[Ngapartji Updates] How to support indigenous languages!

[alex kelly]

*/Support Our Indigenous Languages- Ngapartji Ngapartji -- How to give 
back!/*
/ /
Thanks for your incredible support and feedback on what has been a 
fabulous season here at Belvoir St and Sydney Festival. Many people have 
said Thankyou and asked what they can give the company in return for the 
gift of the story. Here are some ways in which you can give back by 
supporting indigenous languages;
 
*/Write a letter, email or fax Kevin Rudd, Peter Garrett or Jenny 
Macklin. /*
*/Get involved in and support a local languages program. /*

Before European arrival Australia was home to over _250 distinct 
languages_. Indigenous people were typically multilingual and were 
likely to speak as many as half a dozen languages in addition to their own.
 
*Tragically, in the last 218 years **Australia** has suffered the 
largest and most rapid loss of languages known in the world.*

Today, only 17 languages are spoken 'right through' and transmitted 
between older and younger generations; approximately 100 are still alive 
but are highly endangered, perhaps claiming only a handful of older 
speakers each.
 
All face uncertain futures and require ongoing action and support.
 
*Encourage our government to avert this loss by developing a _National 
Indigenous Languages Policy_, getting indigenous languages in to our 
schools and delivering more funding through the Maintenance of 
Indigenous Languages and Records Program -- send a letter, email or fax 
expressing your concern and requesting to see indigenous languages on 
the COAG (Commonwealth Heads of Government) agenda:*
* *
*Jenny Macklin --Minister for Family, Housing, Community Services and 
Indigenous Affairs*
PO BOX 316 Heidelberg VIC 3084
Tel: (02) 6277 7560
Fax: (02) 6273 4122
*Email:* jmacklin.mp at aph.gov.au <mailto:jmacklin.mp at aph.gov.au>
 
*Peter Garrett --Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts -- 
under which Maintenance of Indigenous Languages and Records program sits. *
PO Box 249 Maroubra NSW 2035
Tel: (02) 6277 7640
Fax: (02) 6273 6101
*Email:* Peter.Garrett.MP at aph.gov.au <mailto:Peter.Garrett.MP at aph.gov.au>
* *
*Kevin Rudd -- Prime Minister*
PO Box 476A
Morningside, QLD, 4170
Web: http://www.pm.gov.au/
Tel:(02) 6277 7700
Fax: (02) 6273 4100
 
*Get involved in a local languages program*
 
NSW is currently the only state in Australia that has developed a 
comprehensive state-wide Indigenous languages policy. The policy was 
formally launched in July 2004. The strategy to implement the policy 
will be finalised and released publicly in late 2007.
 
Head to http://www.alrrc.nsw.gov.au/ - NSW Aboriginal Languages Research 
and Resource Centre -- to find out more about programs across the state.
 
To start learning some Pitjantjatjara head to 
*_http://ninti.ngapartji.org_* and join the Sydney learning group who 
meet at Biambul Indigenous Language Business Institute in Carriageworks, 
245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh. Contact Cat Kutay , ckutay at cse.unsw.edu.au 
<mailto:ckutay at cse.unsw.edu.au>  Mob: 0418 455 089 for more info.
 
For more information and links head to http://ngapartji.org 
<http://ngapartji.org/>
 
-- 
Alex Kelly
Creative Producer
http://www.ngapartji.org
http://www.bighart.org
0422 777 590
NGAPARTJI NGAPARTJI
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ngapartji.org/pipermail/updates-ngapartji.org/attachments/20080207/73ab5bc8/attachment-0001.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: ngapartji.gif
Type: image/gif
Size: 8294 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.ngapartji.org/pipermail/updates-ngapartji.org/attachments/20080207/73ab5bc8/attachment-0002.gif>