Sleeping Beauty: Why Indigenous Languages Need To Be Saved From The Brink

ONCE upon a time in a land not so far away, there were 250 indigenous languages. This was before British colonisation.

An alarming 93 per cent of indigenous languages are dying or have already died. As indigenous language expert Professor Ghil’ad Zuckermann, from the University of Adelaide says, these languages are ‘sleeping beauties.’

Ethically, we have a duty to reclaim indigenous languages after the British invasion and the Stolen Generation resulted in mass linguicide.

By revitalising indigenous languages not only will we help mend faults of the past but we will be facilitating social progress by creating a greater collective understanding between non-indigenous and indigenous Australians.

The revitalisation of indigenous languages will contribute to Australia’s diversity by exhibiting their unique beauty.

Some of these languages are critically endangered and some have already undergone extinction. Every Australian deserves to express themselves through their culture and language, to be empowered and proud. Therefore, we must prioritise this issue, for the happily ever after Australia deserves.

Georgina Flaherty, is a Year 12 student in Adelaide. She recently did a research project about critically endangered indigenous languages and bilingual education. She has also visited the Tiwi Islands with her school last year. She would like to give special thanks to Professor Ghil’ad Zuckermann.