Conference Recommendations
The Indigenous Languages Conference, Adelaide 2007, recommends -
1. That all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages be recognised as Official Languages of Australiaand that this be written into the Preamble of the Constitution [comment by Pat McC - the preamble has symbolic value but no legal force; to have legal force rights have to be in the body of the constitution. I would sugguest 'written into the Constituion' above].
[Comment by Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community Aboriginal Corporation: CHANGE: That all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages be written into the Constitution and recognised as Official Languages of Australia.
This recognition would include, amongst other things, that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have -
- The right to be educated in the languages of their ancestors as well as other languages (comment by Adriano: rephrase: the right to be educated in their own languages (as stated in Declaration)
- The right to interpreting and translating in a court of law and elsewhere - See Charter What's this?
- The right to have our traditional language recognised as the/an official language in our traditional country (by agreement of the group) change by Vaso 3/10 (as well as Australia?)
- The right to have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander placenames recognised
- The right to name oneself using names from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and to use these names in official contexts if so desired. [This right is probably there already but sometimes not exercised because people sometimes are not aware of their rights. I don't think it hurts to clearly articulate these things - Rob 8/10/07] Ok, but I'm not sure whether the original intention was about self-naming on a group level. If it was Alitya that said it, then i'm pretty sure that's what she means, because apparently it's become an important issues, so maybe that needs to be in here too - Christina.
- The right to have laws written in one’s own language I'm not sure about the purpose, usefulness or implementability of this for 'all' - suggest removing it as it may detract from the whole being accepted - could add 'law' into #3. Rob - Yes, OK. Deal with in #3. [8/10/07] This is a bit iffy- what's the purpose? Is it so that everyone understand the laws? If so, needs to be reworded to say this ie: laws written so that they are accessible by everyone. Sue Hanson 15/10.
2. That the Federal Government recognise that speaking an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language is a contributor to social cohesion and well being including our kinship and relationships in a culturally diverse society.
3. That the government and its agencies take Indigenous languages seriously and value their importance. Communication about government business (health, social security, policing etc.) and education are most effective if conducted using people’s first language.
4. That Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and linguistics courses be given serious consideration within national VET curriculum and help facilitate delivery of VET programs across state and territory borders.
5.That Federal and State Education Departments commit funds and resources to:
i) Train Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander speakers to teach their own languages
ii) Provide public spaces for people to meet and talk in their language
iii) Investigate individual cases where speakers and tutors wish to teach in schools but do not satisfy existing criteria (I put this in for speakers whose literacy levels do not satisfy Dept criteria for gaining qualifications as LOTE teachers - Vaso) ('Literacy for all in Standard Australian English' is the main mechanism for Australian English dominance and Aboriginal language assimilation. If people's right to their first language is respected, then hopefully we wouldn't need this - Adriano. I think 5iv is truly vital, but we need to look into non-Western curricula. Ideas?- Adriano)
iv) Support communities to develop school curriculum and resources in their language.
6. That bilingual education programs be given serious consideration. This includes assessing the Aboriginal language component as well as the English component. OR That Bilingual school development consultations be conducted with all communities and initiative be put in place to train local Aboriginal teachers. (Need to make this stronger, perhaps? Can we include something about the recognition of creoles and Aboriginal English? - Adriano)
- Current bilingual education programs that have been undermined and reduced be given continued and
7. That, as most of the recommendations of the National Indigenous Languages Survey report 2005 have not been implemented, a review be called to recommend means of implementation.
8. That the Federal Government in conjunction with Indigenous language speakers develop a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages Policy.
9. That a pilot national program of Indigenous Language Nests be created and implemented where appropriate. (as per Recommendation 1 of the National Indigenous Languages Report, 2005)
10. That a pilot national program of Master Apprentice relationships (along the lines of those promoted by Leanne Hinton, 1994) be funded and implemented where appropriate. [Rob 8/10/07]
11 That a National Indigenous Languages Centre be established.
OR
11 That a feasibility study be undertaken to evaluate the best set up for a National Indigenous Language Centre (based on recommendation 4 of the National Indigenous Language Survey Report 2005.).
12. That the Federal Government propose a National Indigenous Television Language Policy. (From Garth Agius) Should we make this a seperate recommendation from Language Policy? My understanding is that a languages policy would encompass all of these recommendations and could even be a header for this whole page - ie "The
That the Federal Government estbalish a National Indigenous Language Policy which encompasses the following recommendations" - any rate i think a TV languages policy and languages policy are two different things?
