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Tuesday, 22 May 2007 |
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The newswriter has been away so it’s catch up time again! Sadie and I are sitting here talking about the website and would both love you to check out the new short film about the whole project at ngapartji.org which Batesy’s put together. It's not there yet - but will be soon!
We’re moving into touring mode now, planning flights, tents and performances for the Dreaming Festival in Queensland as well as the who, when and how of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival which runs on its tail. We’re excited to announce that Shadow Minister for the Arts Peter Garrett is coming to Alice Springs for the launch on June 6th of the new ngapartji.org (currently being revamped by Karl, Tessa, Adam and Alex) and the Ngapartji Ngapartji production tour. We take off the next day!
It was inspiring to hear news of the new learning group that’s started up in Sydney. If you’d like to get in touch with this group go to the Forums. It was also great to hear from Beth who’s now living in Melbourne and working with the Trades Hall learning group. Katrina Tjitayi and Ingrid who were visiting Melbourne from Fregon in SA went along the other night and were both really impressed with the work being done. The group watched a number of video lessons together as well as used picture cards that Susan had made. They also sang some of the songs learnt lately and Ingrid taught a new song using each finger (‘mama yaaltji? mama yaaltji? nyangatja!...’) to the tune of Frérè Jacques. Sounded like fun from here so be inspired to seek out other learners in your area and maybe think about getting a group together. Trades Hall Language Learning group, Melbourne
Katrina (who is Rhoda’s sister for those of you who’ve seen the show and heard her amazing voice) was very interested to learn that there was currently no official policy on languages in Australia. Language and learning is a passion for her. Katrina told the group about the work she had done in the past to reinstall the teaching of Pitjantjatjara in schools in the APY Lands and about her sadness with regard to the generation which does not know how to read or write in their own language.
In relation to that we are currently putting in a proposal with a hope to present the website at the Indigenous Languages Conference in Adelaide in September. We will also be presenting the ninti site at This Is Not Art Conference in Newcastle, NSW in October. Language curriculum writer Cathy Bow from Melbourne is currently doing a review of the site to give us some feedback.
We’re pleased to hear that Yalata School (SA) are using the website to teach young Pitjantjatjara people Pitjantjatjara literacy and Santa Maria College in Melbourne are using the ninti site to get some language skills before the school does a cultural immersion trip to the APY lands. ‘Dare to Lead, SA’ (a program designed to encourage high schools to engage with Indigenous history to foster reconciliation) have written about Ngapartji Ngapartji in their newsletter and have told 370 high schools in SA about the project.
It’s inspiring to hear about the ripple effects of the work that’s happening here. Palya.
Dani P
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 June 2007 )
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