Language Leadership Workshop 2022
Over five wonderful days in May, Living Languages joined our partner, Nyamba Buru Yawuru (NBY) in Broome, to run the 2022 Language Leadership Workshop. Five participants from around the country, who had been through the first instalment of the Language Leadership Program in 2019 / 2021, travelled to Yawuru country to take part, while local Yawuru language teacher Isobel rounded out the group.
The Language Leadership group, pictured at Nagula Jarndu Women's Art Centre
The week, from 9-13 May, was packed with training, focusing on everything from resource creation and editing sound recordings, to language teaching and lesson planning. Participants reviewed how to scaffold language lessons, and practiced teaching techniques to support the scaffolding of language up to sentence-level. They also had time to understand linguistic terminology, and get linguistic advice to be able to work on constructing sentences in their languages. By the end of the week, all participants applied knowledge learnt to creating an appropriate resource targeted at the groups they work with.
Being hosted by NBY’s Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga Language Centre was a big part of the workshop. We were able to hear about the fantastic work they have done, and are doing, to revitalise the Yawuru language. Yawuru language worker, Gina, gave the group a tour of Nyamba Buru Yawuru and spoke about the history of the organisation. We were lucky to also hear from a range of other guest speakers, all who work in the language space in Western Australia and were able to give our participants insights into the work they do. These were Nini Mills (CEO of NBY), Lola Jones (Aboriginal Languages Senior Consultant and Curriculum Officer, WA Edu. Dept.), Sara Bergmann (Manager of Kimberley Language Resource Centre), Joe Edgar (Cultural and Language Advisor for Broome Schools), and Isobel Varney (Yawuru Language Teacher).
On Wednesday morning participants had the pleasure of going on a Jila tour with Jahani from Mabu Buru Tours, exploring the waterholes at Roebuck Plains. We learnt about Yawuru creation stories, bush foods and songs in Yawuru language – a lovely way to break up the intensive training! Another great outing was a visit to Nagula Jarndu Women's Art Centre, where we got to see and hear about the great work they do, including how they incorporate language into their artworks and products.
Jahani from Mabu Buru Tours was our guide to the waterholes of Roebuck Plains
All in all, it turned out to be a deadly week. We thank the Indigenous Languages and Arts (ILA) program for the funding of this workshop, and Nyamba Buru Yawuru - Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga for partnering up with us to make this week happen! Living Languages and Nyamba Buru Yawuru - Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga would also like to thank everyone involved. It was an absolute pleasure working with you!