This is part 2 of our story on the Noongar Boodjar Language Centre
WHEN no Australian Universities expressed an interest in helping write a Noongar phonology it seemed a hopeless endeavour: “Knocking on these university doors – they make you feel like you could walk away – but you’ve got to be persistent,” Denise Smith-Ali said.
Oddly enough, it was an American university that came to the rescue of the Noongar language.
Ms Smith-Ali places her mug down beside her and sinks back into the lounge.
“Yale University was running a bootcamp and they heard about us doing this, so they engaged and said ‘we’ll help you to do that’.
“We madly sent everything to Yale to analyse to look at the forensic analysis in regard to the traditional Noongar phonology, but it’s still a long process to get through because it’s never been done.”
Now with the phonology in order the centre is working tirelessly to document speech by engaging with Noongar elders and recording conversations.
The centre has also discovered historic records of language and culture that date as far back as 1759, proving helpful in their efforts to preserve the endangered language.
New wave
“Today there’s a new wave – we have a new wave where Indigenous people and non-Indigenous people want to know about the culture, the language,” Ms Smith-Ali says, again reaching for her mug.
“Young people of today want to be engaged, old people now want to be proud of who they are – as Noongar people.
“So there’s a new wave, and it’s a strong demand on the Language Centre.”
In support of Indigenous languages across the globe the United Nations has declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
“Internationally, it’s great to see that there’s some kind of pride for Indigenous languages around the world.”
In recognition of the UN International Year of Indigenous Languages, the Royal Australian Mint recently released a 50-cent coin embossed with various Aboriginal words for “money” from different dialects across Australia; the most universal Noongar word for money is boya.
“[The Royal Australian Mint] asked if we would we like to be one of the language centres to present a word to put on the coin.”
Charmaine Councillor, co-founder of the language centre, leans forward with excitement – her eyebrows raised.
“Of course – we said yeah!” she chuckles.
“It’s a really fantastic celebration because its finally given the minority around the world a voice – to understand that their native languages were spoken.
“For us, it’s a personal thing. We live it. We are Noongar people. We speak Noongar language. We’re talking about our people, our country, our culture and our history.”
by SEAN HILL