Saving indigenous languages in Australia

[Richard Zane Smith]

I know what you mean Paula,
which of course they should support,once one realizes their ancestors grave
"sins"against indigenous first nations people. Some are sincerely wanting to
make up for that.
but i find something else at work too...
White educated scholars wanting to correct,lecture and teach us our own
cultural perspectives
and this i find a more ironic (and even annoying).
We have experienced this with visiting white professors who "know more" than
we do
almost like "ok, listen up... we messed you up , now we are going to rebuild
you."
I don't know, but some of that still feels to me
like it leaks from residual slime of the ol' colonialistic urge.

I appreciate it when people express themselves on this forum.
ske:noh
Richard
Wyandotte Oklahoma


On Sun, Aug 16, 2009 at 12:42 PM, Paula Meyer <pmeyer8 at cox.net> wrote:

>  It is interesting (again) when the colonizers support the revitalization
> of the languages that they so effectively brought to the "last vestiges."
>
> Paula
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Don Osborn <dzo at BISHARAT.NET>
> *To:* ILAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
> *Sent:* Sunday, August 16, 2009 4:58 AM
> *Subject:* [ILAT] Saving indigenous languages in Australia
>
>  FYI, from the TK Bulletin blog at
> http://tkbulletin.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/this-week-in-review-saving-indigenous-languages-in-australia/
>
>
>
>
>
> This week in review… Saving indigenous languages in Australia
>
> Posted by Kirsty under Indigenous and local communities, Language, News
> alerts, Traditional knowledge
>
> 11 August 2009
>
>
>
> $9.3m to save indigenous languages
>
> The Age [Australia], 9 August 2009
>
>
>
> CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA: The Australian federal government has pledged $9.3
> million over the coming year to help take 113 indigenous languages off the
> critically endangered list. Of the 145 indigenous dialects spoken in
> Australia, 110 are at risk of being lost, a 2005 report found. But under the
> government’s national indigenous languages policy, there will be an
> increased focus on protecting the last vestiges of indigenous language. The
> policy will also encourage the teaching of indigenous languages in schools,
> although it is understood not to alter the course in the Northern Territory,
> where bilingual education is set to be scrapped in 2010. Read the article…
> http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/93m-to-save-indigenous-languages-20090809-edza.html
>
>
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