NEW LANGUAGE POLICY TO PRESERVE ABORIGINAL CULTURE
The Bracks Government today invested $10,000 in a new strategy to revive Victoria’s Indigenous languages, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Gavin Jennings announced today. Mr Jennings said the new approach would help revitalise Victoria’s traditional languages, which was a significant aspect of preserving Indigenous culture.
(Media-Newswire.com) - The Bracks Government today invested $10,000 in a new strategy to revive Victoria’s Indigenous languages, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Gavin Jennings announced today.
Mr Jennings said the new approach would help revitalise Victoria’s traditional languages, which was a significant aspect of preserving Indigenous culture.
“Aboriginal cultural heritage is about language, stories and traditions as well as land and objects,” Mr Jennings said.
“There used to be 40 separate Indigenous languages and many Aboriginal people spoke four or five different languages.
“These languages are not spoken anywhere else in the world, making them a unique part of our cultural heritage and we should not let them die out.”
Mr Jennings said Victorian Aboriginal Corporations for Languages ( VACL ) and the Federation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages ( FATSIL ) will now develop a new policy on Indigenous Languages.
“The Bracks Government has provided $10,000 to help VACL run a two-day workshop, bringing together experts in this area,” he said.
“This workshop will produce recommendations for a draft policy to be prepared for consultation with the community and State Government.
“This important area of work will help Indigenous Victorians reconnect to their past and celebrate their culture.”
Chairperson of VACL, John Atkinson, said the policy would aim to make Indigenous language education more accessible to the Aboriginal community.
“Language contributes to the wellbeing of Aboriginal communities, strengthens ties between elders and young people and improves education in general for Indigenous people of all ages,” Mr Atkinson said.
Representatives from VACL, FATSIL, the Aboriginal community, State Government and the New Zealand Maori Language Commission attended the workshop.
Mr Jennings congratulated FATSIL for contributing $34,000 to the project.
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