Welcome Priscilla!

Priscilla Strasek

Can you please introduce yourself?

My name is Priscilla Strasek and I am a Yuwaalaroi/Kamilaroi Wirringgaa with a connection to Slovenian heritage. I grew up On Country in North-West New South Wales in Lightning Ridge, a small but very diverse community.

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

Hearing language growing up and using these words in isolation or in small phrases has always made me want to know and understand more about my languages. In the mid 1990s I had an opportunity to be part of the Yuwaalaraay Language Program and have continued on that Language and Culture journey ever since. The encouragement and support from my elders, family and friends has kept me strong on this journey.

What interests you about language work (or why do you think it’s important)?

What interests me about language work is that there will never be a day that is the same as the day before because every day you learn something new about your language and culture. When I was younger, I would ask why we couldn’t talk our languages and was told “we weren’t allowed to”. I could never understand how someone could just come and stop you speaking your language. So, for me language work is also about trying to heal the effects of this injustice and to ensure the true history of our languages are known.

What does your language mean to you?

Language is country and when people have Language, they will know country and where they come from, and where they belong. It’s so important.

What are your hopes and aspirations for your language?

My hopes and aspirations for my languages is to see them strengthened and continued to be spoken loud and proud through the voices of our people and especially our children.

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

My hopes and aspirations for working at Living Languages is to work as part of a team with like-minded people who are respectful, passionate and committed to reawakening and strengthening our languages; to respectfully listen and learn from others and to share with others; and to continue supporting our people on their journey of language self-determination.

What is one word you love in your language, and why?

One word I love in my language is balabalaa, which means butterfly. It’s such a pretty word to say and has the flowing rhythm of a butterfly moving its wings.