Capturing the Wajarri language brings joy to elders (fwd link)

[Doug Marmion]

Hi,

It's very pleasing to see this mentioned on this list.

I attended the launch of the Wajarri Dictionary last week at the Murchison Shire office and it was a joyous occasion. It was very sad to see how many of the Elders who contributed so much to the development of the dictionary over the last 25 years have passed away, but everyone was proud to see this work on their language finally in their hands. 


-doug


On 05/04/2012, at 3:44 AM, Phillip E Cash Cash wrote:

> Capturing the Wajarri language brings joy to elders
> 
> Gian De Poloni
> Updated April 04, 2012 17:19:25
> AUS
> 
> Growing up, members of the Wajarri in the Murchison were forbidden from speaking their native language and some were punished or even flogged if they did.
> 
> Wajarri elder Elvie Dann remembers it being banned during her childhood.
> 
> "When I was growing up around the Mullewa area in the 1940s, the government at the time said they didn't want children to be taught the language," she said.
> 
> "That was the saddest thing that they didn't want the parents who were the fluent speakers to teach their children the language."
> 
> But, efforts are being made to redress the loss.
> 
> Access full article below:
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-04/wajarri-dictionary-feature/3933158?section=wa