Preserving Indigenous Languages
By Chi Nguyen
Preserving Indigenous Languages
Through Government Policy
“Our language is like a pearl inside a shell. The shell is like the people that carry the language. If our language is taken away, then that would be like a pearl that is gone. We would be like an empty oyster shell.”
Indigenous languages are at the brink of becoming extinct in Australia. According to Australia’s 2016 census, 160 Indigenous languages were reported as languages spoken at home, but only 13 of those languages were spoken by children. The census also showed that a significantly small amount of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders reported speaking an Australian Indigenous language at home - only 1 in 10 individuals had reported this.
“For indigenous peoples, languages not only identify their origin or membership in a community, they also carry the ethical values of their ancestors – the indigenous knowledge systems that make them one with the land and are crucial to their survival and to the hopes and aspirations of their youth.”
Globally it is recognised by UNESCO that Indigenous peoples use of their native tongue assists them in “identifying their origin or membership in a community” and carries “the ethical values of their ancestors'. Degawan (2016) a Filipino Kankanaey Igorot and director of the Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Program at Conservation International, emphasises the importance of “membership in a community” and the passing of the “ethical values of their ancestors”. She stresses on the significance of such languages “which are crucial… to the hopes and aspirations of…[Indigenous] youth.” The repercussions of the Stolen Generations demonstrated that, if anything, culture, family and language are essential elements of the identities of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their communities. It reflects their culture, spirituality, language, law, soul, spirit and family. Language is crucial in reflecting these values; passing along cultural knowledge and responsibility to current and future generations. A loss of language would mean a loss in connectedness to culture, land and their communities.
What should Australians do to tackle this problem, ensuring that Indigenous languages are preserved and flourish in Australia’s modern society?
Change must begin now! As the youth of this country, we must ensure that we aid in the journey towards the preservation of these precious Indigenous languages. Our voices are many, and each one has great power. Our course of action could begin by encouraging the Australian government to increase funding for Indigenous language programs, ideally in primary schools where children are at the golden age to learn a new language.
The ideal age to learn a language is not very clear. Nevertheless, studies generally show that the sooner a person starts to learn a new language, the better. During the late 90s, there were many parents who believed that learning a second language for their children may lead to confusion and language development delays.
However new studies prove that the ideal age to learn a new language is 10 years old. The study conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States showed that there is an ideal period after which learning a new language becomes harder, which is by the age of 10. Children older than 10 will find it more difficult to absorb and excel in a new language.
Schools could potentially teach Indigenous languages such as Arrerente and Wiradjuri, although this may be dependent on the geographic location of the school as well as the availability of teachers. By teaching languages in primary schools, children are able to have a greater awareness and understanding of Indigenous language and culture. Teaching non-Indigneous students through these programs will teach them empathy, respect and acknowledgement of Indigenous language, culture and history.
However, it is important to emphasize that we must prioritise the teaching Indigenous languages to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, over the teaching to non-Indigenous children. We must prioritise these Indigenous children to have placements in such language programs, as it will allow them to build pride in their culture and language. For many Indigenous children, English is not their first language; they are multilingual speaking their mother tongues. The engagement of Indigenous students in educational institutions could be significantly improved by incorporating Indigenous languages into their curriculum. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students will feel as if they belong in their classrooms, and their culture and history are respected.
Evidence clearly shows that the incorporation of Indigenous language and culture into the learning curriculum and environment significantly increases the engagement of Indigenous students. Maya Newell’s documentary, ‘In My Blood It Runs’, illustrates Dujuan Hoosan’s struggle to engage with the education system. A bright 10-year-old Arrente boy, Dujuan is able to have higher engagement with educational institutions when he attends an Indigenous school. He feels as if he belongs within his school, and is much happier to interact with his teachers and classmates.
Australian children have limited access to Aboriginal language. I myself, a Victorian student in year 10 have never had any access to learn an Aboriginal language. I am not alone. According to the NSW Department of Education, out of 3136 primary schools in New South Wales only 14 taught an Aboriginal language. Australian schools find it difficult to recruit teachers to teach Aboriginal languages.
It has been emphasised that there is a clear deficit in the supply of teachers for Indigenous languages. It is clear that we must increase the number of people with a qualification in this area. To solve this issue, the Australian government could promote the completion of degrees such as the Bachelor of Indigenous Language and Linguistics, by classifying them as “job-relevant” courses.
Earlier this year, the Victorian government made some changes to the university fees for certain courses and degrees. The costs of “relevant” courses, such as psychology and languages, were reduced while the cost of unwanted courses, such as economics and arts courses, increased dramatically. The Victorian government used this “carrot and stick” approach in an attempt to direct students to courses which the government saw fit.
This approach could be used similarly in the context of courses to do with Indigenous Languages and Linguistics. The government could both significantly decrease the costs of such degrees, even lower than previously, and provide financial incentives for students. Cutting the costs of completing tertiary education in Indigenous Languages and Linguistics could potentially increase the supply of Indigenous Language teachers.
Another solution to the lack of supply of teachers could be giving teachers financial incentives to teach. The government could increase the salaries of Indigenous Language teachers, relative to other subjects, and also provide incentives, such as providing accommodation in remote settings (this already happens). This is particularly important in the context of Indigenous Languages for Indigenous peoples, as most Indigenous communities are situated in remote and rural areas. Additionally, the government could guarantee the employment of students who complete these degrees in a job as an Indigenous Languages teacher in a public school setting. During this period and in the post-pandemic world, guaranteed employment is a very important matter to factor in, especially for university graduates. Using all these different incentives will make the completion of an Indigenous Languages and Linguistics degree very appealing to tertiary and secondary students.
The utilisation of multiple strategies, such as the teaching of Indigenous languages in primary schools and the encouragement of tertiary education in Indigenous languages and linguistics, will effectively save these precious languages from extinction. Used in conjunction with one another, the Australian government will be able to aid in the reconciliation and healing of the Indigenous community. As Minnie Degawan illustrated, cultural heritage and ethics link to the future of Indigenous youth’s identity. The preservation of these languages with greatly assist in allowing members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to “identify their origin…[and] membership”, “[carry] the ethical values of their ancestors” and pass through generations “the Indigenous knowledge” that is “crucial to their survival and to the hopes and aspirations of their youth”. Although the intergenerational trauma and hurt caused by events like the Stolen Generation cannot be erased, the Australian government can still play a crucial role in the healing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.