Page 100 - Port Douglas Magazine 35

LANGUAGE IS THE ROAD

MAP OF A CULTURE

WORDS by Rosie Wang
When I look at a map of Australia and the layout of all the separate 13 CONSONANTS
indigenous Australian groups it resembles a beautiful jigsaw puzzle.
Stretching back at least 65,000 years or ‘from the beginning of time’ 1. B - (Buma) - aboriginal person Nth QLD
more than 500 different clan groups or ‘nations’ cohabit the continent, 2. D - (Dirra) - teeth
all with their own distinctive cultures, beliefs and languages. There are
250 indigenous Australian languages, including 800 dialects that are 3. J - (Jarramali) - thunder
spoken. 4. K - (Kuku - Gugu) speak or talk
Keeping their languages alive is an intrinsic part of the Aboriginal 5. L - part of a word - no words start with ‘l’ (Manjal) Mountain
people’s culture. Through language they keep their identity and maintain 6. M - (Mayi) - food
strong links to their communities and traditions. With their songlines,
stories, spirituality, identity and connections, language is the glue that 7. N - (nukal) - eat or drink
binds and creates a sense of belonging and empowerment. 8. Ng - (starts words, back of throat - Ngaji - Grandfather
Here in Port Douglas the local cultural group is the Eastern Yalanji. Their 9. Ny - (Nyiku - now/today)
language is also known as Kuku Yalanji. According to the 2016 census 10. R - (Ngara - root of tree)
this Pama-nyungan language was spoken by 320 speakers, of which 100 11. Rr - (rrrr roll tongue - Walarr - beard)
could read and write the language. With the language now part of the
curriculum taught at Mossman State School this number is increasing. 12. W - (Walu - face)
As an amazing innovation, Mossman State School along with the Kuku 13. Y - (Yalbay - big)
Yalanji Language Advisory Group have developed the Kuku Yalanji
language program which is currently taught at their school from Prep VOWELS
to Year 6.
The indigenous language program, which has been co-designed by A - (ar - Bama - aboriginal person)
indigenous elder, Mr Norm Tayley, and school staff, has been extremely
well received by the school and wider community. The award-winning I - (ee - kuku Yalangi (ee)
program has been running at the school since 2018 and is taught by local U - (oo - Kuku)
indigenous man, Mr Juan Walker. The Kuku Yalanji lessons are a popular
addition to the school’s curriculum and help create positive relationships NUMBERS
within the school and community, built on a strong understanding of
culture and language. To support the Indigenous language program, a One nyubun
Kuku Yalanji languages app had also been developed. Two jambul
Three kulur
Available on Android and iPhones, this amazing innovation brings the Four jambul-jambul
language to your fingertips.
Today, the Kuku Yalanji language is spoken by about 500-600 people
here in Cape York from the Annan River to the Mowbray River, west
from the Great Dividing Range and east as far as the intercontinental HERE ARE SOME LOCAL PHRASES:
shelf in the Pacific Ocean.
The United Nations General Assembly has declared the period between Yalada - Welcome
Yundu Yalada? (Yoon-da Yala-da) - Hello you mob,
2022 and 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages to how are you today?
draw attention to the critical status of many Indigenous languages across Ngayu burri (Niya Bu-Ri) - My name is
the world and encourage action for their preservation, revitalization and
promotion.
With this incredible initiative from organisations such as the Kuku
Yalanji Language Advisory Group and Mossman State School, the future
of this ancient language is in safe hands.

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