Welcome Fiona!

Fiona Martich

Can you please introduce yourself? 

Yaama (Hello), I am a proud Gamilaraay Yinarr (Woman) from North-Western NSW, Southern Qld, living and working on Guugu Yimidhirr Country in Cape York, Far North Qld.

Can you tell us a bit about your linguistics journey? Or about the language work you’ve been a part of?  

For the last 3 years I have been formally studying my language through TAFE. Last year I was also part of the Indigenous Languages Revitalisation Winter School Cohort, through the University of Queensland. My passion is language revitalisation and the Master- Apprentice Language Learning Program (MALLP), is the technique I am using to teach and create language resources.

What inspired you to get involved in language work? 

I didn’t grow up speaking language, we had a few phrases that our family would use, and the odd word amongst English. It was not until I started my language learning journey, that I found out how much of our language was preserved by our Elders and language keepers. Finding language material from my own family was such a highlight and so special and inspiring. I feel that it is my responsibility not only within my family and language group, but to also contribute to the survival of all our First Languages within Australia.

What are your hopes and aspirations for working at Living Languages? 

Through my work with Living Languages, I hope to collaborate with our amazing team in supporting and encouraging our First Language Groups, in language revitalisation and survival. I hope to see our First Languages and speakers grow in strength and numbers, to one day our Mother Tongues becoming our First Languages we learn to speak.