey Lindsay, Michael Lindsay, Rita Lindsay, Verna Koolmatrie and Mary-Anne Gale : The use of song as a tool in language revival: the Ngarrindjeri experience
Full paper | Audio | Video | Slideshow
This paper explores how and why the use of song can be an effective tool in language revival activities. Three members of the Lindsay family, representing two generations, will discuss the ways songs in the Ngarrindjeri language (of the Lower Lakes and Coorong region of South Australia) can be used to learn their language. Rita Lindsay is a talented singer and musician, while her brother Michael is a talented drummer, and together with their mother Audrey Lindsay and the linguist Mary-Anne Gale, they are studying their language through TAFE SA. The TAFE classes aim to maximise the opportunities to learn the language through practical activities of song writing and the translating old favourite hymns and songs for public performances. The songs being written and performed cover a range of genres including traditional songlines and more contempoary songs. These songs act as mnemonic devices for learning new words and phrases in the language. The presentation will outline the process used to translate or compose songs, such as the use of Toolbox for dictionary searches, and the inevitable absorption of aspects of the traditional grammar. The presentation will conclude with a (hopefully) memorable performance of a song in language by the presenters.
Author bio: Rita Lindsay. My name is Rita Lindsay and I am a Ngarrindjeri woman with connections to Ramindjeri, Peramangk, Meru and Bangarrla in South Australia. I was born in Barmera, South Australia. I now live in Meningie on the shores of Lake Albert. I am a singer, songwriter and guitarist. The media I work in is lino printing as well as contemporary cultural arts such as weaving, feather flowers, wood carving and dancing. I am also a member of the Rritjarukar (Willy Wagtails) Choir, who performs songs in the Ngarrindjeri language. I am currently studying the Ngarrindjeri language and have completed a Cadetship with the Mobile Language Unit Team at the University of Adelaide with Mary-Ann Gale. My musical background enables me to craft the translated songs to the music. I also have a strong interest in the complexity of the Ngarrindjeri language where it has the ability to go from a long form to a short concise form. I have found that it is easier to learn our language through the use of song, due to the repetition and the tendency to remain in the memory and it is an enjoyable way of learning language.
Author bio: Michael Lindsay. My name is Michael Lindsay. I am a Ngarrindjeri man with connections to Ramindjeri, Peramangk, Meru and Bangarrla in South Australia. I was born in Barmera, South Australia. I now live in Meningie. I have been learning and performing as a Drummer for seven years and I have recently been introduced to visual arts as a painter and wood carver and contemporary cultural art. I am a Ngarrindjeri language student and am a young male member of the Rritjarukar (Willy Wagtails) Choir, assisting in percussion with drums and clapping sticks. I accompany my sister Rita who is a guitarist and vocalist in both mainstream music and contemporary cultural music. Learning the Ngarrindjeri language, our true language, through music and song are good ways to learn the language to remember the words. Our Old People are still speaking to us today through the written and recorded resources and it is good to have these resources available to us.
Author bio: Audrey Lindsay. My name is Audrey Lindsay and I am a Ngarrindjeri, Ramindjeri, Peramangk and Meru woman. I was born in Barmera in the Riverland in South Australia. I now live in Meningie which is near the river, lakes, Coorong and Southern Ocean. I have been a seasonal worker, TAFE and university student and am a mother of two adult children. I am currently studying the Ngarrindjeri Language. As I am learning at the same time as my children it offers a great opportunity to practice and communicate with each other outside the classroom in everyday conversation. I am a visual artist and a member of the Rritjarukar (Willy Wagtails) Choir and together we translate texts and songs. We then share this knowledge with the wider community through performances at special events and at funerals. Through singing we learn language and pronunciation. Personally, learning the Ngarrindjeri language has assisted in cultural identity through building confidence and pride in our own language and strengthening connection to country. Language has also been beneficial to health by keeping mentally and physically active. Another personal achievement is an increased knowledge of the grammar to enable the formation of complete sentences from just speaking individual words.
2. Rob Amery and Kanya Buckskin: Re-establishing Kaurna Across the Generations
Full paper | Audio | Video | Slideshow
Kaurna is the original language of the Adelaide Plains last spoken on a daily basis in the 1860s. Kaurna language reclamation has been proceeding for more than two decades now, with interest coming predominantly from a handful of Elders. One of the main functions of the language today is in their giving of ‘Welcome to Country’ speeches. Kaurna has slowly been taken up more by the younger generations with Buckskin, a young Kaurna man, now being the main teacher of the language and a strong role model. Buckskin is using the Kaurna language in new and innovative ways as he will describe. From the outset efforts had been made to engage a range of age groups. The first Kaurna language project in 1990 resulted in songs ranging from nursery rhymes to country and western written for all ages. Since its formation in 2002, the Kaurna Warra Pintyandi (KWP) group has undertaken a number of initiatives to engage members of the Kaurna community across the generations. This paper explores these initiatives and future directions for the development of the language. The Kaurna language movement provides a useful model for other ‘awakening’ languages.
Author bio: Dr Rob Amery is Senior Lecturer in Linguistics and Convener of the Kaurna Warra Pintyandi group at the University of Adelaide. He completed his PhD on the Kaurna language and its reclamation in 1998 and has been working in partnership with Kaurna people ever since.
Author bio: Jack (Kanya) Buckskin is a young Kaurna man, teacher of Kaurna, performer and leader of the Kuma Karro dance group. His students include children at Kaurna Plains School and adults enrolled in programs run by the School of Languages. In 2011 Buckskin was South Australia’s Young Australian of the year in recognition of these efforts.