Language Crisis
Yidumduma discusses with Ernie Dingo the language and culture crisis in his community. This began when the Wardaman were forced from their land in the late 60’s/70’s, ironically with equal wages and rights law. Today about 100 people speak and understand limited traditional language. Only a handful are fluent in full language. Likewise, there is a language crisis for the 30 language groups in the Katherine region.
Segment used with permission from CAAMA Productions series Talking Languages with Ernie Dingo.
www.caama.com.au/productions
• Related Links:
Talking Language Series , Study Guide
Whitefella Contact Story
Language Crisis
Under the Stars
• Transcript
so how many mobs around here how many
languages in this
area
and and jam just next to us that that’s
four GL group just around there but over
that again we got many of them just in
this are just in this area yeah just in
this area that’s what we We join up see
so how many fluent Waterman speakers
left really speak like me it might be
anything up to 80 but 100 100 people can
speak what but not full somebody because
theyve been too long in town forget
about everything you know sometime I
forget but I pick it up again you know
yeah what happen when the people lived
in the station everyone spoke all water
language and everybody doesn’t matter
where they all spoke and next door
neighbor they understand and talk one
another when this the new legislation
come up you know back in the 60s
sometime 64 that remove everybody then
to become a equal with the Equal Rights
whatever from you know and that change
all
what destroying the all culture a little
bit the all people wanted to come back
to the Homeland to shony and teach young
one and all Poli or up but ply said no
we can’t let you go back you got to stay
in town government took you do you fear
that your language could be lost when
you go I can see it coming for miles and
miles
because we learning all young the
language they speak language but they
speak all those C all English and
language at the same time and they
looking at those movie carons and all
these you know they interest in all them
little one you know we try to take him
away from them because
then they get all the SW song you know
what they call you know M of leaders and
all the you know all that sort of song
that’s with the Walkman and Walkie
Talkie whatever they you know that’s
killing the all the culture at the same
time you know not before every you give
one dig every play straight away today
nothing more white than black
my