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