OR
13. That the Federal Government endorse the articles of the United Nations declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that are relevant to language, in particular''This includes articles 8, 13, 14, 15 and 16,Y,Z12. The English language is imposed by government on Aboriginal languages which impact on our identity as First Nations people, and that we as the peoples of this land cannot allow ourselves to be brainwashed into doing the government’s work. This language makes Aboriginal people perpetually “invisible” by use of the language of power to fall into the control they exert over all of us through its financial control over people. Let’s take control and identify ourselves as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who own these lands. (Remove this, is not written well and emotive rather than factual, doesn't come over as a serious statement, Sue Hanson)13.This conference does not endorse the alleged claims made by Noel Pearson that Aboriginal languages do not belong in schools (see article in The Australian, 10th March 2007). - AT: Is it necessary to mention his name? - Adriano, I think the use of the name is unfortunately necessary due to the issue and his prominence - I wondered when I read the article, how reliable the quote was - as in people are often quoted out of context for the purpose of the article or angle - Vaso)That an inquiry be held into the likely effects of the Federal Government intervention into Northern Territory communities on Aboriginal languages and cultures. As a result of this inquiry, immediate steps be taken to ensure that support structures be put in place and measures be taken to minimise disruptive effects. [Rob 8/10/07]We call on the Federal Government to take immediate steps to act on the above recommendations, particularly with 2008 being the United Nations declared International Year of Languages. (Vaso 11/10).''
We also wish to state that -
(Adriano - 30/09/07) - I would like to clarify if this is a national Centre or is it a representative body of all the language centres of Australia (A National Language Centre Body). This was discussed briefly at the recent WA State Languages Conference in May '07. It seems that what this body would do, needs to be understood, if is indeed to be a 'body'. What do the Aboriginal communities who are represented by the language centres want? I therefore believe it is too early to put forward this recommendation. This can be discussed here: A National Language Centre Sorry Adriano, i can't access your link. LINK SHOULD WORK NOW. Isn't it just a statement of the Conference? I don't think we can claim to be anything else...?? Sorry Ch, not sure what you mean here. Related to this though, i wonder if given the low number of people responding here (and high number of non-Aboriginal linguists), it may be early to put it in anyway??
Kathy (2/10/07)
Would like some development of Bilingual Ed rec 7: that governments recognise that bilingual/multilingual education could encompass much more than using the mother tongue as a language of instruction. Curriculum, materials, teacher education for local teachers, involvement of community, bilingual education can become as much a community development process as it is an education process.
Rob (8/10/07)
What is now Point 12 came from Auntie Alice Rigney. It was a very long recommendation that she had written out on a scrap of paper and I did not manage to capture it all at the time. I think the intent was a rejection of the word "Indigenous" and the use of "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander" instead. I'd better discuss this with her further as she's not a web user herself. Yes - that's what i'm talking about above at (1e) as well - Christina. Point 1e came from me Rob and I'd still like to see it retained. Quite a different point to Alice's rejection of 'Indigenous'.
How about we also add some kind of recommendation along the lines of:
Don't think we can say what should be in the laws just yet, but say that a full and proper consultation needs to happen with Indigenous Australians about the wording and what the statements are trying to achieve. Keep the recommendations brief and open, suggesting that a full consultation happens. Sue Hanson 15 Oct 2007
Claire (19/10/07)
Dear all, sorry for only just looking at this (I'm at Milingimbi at the moment so internet is a bit hard to come by). I have a general question about how this related to some of the discussion at the conference. I agree with most of these points, but they all imply that that Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander Languages will be in use and accessible at some level to the general public. You can't simultaneously make a language an official language of Australia (or of its traditional country) and copyright every word so that no one can use it. Linguists are required to do all this language promotion but at the same time we're yelled at for doing it.
Comments (2)
Eugenie Collyer said
at 9:56 am on Oct 12, 2007
I think it is important to acknowledge the right to education in one's first language. At the moment the recommendations acknowledge the right to education about the language of one's ancestors, however there are two separate issues: a) the right to education in one's own language (or ancestral language); and, b) the right to education in one's first language (which may not be a traditional language at all, e.g. Kriol). Using Kriol as an example, Kriol first language speakers are taught in English. There is no formal acknowledgement that they are ESL learners, and no ESL training required of/provided for their teachers. Acknowledging the right to education in a first language will provide a platform for attaining this training and support. Also, if Kriol were the language of instruction, it could be used, not only to teach children English (surely a government objective), but also to teach children about their ancestral language (a linguistic and cultural objective). Not to provide education in a first languge makes learning for ESL students much harder, and forces them into a situation of disavantage. To acknowledge the right to education in a first language is a step towards rectifying this disadvantage.
Adriano said
at 12:50 pm on Oct 16, 2007
I agree, Eugenie. Recognition of Kriol and Aboriginal English, too. I'll put it on and hope that some discussion will come about on it.
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