Central Land Council

Preserving language for future generations

More than a dozen Aboriginal language consultants in Katherine have been recognised for their hard work and expertise.

Katherine’s Regional Aboriginal language centre, Diwurruwurru-jaru Aboriginal Corporation (DAC), presented the awards at their Annual General Meeting in Katherine.

The awards recognise efforts to revitalise and represent Aboriginal languages. More than 30 languages in the region are endangered and the work of the consultants is critical to maintaining culture and language.

Helen Morris won Language Worker-of-the-Year for her work learning about and helping with documentation and preservation of Gurindji language.

Jessie Brown won Interpreter-of-the-Year for her expertise as an interpreter of Kriol, Ngarinyman and Gurindji, and for her initiative and tirelessness doing back-to-back bush trips looking for new interpreters.

Queenie and Marie Brennan won Translators-of-the-Year for a 6000 word Kriol translation of a guide to court procedures commissioned by Katherine Women’s Information and Legal Service.

A Ngarinyman story told by Eileen Roberts, illustrated by Noeline Nemit, and a Ngaliwurru story told and illustrated by Doris Roberts won language Resource-of-the-Year. The books were transcribed and made by Josie Roberts and Colleen McQuay.

Josie Roberts also won Student-of-the-Year for participation in the Ngarinyman Own Language Work course, run through Batchelor Institute and DAC and her skills transcribing many Ngarinyman recordings.

Language Team-of-the-Year was awarded to Freda and Betty Roberts and John and Aaron Joshua of Ngukurr for their dedication to teaching Marra Language at Ngukurr School.

Ngarinyman man Peter Waterloo was awarded Story Teller-of-the-Year for his captivating stories about his life Ivy Hector Nambijina-Nangari, who passed away in 2007, was recognised for her life-time achievement in language revitalisation and maintenance of Bilinarra language.