Aboriginal Language Matters at Young High School

Mr Duran paid his respects to all Aboriginal people that attended the high school’s celebrations and stressed the importance of the school’s Wiradjuri language program.

“In 2017 the theme for NAIDOC is Language Matters, and as a school and the local community we are perfectly positioned to celebrate and recognise the local Language of Wiradjuri,” he said.

“We are one of the few schools in the state delivering our first language, our local language in school. In 2017 it is common place at Young High School that our mandatory LOTE subject is Wiradjuri. 

“The Wiradjuri people are the largest Aboriginal mob in NSW, and one of the largest in Australia and the land of the Wiradjuri people is geographically one of the largest Aboriginal nations, so it is important we recognise our rich Aboriginal history of the local land and local culture.”

Mr Duran said the history of Aboriginal language compared to the English language was very different.

“We might think that writing, recording and speaking are pretty easy. Regarding the English language we have always done this, and the English language is one of the most spoken languages across the world,” he said. 

“However for our Aboriginal people the history of languages has been very different, Aboriginal languages have traditionally been a spoken language. It was not a language that was written down. It was passed on generation after generation by speaking, by telling. There was a time where these languages were nearly lost. Believe it or not, there was a time when speaking an Aboriginal language was forbidden. So it makes sense that a language that was only passed on through speaking was nearly lost because our Aboriginal people were not allowed to speak their own language.” 

Mr Duran said many people had worked very hard over the past four years to make the Wiradjuri language course happen.

“Mrs Rita Karaminas, who is well recognised across the state for her passion and commitment to Aboriginal Education, has worked with the Young Local Aboriginal Lands Council, with the AECG and with the Department of Education’s Aboriginal Education unit to ensure this program could be supported, that cultural respect was adhered to and that opportunities could be sustained,” he said. “The outcome was that in 2014 we introduced a Wiradjuri language program and in 2017 we are learning Wiradjuri in our school every day. Students work with Mr Ellis, Aunty Enid, Ms Agnew and Ms Karaminas and our students embrace Aboriginal studies, this is something we should all be proud of.”