Every week is Aboriginal Languages Week at Maam Giingana Gumbaynggirr

THIS week is NSW Aboriginal Languages Week, with public schools and early childhood education centres coming together to reawaken, grow and nurture Aboriginal language and culture.

This year’s theme is “Let Our Voices Fly”, to reflect the strength and resilience of Aboriginal language and celebrate the shared journey to “connect, speak and fly”.

For the past three years, Maam Giingana Gumbaynggirr (Gumbaynggirr Gingana Freedom School) has been leading the way as the first and only bilingual Aboriginal language school in the state.

While other Aboriginal communities across NSW are working to reclaim, revitalise and maintain their languages through the teaching and learning of Aboriginal languages and cultures in schools, Maam Giingan Gumbaynggirr is based entirely on the three values of Wajaarr (Country), Guunu-warluuny (Culture) and Miindalay-gam (Wisdom).

These values pervade every aspect of the school and are woven into the curriculum.

Each day begins with song, dance and/or stories and each class spends a day “on Country” every week.

Learning is conducted in English and Gumbaynnggir, but the diversity of the school community is recognised.

Gumbaynggirr language teacher Ellie Buchanan said, “This year for Languages Week, Maam Giingana Gumbaynggirr will bring together eight different languages to be taught across two days.

“As we continue to speak and build our Gumbaynggirr, we also recognise that our families represent many mobs and language groups and so we’re excited to bring them into our school this week.”

Ms Buchanan’s colleague, Blake Cusack said, “We celebrate to honour the voices of our grandparents who were silenced, and to ensure the voices of our grandchildren can never be silenced.”

By Andrew VIVIAN