Indigenous play highlights 'language genocide' (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Indigenous play highlights 'language genocide'

Posted Fri Jan 11, 2008 4:13pm AEDT
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/11/2136812.htm?section=entertainment

A production kicking off at the Sydney Festival tonight is seeking to highlight
the dire status of Indigenous languages.

Ngapartji Ngapartji, which opens tonight at the Belvoir Street Threatre in Surry
Hills, is based on the forced removal of people from their traditional land in
the Central Desert for British atomic weapons testing during the Cold War.

The work is conducted in English and Pitjantjatjara and audience members are
encouraged to visit a website and learn some of the language before seeing the
show.

Director Scott Rankin says Australia is at risk of losing its Indigenous
languages if the Commonwealth does not instigate a national policy.

"If I said, 'How do you say 'hello' in the language of Uluru,' Australians
generally don't know that," he said.

"That is language genocide and our generation now is responsible.

"Interestingly, Mr [Kevin] Rudd, fascinated with languages, can speak Mandarin.
He would know how to say hello at the Great Wall of China but would he know how
to say hello at the foot of Uluru?"

Mr Rankin says it is a question of moral will on behalf of the Federal
Government to address the issue.

"The Coalition of Australian Governments (COAG) haven't looked at Indigenous
language policy with a national agenda," he said.

"The New South Wales Government is the most advanced in the country and has the
most developed policy.

"We're prepared to spend as a country, I think it's $29 million, making sure
Indonesian can be taught in schools but we're only prepared to spend about $4
million on all indigenous languages."