REVIVING Tasmania’s Aboriginal language heritage will require government support and funding, a federal inquiry will hear today.
The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre will tell a committee the state’s revived palawa kani language, made up of records from six to 12 original languages, is alive in Tasmania.
TAC palawa kani co-ordinator Annie Reynolds said a lack of political will had seen little support for indigenous language programs.
“What we’re hoping is that members of the inquiry will listen to what we’re saying about how the Australian Government doesn’t fulfil its international obligation to protect these languages,” Ms Reynolds said.
“International benchmarks state very clearly that education in your own language is a basic right and the best way to educate young people.”
Committee chairman Shayne Neumann said the inquiry was interested in hearing about the efforts and benefits of reviving “sleeping” languages.
“Following the hearing we will have collected evidence on indigenous language learning in all states and territories and will be working hard on coming up with a report that contains strong recommendations for government action,” Mr Neumann said.
Also, the TAC will repeat the plea from most of the 140-plus submissions calling for education in local languages for the Northern Territory.
“The Australian Government should get its act together and provide adequate funding, there’s plenty of funding given to Asian languages,” said Ms Reynolds.
She said having a dual-naming policy for places helped to keep a language alive and gave it official status.
- This article originally appears at:
- http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2012/05/24/331141_tasmania-news.html
- Article taken from the following publication:
- The Mecury
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