Foreword

The revival of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages in Australia has been in progress for several decades, and in this time a lot of methods and strategies for reviving, renewing and maintaining our languages have been tried and tested. There are many success stories that can be told, and many others of attempts to revive language in a community or region which may only last the length of time that government funding sustains them.

When this happens the people involved in the program often lose hope. Interest and motivation drops when there isn’t a paid worker keeping the language program alive and relevant to the different age groups and situations where language may be used in a contemporary setting.

What has been successful or unsuccessful in different ways is a matter of debate and also depends largely on what the language community decides is useful and relevant to them. The traditional custodians or speakers of these languages may find it important to reclaim only certain parts of a language in order to achieve short-term goals for their families and their communities, while others may be aiming for more long-term goals of increasing the number of fluent speakers.

What each language or family group does is critical to the bigger picture of what we all are trying to achieve: cultural maintenance and survival as the first people of the land. Each contribution, big or small, is part of an ongoing struggle facing all indigenous people around the world. In the midst of globalisation we strive to maintain and strengthen our identity and connection to country through our language, cultural practices and values for present and future generations.

The contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia to linguistic and cultural diversity worldwide is essential and is happening through the important work in which we are all involved. The achievements and success of this work are reflected in the papers and case studies presented in this very important book.

This work is sustained in different ways in different places with leadership from the Elders and the knowledge holders in our communities. They provide us with guidance from the Elders who walked before them, and who still watch over us today to give us the strength to endure the challenges we face now and in the future. xii

This collection of papers reflects the story of different groups and their experiences. They are the voice of the land and the voice of the people breathing life back into the languages that existed on country for thousands of years prior to their more recent decline. Such stories will provide invaluable inspiration to those community people just beginning the journey of reclaiming their language, as well as to those of us who are continually reviewing what we have done so far and continue to do in our efforts to renew, revive and maintain our unique language and culture in this country – our homeland.

Jeanie Bell

Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education