{"id":60,"date":"2021-10-20T15:15:19","date_gmt":"2021-10-20T05:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marrangu.cdu.edu.au\/?page_id=60"},"modified":"2021-10-20T16:00:07","modified_gmt":"2021-10-20T06:30:07","slug":"about-the-project","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/marrangu.cdu.edu.au\/index.php\/about-the-project\/","title":{"rendered":"About the project"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This text was translated from a presentation by Gawura Wanambi to the East Arnhem Regional Council Local Authority group:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe point of this project is to prevent my language from disappearing. We\u2019re not sure if many Yol\u014bu are thinking about this possibility or not. For myself, I know that I hold Marra\u014bu knowledge, where our country and songs begin and where they end, I know it all. But to be completely honest, I\u2019m still learning the many features of my own language. It\u2019s like the words are hiding. That\u2019s why this project is important. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery clan has its own language. I\u2019m thinking that if I can start with my own language, I\u2019ll open doors for others to follow. It\u2019s not just about teaching languages, it\u2019s about working with Yol\u014bu who hold the languages. For example, one last old lady is still speaking straight Marra\u014bu language everyday. She has come into ARDS to record some Marra\u014bu language. I\u2019ve been learning, and I\u2019ll keep learning. Even though I\u2019m a Marra\u014bu person, I\u2019m still learning all the finer points of my own language. My sister knows them all and she will share that knowledge. I\u2019m putting it onto paper so that it\u2019s sitting there safe for later. Some might wonder how putting languages on paper will help for later but it\u2019s good, this is the time to record it! It\u2019s a training process for us. It\u2019s a really big area of training for me. Hopefully later, I\u2019ll be speaking more of my own language! <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want our ancient, original languages to disappear. Even some of our own elders have stopped using their own languages and replaced them with others. They know the words and features of their own languages, but they\u2019re hardly bringing them out and using them around us. I want to encourage those elders to bring out the languages and use them so that our languages live, so that they don\u2019t disappear.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The project involves collecting previously recorded materials, and recording new materials, including songs and stories, and enhancing them for community and pedagogical purposes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Songs and stories are being transcribed and translated and shared with community members, supplemented with commentaries, illustrations, annotations, and translations into other Yol\u014bu languages where appropriate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gawura has some recordings in Marra\u014bu from AIATSIS, including his father telling stories. He also has recordings of his older sister telling stories on Yol\u014bu Radio. He has begun transcribing these.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ARDS had funding from ILA to develop an album of manikay called Buku-wa\u1e6fthunawuy Nininy\u014bu rom \u2013 Ancient Languages New Sounds<\/a>. It contained songs from various Dhuwa clans, which won a NIMA for Best Traditional Music in 2018. During this project, Gawura was able to create a Toolbox database with around 600 words. This project was \u2018parked\u2019 this project when the funding ran out, but thanks to First Languages Australia, support for a Priority Languages Support Project was made available from June 2020 to June 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team is led by Gawura Wa\u1e49ambi, with the support of members of his clan, including Marrarrawuy Margaret Wa\u1e49ambi, Kathy Wa\u1e49ambi, Sharon Wunu\u014bmurra, and elders Ya\u014bgipuy Wa\u1e49ambi and George \u1e3au\u1e3bparr Wa\u1e49ambi. The project has been supported by Cathy Bow (CDU project manager), Hannah Harper (former linguist at ARDS) and Yasunori Hayashi (CDU Yol\u014bu Studies Co-ordinator). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rayma\u014bgirr is a small homeland community in north east Arnhem Land<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This text was translated from a presentation by Gawura Wanambi to the East Arnhem Regional Council Local Authority group: \u201cThe point of this project is to prevent my language from disappearing. We\u2019re not sure if many Yol\u014bu are thinking about this possibility or not. For myself, I know that I hold Marra\u014bu knowledge, where our…
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