NSW Aboriginal Languages Week has wrapped after a statewide celebration from 19 to 26 October under the theme Let Our Voices Fly, including starring performances from locals.
The Aboriginal Languages Trust (ALT) coordinates the week to spotlight the strength of First Languages and the communities revitalising them across NSW.
“The NSW Aboriginal Languages Festival is about community and celebrating what has been passed down, and the momentum behind language revitalisation today,” ALT Chair Catherine Trindall said.
“Language is core to our identity and connection to country. Every word spoken in language represents our cultural survival and the determination of our people to ensure our languages were kept alive and strong”, she said.
Ambassadors Journalist Brooke Boney (Gamilaroi) and NRL star Cody Walker (Bundjalung/Yuin) helped carry that message across the state.
“When we speak our Languages, we’re telling the world we’re still here; our Culture is strong and alive,” Ms Boney said.
“Let Our Voices Fly is about giving our Languages the wings they deserve,” Mr Walker said.
“For too long our voices were silenced, but now they’re rising in sports, schools, song and in everyday life. That is something to celebrate.”
Their stories were also shared in a mini‑documentary series about learning language on Country, which for Brooke meant a journey on country around Ashford, including Deadbird Mission where her grandfather grew up.
And for Cody, meant a trip home to Casino, talking about how he tries to keep culture and language in his life and pass it on to his kids.
Community‑led efforts have been the hallmark of the week, backed by programs designed to support practical, place‑based revitalisation. A highlight of small actions that make a big difference included a Tamworth example where Gambadul Aboriginal Corporation invited customers to place their coffee orders in Gomeroi language at Campgrounds Café on Peel Street, with staff ready to help anyone keen to try.
The same coverage noted that funding streams such as the Aboriginal Languages Growth Funding Program and Languages Week Grants Program are helping local organisations run events, boost participation and make language visible in everyday life. Those efforts sit alongside the Trust’s broader mandate to promote language activity, identify priorities and manage funding and investment – all with the goal of strengthening the use and appreciation of Aboriginal languages across the state.
For the New England, the story is both statewide and local. The peoples whose names we use and respect in our region include Kamilaroi or Gomeroi, Anaiwan, Ngarabal, Dunghutti, Biripi and Gumbaynggirr, and using the accepted local spellings is one simple, meaningful way to reflect respect for Language and Country.
Behind the celebrations is a long‑term framework. The NSW Aboriginal Languages Act 2017 became law on 24 October 2017 and is the first legislation in Australia to acknowledge the significance of First Languages. The Act commenced on 5 March 2020 and established the ALT to lead a focused, coordinated and sustained effort for language activity at local, regional and state levels. The Trust’s functions include promoting language activity, identifying priorities, managing funding and investment, promoting education and employment opportunities in language activities, and promoting the wider use and appreciation of Aboriginal Languages.
The work continues beyond this week and the Trust is urging communities to keep speaking, teaching and hearing language wherever they gather.
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