THE Federal Government has pledged $9.3 million over the coming year to help take 113 indigenous languages off the critically endangered list.

Of 145 spoken dialects, 110 are at risk of being lost, a report in 2005 found.

Announcing the national indigenous languages policy yesterday, Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin and Arts Minister Peter Garrett said more would be done to raise awareness of the campaign.

“These languages are . . . a significant part of Australia’s heritage and we must ensure they are protected for the benefit of future generations,” Mr Garrett said.

Read the full article:

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25905201-953,00.html

Here’s the various links.

Provided by:

Stephen Cassidy
Director, Indigenous Languages and Intangible Culture
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
GPO Box 787, Canberra Act 2601
Ph 02 6275 9616 Fax 02 6275 9664 Mob 0407 300 145

…

http://www.alp.org.au/media/0809/msartia090.php

http://www.arts.gov.au/indigenous/languages_policy

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/10/2650659.htm

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/93m-to-save-indigenous-languages-20090809-edza.html

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/93m-to-save-indigenous-languages-20090809-edza.html

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/847818/9-3m-to-save-indigenous-languages

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25904841-2702,00.html

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/Politics/2009/08/09/93m_to_save_indigenous_languages_360722.html

http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=594688

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MEDIA RELEASE:

NATIONAL APPROACH TO PRESERVE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES

INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS MINISTER JENNY MACKLIN, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, HERITAGE AND THE ARTS PETER GARRETT

9 AUGUST 2009

Indigenous languages will live on for future generations of Australians under a new approach being taken by the Australian Government.

The new National Indigenous Languages Policy is aimed at keeping Indigenous languages alive and supporting Indigenous Australians to connect with their language, culture and country.

Minister for the Arts, Peter Garrett and Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin announced the new approach on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People.

Each year on 9 August the United Nations celebrates and showcases the culture, history and languages of the world’s Indigenous people.

The Government’s new approach to preserving Indigenous language comes as a report found that of the 145 Indigenous languages still spoken in Australia, 110 are at risk of disappearing.

The National Indigenous Languages Survey Report 2005, revealed that the languages under threat are now spoken by only by small groups of people, mostly over 40 years old and are at risk of being lost.

This new national approach will improve coordination between those who are already working to support Indigenous languages including government, cultural institutions, Indigenous languages organisations, and education and research bodies.

It will focus on five key areas:

·          bringing national attention to Indigenous languages;

·          encouraging the use of critically endangered languages to maintain and extend their everyday use as much as possible;

·          making sure that in areas where Indigenous languages are being spoken fully and passed on,  government recognises these languages when it interacts with Indigenous communities;

·          helping restore the use of rarely spoken or unspoken Indigenous languages to the extent that the current language environment allows; and

·          supporting the teaching and learning of Indigenous languages in Australian schools.

“We recognise the intrinsic connection between languages, culture and country and the vital role they play in building and enriching Indigenous community life,” Mr Garrett said.

“These languages are also a significant part of Australia’s heritage, and we must ensure they are protected for the benefit of future generations.

“A focused and coordinated national approach is critical to safeguard Indigenous culture and save these unique languages.”

Ms Macklin said reconnecting with language helped many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to feel proud and strong in their identity.

“It is so important for all people to be aware and proud of their traditions and culture and this, of course, includes celebrating the unique qualities of their own language,” Ms Macklin said.

“Recognising the importance of language and culture is also an essential part of resetting our relationship with Indigenous Australians and working more effectively together”.

“All Australian Governments have committed $38.6 million towards interpreting and translating services as part of the new Remote Service Delivery sites.

We are also committed to introducing a national framework for the effective provision and use of Indigenous language interpreters and translators.”

The Australian Government’s Maintenance of Indigenous Languages and Records (MILR) program will continue to play a central role in the rescue and maintenance of Indigenous languages.

The program supports 65 projects across Australia involved in the development and use of databases, language resources and the delivery of language programs.

The Australian Government has committed $9.3 million over the next year towards protecting Indigenous languages.

The policy is available at www.arts.gov.au/indigenous/languages_policy

Date: 9 August 2009

Contact: Meg Dixon-Child (Macklin) 0400 116032

PETER GARRETT MP
Minister for the Environment,
Heritage and the Arts

JENNY MACKLIN MP
Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services
and Indigenous Affairs

The Alice Springs-based group who created Ngapartji Ngapartji (a play which has sold out to national audiences and is a 2008 nominee for a prestigious Deadly Award), are calling on the Federal Government to urgently introduce a National Indigenous Languages policy.

The group released a discussion paper to Government in late July and are concerned that they haven’t yet heard a response.

“The establishment of a National Indigenous Languages policy is crucial if Australia hopes to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous health and education; it is as crucial as building hospitals and classrooms”, says Ngapartji Ngapartji creative producer Alex Kelly.

“Knowledge of language and culture can have flow on benefits into broader educational, employment, health and environmental outcomes, but rarely are they included in indigenous strategy and policy decisions, and more over, not enough is known about the economic costs and benefits of Australian Indigenous languages.”

The group recommendations the following actions:
• a whole of government approach with a National Indigenous Languages policy;
• a National Council on Indigenous Languages and a National Indigenous Languages Centre to advise government on policy direction;
• a nationally coordinated approach to research and data collection on Australian languages;
• a national Languages database; and
• to support states and territories in the development of statewide language policies and indigenous language curricula in schools.

Only 145 of the 300 languages existing at the time of colonisation are still spoken today, with 110 of these critically endangered. Alarmingly, only 17 of these are regarded as viable enough to survive for another generation.

“In the past 15 years Federal parliamentary committees have recognised the importance of protecting and promoting Indigenous languages and culture through supporting various state and territory based programs.”

“But despite these efforts there is currently no national policy on Indigenous languages, no consistent approach to funding allocations and research, or national body enabled to advise on policy development,” Kelly said.

The Federal Government currently invests $8.8M in 2008-09 in language programs. Mr Kelly said that while they applaud the recent increase in funding “it needs to be backed up by a national policy”.

“The costs to both revive a lost language and support the survival of an existing one are more than just economic. I don’t think this is a cost that Australians are willing to bear,” he said.

In April 2008 the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA) proudly launched the QSA Australian Indigenous languages policy. This statement acknowledges the importance of understanding, maintaining and promoting the diversity of Australian Indigenous languages spoken in Queensland and across Australia. The policy supports curriculum initiatives in assisting schools and communities to work in partnership to recognise and value local Indigenous languages.

The  Indigenous languages policy (PDF 690K) acknowledges the need to understand the diversity of Australian languages, and the intercultural understandings gained when these languages are valued within the Queensland curriculum. This policy is supported by our Indigenous perspectives statement (PDF 554K) which has embedding Indigenous perspectives within the curriculum as its focus area for 2008.