A new policy to help preserve, promote and revitalise languages of the world’s oldest living cultures has been announced on Indigenous Literacy Day.
Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Craig Crawford said the Many Voices: Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages Policy was another significant step towards a reframed relationship with First Nations people.
“This policy, the first of its kind in Queensland, has been developed in partnership with representatives of various Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language groups,” Mr Crawford said.
“It will help strengthen work to preserve First Nations languages, with less than one in 10 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders reportedly speaking an Australian Indigenous language at home.”
He said he was committed to working with traditional language speakers, communities and organisations through initiatives, including Indigenous Language Grants, to help stem language loss.
“The Mossman State School in the Far North is among last year’s grant recipients, using the funds to install a sign in Kuku Yalanji language — a visible display of the school’s pride in language and culture,” Mr Crawford said.
He said the new policy followed last month’s commitment towards a new Treaty Advancement Committee to progress the Path to Treaty process with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
Minister for Education, Grace Grace said the policy would strengthen existing partnerships between schools and communities, working together to teach local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages.
“More than 80 Queensland State schools are working with local communities to teach 35 different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, reaching thousands of students,” Ms Grace said.
