LANGUAGE AND CULTURE ABORIGINALS

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LANGUAGE AND CULTUREABORIGINALS

• AKIS FLEVOTOMAS

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GENERAL INFORMATION

• The aboriginal languages are languages that are
  spoken by the Aborigines of Australia and by few
  nearby islands excluding the language of Tasmania
  and the eastern Torres Strait Island languages.
• The history of Aboriginal Australians is thought
  to have spanned 40.000 to 45.000 years although
  some estimates have put the figure at up to
  80.000 years before European settlement.
• These Australians lived with a strong dependence
  on the land and also the water. Each group
  developed skills according the area in which they
  lived, like hunting or fishing or even gathering
  goods.

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• 250 aboriginal languages spoken in Australia
  before invasion and 600 dialects.
• The number of Aboriginal people whose mother
  tongue is an aboriginal language is estimated
  around 50.000.
• The three most common dialects are Yolngu ( 6000
  people), Arrernte ( 3000 people) and Warlpiri
  (3000 people).
• It was estimated by scientists in 2008 that 11
  of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people
  mainly speak an aboriginal language at home. It
  is worth mentioning that 75 of them can also
  speak English.

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HISTORY

• Unfortunately the Aboriginal Language is
  endangered for many reasons
• The path of the Australian aboriginal history
  changed radically after the 18th and 19th century
  settlement of the British.
• Indigenous people were displaced from their ways
  of life, were forced to submit to European rule
  and were later encouraged to assimilate into
  Western culture.

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• What is more between 1955 and 1963 the Australian
  government and the Britain agreed to perform
  atomic tests on the Aboriginal land of the Anangu
  people.
• Many people of this tribe were forcibly removed
  from their traditional land in order to conduct
  the experiment.
• About 1.200 aboriginal people were exposed to
  radiation during the experiment and had a nearly
  negative impact on their health.

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Measures

• Today there is a tremendous lack of aboriginal
  teachers. There are only 0.7 of all teachers in
  Australia claiming that they have poor or no
  professional development. However some believe
  that there is a sign of hope of surviving the
  language. They underline that in order to make
  this happen some measures have to be taken.
• Such as teach and promote language
• produce a book
• create a dictionary
• collect all known sources
• conduct workshop recording elders speaking

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CULTURE

• The loss of language long associated with culture
  cannot be taken and replaced without harmful
  effects.
• The Australian Aboriginal people have lost a
  tremendous amount of distinct, irretrievable
  culture, with only 11 of their language
  remaining strong today. The loss of language is
  felt broadly through the communities of those
  affected. Through the loss of language and
  culture a sense of alienation, hostility and
  disregard has emerged, affecting all manner of
  life throughout Australia.
•  

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• The struggle for language is common throughout
  the world. Some languages have been saved, but
  most are still in danger, Like many languages in
  Americas. Others have died out entirely. New
  Zealand is a beacon of light for those who
  struggle. Language is part of our cultural
  heritage, that is why we must preserve the
  endangered languages and save our history.
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References

• http//www.creativespirits.info/
• ww.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15020799
• http//ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/06/aborigin
  al-australians/finkel-text
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_Australian
  s

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