Reconciliation and Social Justice Library
Reconciliation and Social Justice Library
"Language is very, very important no matter what race or creed of people you come from. If you can't speak your tribal language or Creole, then you would not have a chance of knowing your culture". (Dennis Getawan, Chairperson, Umagico Community Council)
6.76 Measures to protect and foster indigenous cultures must include language. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, whether they speak Aboriginal English, Creole, or a traditional language, language is an integral part of cultural identity.
6.77 Language retention has important benefits for indigenous communities in terms of self esteem, preservation of cultural identity and greater community cohesion. Community consultations emphasised that the right to maintain, revitalise or revive languages was fundamental.
6.78 There is a particular need for the introduction of measures to promote and support the maintenance and revival of traditional language use in contemporary contexts. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people want, through their own research and efforts, to return their languages and related information to their communities.
6.79 The value of maintaining and reviving indigenous languages has been emphasised in many different contexts by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and is discussed in the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report (see also recommendation 55) and in two recent Parliamentary Committee reports; Language and Culture-A Matter of Survival (I 992) and Access and Equity-Rhetoric or Reality? (I 993).
6.80 An awareness of the importance of language and literacy issues has increased over the last decade with national policies, such as the Australian Language and Literacy Policy (ALLP), promoting improved language and literacy skills and recognition of the language needs of different communities within Australia.
6.81 However, while there has been an increased willingness to support and promote languages which are seen as of economic benefit to Australia, there has not been the same level of funding, or the same breadth of policy initiatives, from State/Territory or Commonwealth Government agencies for indigenous languages..
6.82 The level of Commonwealth support to indigenous languages mainly under the Aboriginal Education Strategic Initiatives Program (AESIP) through the Aboriginal Literacy Strategy and the Aboriginal Language Education Strategy-is inadequate for the task involved and too narrowly focussed.
6.83 There is a need for greater co-ordination at the national level and for the provision of technical information and advice to community language programs. It is desirable that a national advisory body be resourced to play a role in this area.
6.84 Government policies should take into consideration the variation in the needs of indigenous people and the state of languages in different communities. Increased resources provided on a long term basis are required including for programs aimed at providing support for community based language initiatives. Funding should also be directed at adequately housing and equipping language centres to cater for community demands.
6.85 At the same time Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people want indigenous languages and culture included as a mandatory part of education curricula. In appropriate areas, where schools have a significant number of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students, bilingual or two way education should be offered as a matter of course.
6.86 Provision of interpreter and translation services in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages is another important area which needs to be addressed. During consultations, interpreter services were seen as critical to access and equity in the provision of a range of Government and non-Government services including health, education, social security and justice.
6.87 There is currently no formal interpreting and translating service for indigenous languages which can he accessed in a routine way. While Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs funds interpreting and translating services for a range of community languages, these do not cover Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander languages. Available interpretation services are limited to ad hoc arrangements provided by community language centres, employment of indigenous language speakers by particular agencies or under-resourced services such as that offered by the Institute for Aboriginal Development (IAD).
6.88 In addition to access and equity considerations, the availability of an adequate interpreting and translating service would contribute to language and cultural maintenance by improving the status and utility of traditional languages for their users. Such services could also provide culturally relevant employment opportunities for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in rural and remote areas.
RECOMMENDATION 91.
The Commonwealth Government should acknowledge the right of Indigenous peoples to be heard and receive Information and be educated In their own languages.
RECOMMENDATION 92.
The Commonwealth Government ensure State and Territory Governments implement Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language programs which are agreed to by the local community at early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
RECOMMENDATION 93.
The Commonwealth Government expand support for community language maintenance and retrieval Initiatives.
RECOMMENDATION 94.
The Commonwealth Government should commit Itself to the provision of an adequate Indigenous language Interpreting and translating service with a particular emphasis In ensuring effective communication within the criminal justice system. Consideration should be given to ensuring Aboriginal management, control and employment as well as other related policy Issues In the area of training and accreditation.