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Indigenous play highlights 'language genocide' |
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Monday, 14 January 2008 |
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."
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2008 Ngapartji Ngapartji