The 2014 AIATSIS National Indigenous Studies Conference was held from Wednesday 26th to Friday 28th March at the National Convention Centre in Canberra. It was a celebration of 50 years since the legislated establishment of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, now AIATSIS, along with the 50 year anniversary of leadership and excellence in Indigenous studies by AIATSIS.
Gary Williams, Dallas Walker and Br Steve have been looking at the special
Aboriginal languages are increasingly being used in many social domains: this beautiful sculpture by Brentyn Lugnan is on display in the main shopping centre in Coffs Harbour.
Please click here to read the Dolphin sculptures making a splash of colour article in the Coffs Coast Advocate article written 1st July 2013.
Eight young people have started an eight week language traineeship at Muurrbay. They will build on their knowledge of Gumbaynggirr language and stories and learn about many aspects of language revitalisation such as developing children's stories and documenting via film and sound recordings. Liz Keen for ABC Open will be leading the film workshops and Gumbaynggirr language teacher and researchers will share their knowledge and experience. They are pictu...
Muurrbay went along to the inaugural Boomerang Festival at Tyagarah Farm near Byron Bay, on Bundjalung country. The festival was held from Friday 4th to Sunday 6th October 2013 and we were treated to an amazing range of talented Aboriginal performers, as well as thought provoking discussions, plays and films.
Muurrbay had a language stall, and in between shows many people came to yarn with us about language. Michael Jarrett, Shaa Smith, Pauline H...
A Language Teachers’ workshop was held at Muurrbay 12-13 December, with Aboriginal teachers from many language groups attending, including Gathang (Birrbay, Warrimay and Guringay), Dharawal, Gamilaraay and the local Gumbaynggirr mob.
Gary Williams greeted the group in their four different languages and talked about the role of Muurrbay in language revitalisation. Julie Long demonstrated some of the techniques that have worked well in classes on the mid...
Bunjum staff and the Mums and Bubs group at Ballina Public School got together with the support of Gary Williams and Anna Ash of Muurrbay to have fortnightly language workshops. Tania Marlowe is shown here using pictures to share language. We also practiced several songs in Bundjalung, which will be shared with Jarjums. If you have any enquiries please contact Tania at Bunjum on 0266 867 215.
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Muurrbay have new email addresses and they are as follows :
ceo@muurrbay.org.au
admin@muurrbay.org.au
Our previous email addresses are still active for the next 10 months, this is to allow us time to let everyone know of the switch over.
Have a great week everybody!
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Muurrbay was recently visited by a group of students of anthropology, linguistics and social work from Sydney University. Lecturers John Hobson and Susan Poetsch organised the fieldwork excursion for the unit: Re-awakening Australian Languages. This unit examines how Indigenous communities are resisting the Australian trend towards monolingualism by reviving their languages. The students also visited several Gumbaynggirr language classes in preschools, pri...
Excerpt from Wonnarua Nation Aboriginal Corporation website -
A SALVAGE GRAMMAR AND WORDLIST OF THE LANGUAGE FROM THE HUNTER RIVER AND LAKE MAQUARIE
This work was compiled in response to the need for a practical interpretation of old records about the language from the Hunter River and Lake Macquarie. It has 3 different PDF parts. You can download them by clicking here.
This link will take you directly to Wonnarua Nations Aboriginal Corporation's
Lismore local, Binnie O’Dwyer invited Margaret Sharpe to come to a language workshop in Lismore in April, held at Thelma James’ Bundjalung café ‘Gunnawannabe’. Roy Gordon and other Lismore Elders had a valuable input to the day, welcoming everyone and advising on language matters.
Margaret has worked on the many dialects of Bundjalung language and was keen to help people learn more language, she has recently published an updated dictionary – grammar i