KEEPING ANCESTRAL VOICES ALIVE

October 24, 2022

In October 2022 the Mobile Language Team was proud to attend the launch of two exciting partnership projects.

In partnership with the South Australian Museum, the Ngarrindjeri Aboriginal Corporation, and Tanganekald community the MLT has been working to develop a cultural and language learning website. The website is an initiative of the Aboriginal Living Languages SA (ALLSA) co-operative.

Check out the ALLSA website here which includes rich archival sources, cultural information, videos, a language game, and self-paced lessons. The website currently features Tanganekald, a language group of the Ngarrindjeri Nation from the Coorong region of South Australia. There are plans to expand the website out to other language groups across the state in the near future!

Launch attendees interact with the ALLSA learning website. October 2022 (E. McCall)

The launch event for the ALLSA website coincided with the launch of our partnership exhibition ‘Arabana Yanhi! Tanganekald Yan! Keeping Ancestral Voices Alive’. The exhibition celebrates the achievements of two South Australian Aboriginal language communities, Arabana and Tanganekald, who are working hard to keep their language and culture strong.

The exhibition features emotive oil paintings of Ancestral stories and language flashcards by the celebrated Tanganekald artist, late Jacob Stengle (Karumapuli). Also featured are artworks, video, and learning flashcards developed by Arabana-Narungga artist and MLT language worker Lakota Milera-Weetra. The MLT’s recent collaborative project ‘Arabana Songlines‘, directed by Colleen Strangways, showcases just one of the many language projects pursued by the Arabana community.

Launch attendees view Lakota Milera-Weetra’s artwork displayed as part of the ‘Arabana Yanhi! Tanganekald Yan! Keeping Ancestral Voices Alive’ exhibition. October 2022 (E.McCall)

The exhibition is part of the UNESCO International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032, with more South Australian language groups to be featured in exhibitions at the SA Museum throughout the decade.

You can find out more about the exhibition here. It is open 10am-5pm at the SA Museum until March 2023. Admission is free.

Well done to all involved in these fantastic language projects!

Uncle Major ‘Moogy’ Sumner welcomes launch attendees to Kaurna Country at the SA Museum. Uncle Moogy was involved in the development of the Tanganekald language materials available on the ALLSA website. October 2022 (E. McCall)
MLT Senior language worker Karina Lester speaks at the combined launch of ALLSA and the exhibition. October 2022 (E.McCall)