Generations of Culture

WINGHAM’S John Taylor has shared the unbelievable experience of bringing back to life a language his Biripi ancestors have spoken for thousands of years, with his son Jason.

John and Jason Taylor were the only father and son to graduate the Gathang language course run through Taree, TAFE.

The pair have always been proud to embrace their indigenous culture so when they learnt about the course, they jumped at the chance to study together.

Jason is studying his teaching degree and is working at Wingham Public School with John who is a member of the teaching support staff.

“It’s been really great to work in the school with my son as well as studying the language,” he said.

They will now spread their culture further as they teach the traditional Aboriginal language at a number of schools in Wingham as part of the language curriculum.

John said Gathang is one of the first Australian Aboriginal languages to be spoken and is believed to be thousands of years old.

He thinks it was lucky it was recorded before it was lost forever when elders passed on. More than five years of work was poured into compiling a dictionary of words of the language.

The 13 week course saw the two learn a range of words then connecting words to form sentences. John explained a feature of the traditional language is sentence structures are often the opposite to English.

They then wrote and produced their own welcome to country as well as translated nursery rhymes into Gathang.

John said learning the language all came together and flowed naturally when he started hearing the words.

It was a spiritual and emotional experience which instilled pride in his culture, where he comes from and his ancestors.

“It’s just such an unreal experience. It’s been so good sharing culture with my own son,” he said.

“It gives him an appreciation of where he’s come from.

“It’s so much pride. It’s hard to describe. We’ve brought back to life a language that was here so many thousands of years ago.”

For a traditional language to be passed down through the generations and still be able to be taught is just amazing,” he said.

“I think it’s something within. It seems to just come to you.”

John has a strong connection with the area with his grandmother and grandfather Biripi people.

He has relished the chance to share the powerful experience with Jason and the link it gives him to his grandparents.

John’s father didn’t want people to know of his Aboriginal heritage and always told John he was Italian.

“It seemed to be like that in those days,” John said.

He said when he was growing up his father used to use words in his general speech that he now realises was Gathang language.

Now John is pleased to see people embrace their heritage and be proud of their culture.

Since connecting with his roots later in life he has realised much about his life he says now makes sense.

He has always felt a connection to the land. In his travels around the world as a member of the Navy, he found himself collecting rocks from each place he visited and bringing them home.

He’s since discovered Aboriginal tribes would do this when they visited other places.

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“It fits in and all makes sense.

“I want our kids to be proud of who they are, where they’re from and their culture. I think this will give them the best start.”