Celebrating the launch of a national project collaboration to promote the diversity and cultural significance of Australia’s first languages.

This is an invitation to all Australians to recognise and treasure the first languages of this country.

Within these languages are stories of our land itself, they are a living link between Australians today and all who have gone before. 
First Languages Australia and ABC Regional are collaborating to see hundreds of fifteen second sound bites in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages created and aired on ABC Regional Radio across the country.

The project was launched by Senator Mitch Fifield, Minister for Communications and the Arts, at ArtLands Dubbo (artlands.com.au), the biennial Regional Arts Australia conference.

The launch video is available here:
https://vimeo.com/188939673

The sound bites are known as station IDs as they identify the radio station. Around the country, radio producers have been working with Indigenous community members to record and edit the IDs for broadcast.

First Languages Australia manager, Faith Baisden, sees this project as a bridge between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, our national broadcaster and regional audiences.

“This is a project of international significance”, she says, “allowing all listeners to connect with the first languages of Australia - among the oldest spoken languages in the world. People will come to understand the diversity of these hundreds of languages and the strong connection between the speakers and the lands they live in.

“First Languages Australia works to ensure recognition and respect for Australia's first languages, whether they are still strongly spoken today, proudly being revived, or those that haven't been heard for many years.”

“Our collaboration with ABC Regional supports language groups around the country to have their voices heard proudly and strongly in the media landscape”, says Faith.

The ABC’s Regional Division has a presence in 48 locations across the country, making it well placed to build the local relationships required to see these station IDs recorded in all of Australia’s traditional languages for broadcast long into the future.

“I’d like to sincerely thank First Languages Australia for partnering with us to produce ABC radio station IDs in language,” said Fiona Reynolds, Director of ABC Regional. “It is a wonderful opportunity to further share local languages spoken by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as part of a much larger project promoting the diversity of Australia’s first languages across our national radio network.”

Australia comprises many hundreds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional language regions. Gambay – First Languages Map (gambay.com.au) provides a graphical representation for further reference.

LANGUAGE IDS WA JENNIFER & IRENE - NUNDA

LANGUAGE IDS WA DWAYNE NEWRY MIRIWOONG

LANGUAGE IDS WA BIANCA MCNEAIR MALGANA

LANGUAGE IDS VIC MERLE MILLER YORTA YORTA

LANGUAGE IDS VIC COREY THEATRE GUNDITJMARA

LANGUAGE IDS SA JAKE BUKSKIN KAURNA

LANGUAGE IDS SA ENICE MARCH - YURANGAWARLA

LANGUAGE IDS SA ANNALEISE BUNGANDITJ

LANGUAGE IDS QLD ETHAL MUNN GUNGARRI

A selection of ABC station IDs prepared by Indigenous language workers and ABC staff for NAIDOC 2018.

NATIONAL NAIDOC IDS TERRY DARCY.WAV

NATIONAL NAIDOC IDS FAITH.WAV

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID STEVE COGHILL YUGGERA.WAV

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID RUTH JAMES YUGURA YAGURA.WAV

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID KERRY CHARLTON YUGGERA.WAV

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID DAISY BLACKLEY  KALKADOON.WAV

LANGUAGE IDS WA – Amanda Simpson – Wajarri.WAV

LANGUAGES IDS NSW Station ID - Lesley.WAV

LANGUAGE IDS NSW LEN WATERS GAMILARAAY.WAV

LANGUAGE IDS NSW Cameron Clayton Dixon - Ambeyan Anaiwan - New England North West.WAV

LANGUAGE IDS NSW Bruce Pascoe - Yuin - South Coast NSW.WAV

LANGUAGE IDS NSW- Geoff Anderson - Wiradjuri.WAV

LANGUAGES IDS SA  Diana Allen - Kokatha - Port Augusta.WAV

LANGUAGE IDS  VIC BRYON POWELL WADDARRUNG.WAV

LANGUAGE IDS QLD Glenda Naldor  Moreton Island.WAV

LANGUAGES IDS QLD Kerry Charlton Janairvwal Yuggera.WAV

LANGUAGES IDS QLD Alfred Gray Jnr Gunggay Gunggandji Guru Guru.WAV

LANGUAGES IDS QLD - Christine Stuart Gubbi Gubbi.WAV

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID PAUL HOUSE NGAMBRI NGUNNAWAL.WAV

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID HILDA JENNINGS NGAANYATJARRA.AIF

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID ENICE MARSH YURANGAWARLA.AIF

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID BROOKE JOY BUNGANDITJ.AIF

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID ANNALIESE JOY BUNGANDITJ.AIF

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID AMANDA RILEY NOONGAR.AIF

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID  LES SHULTZ NGADJU.AIF

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID  BIANCA MCNIEAIR MALGANA.AIF

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID WARREN H WILLIAMS WESTERN ARRANDA.AIF

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID VELMA RUSSELL GUNDUNGARRA.AIF

NATIONAL NAIDOC ID TYRON BROWNLEY WANGKATJA.AIF

"Yuggera Djarra-Na", a song written collaboratively by students, teachers and Elders, the result of an Embracing 2018 grant, part of the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The PDF booklet includes welcome, sheet music, lyrics sheet, lyrics and chords, and pronunciation guide. The .mp3 file is performed by Sharron Lindh, Megan Thomson and the student songwriters.

Our vision is that schools not on Yuggera country (southern Brisbane and surrounds) will approach your own local Elders and ask to work together to translate the chorus into your own local Indigenous language. A great opportunity!

The United Nations have designated 2019 as the Year of Indigenous Languages. We hope this resource helps you embrace and encourage celebration of language in your schools and supports you in embedding Indigenous culture in your networks.

This is another song that could be used for whole school singing on Assembly - consider a shortened version (I have used Chorus, V3, Chorus x 2) as necessary. It would be appropriate to sing this alongside Acknowledgement of Country.

Thank you for taking this song, sharing it widely, with respect, integrity and suitable acknowledgement. We would love to hear how you use it and how it is received by your community - send me an email!

Megan Thomson, mthom143@eq.edu.au

Yuggera Djarra - Na Master 10 12 18

"Yuggera Djarra-Na", a song written collaboratively by students, teachers and Elders, the result of an Embracing 2018 grant, part of the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The PDF booklet includes welcome, sheet music, lyrics sheet, lyrics and chords, and pronunciation guide. The .mp3 file is performed by Sharron Lindh, Megan Megan Thomson and the student songwriters.

Our vision is that schools not on Yuggera country (southern Brisbane and surrounds) will approach your own local Elders and ask to work together to translate the chorus into your own local Indigenous language. A great opportunity!

The United Nations have designated 2019 as the Year of Indigenous Languages. We hope this resource helps you embrace and encourage celebration of language in your schools and supports you in embedding Indigenous culture in your networks.

This is another song that could be used for whole school singing on Assembly - consider a shortened version (I have used Chorus, V3, Chorus x 2) as necessary. It would be appropriate to sing this alongside Acknowledgement of Country.

Thank you for taking this song, sharing it widely, with respect, integrity and suitable acknowledgement. We would love to hear how you use it and how it is received by your community - send me an email!

Megan Thomson, mthom143@eq.edu.au

Yuggera Djarra - Na Backing Master 10 12 18

First Languages Australia is a national organisation working with community language programs around the country to support the continued use and recognition of Australia’s first languages.

Popular tracks by First Languages Australia