RIC-0667 Aboriginal Cult 5-6

Communication
Food Words
Minibeast Words
(pages 47 – 48)
Aboriginal Languages – Introduction
Indicator:
Teachers Notes
Appreciates that there are different languages in the world, and
that Aboriginal people have also evolved their own languages.
This section will introduce students to Aboriginal languages. Students will appreciate
that Aboriginal people have their own languages as well as speaking English. It will
make them aware of the difference between English words and Aboriginal words.
All cultures have a language. The traditional Aboriginal people of Australia have
many. Today there are around 100 Australian Indigenous languages being spoken;
it is very difficult to know exactly how many there are. It is thought the number of
Aboriginal languages spoken before European contact was between 200 – 250 or
even more. Today, however, this number has declined for many different reasons.
Before non-Aboriginal people came to Australia, many different Aboriginal groups
lived across the continent. Each of these groups had its own culture, language and
name. The Aboriginal people believe their ancestors created the land and all its
forms such as the hills, plains, deserts and seas. When the Great Ancestors travelled
across Australia creating landforms as they went, they also created the different
languages for different groups.
Aboriginal people have very strong ties with the land and this is evident in their
language. Their language reflects the land and all that is on it. The Aboriginal
people still feel a sense of ownership towards the language and the land where their
groups came from.
• Play a tape of someone speaking another language.
• Ask the class to tell you what was said.
• Ask ‘Why don’t you know what was said?’ Accept all answers.
• Explain that there are different languages in the world, and that Aboriginal
people also have their own languages.
• Have some Aboriginal words taken from the worksheet written on strips of
card. (The language used is Wajjarri, which is the local language for the
Midwest Region of Western Australia. You may have access to an Aboriginal
speaker or language centre, and be able to use your own local indigenous
language.)
• Talk about Aboriginal words and their meaning in English.
• Students will need to have the instructions on the worksheets clearly explained.
Note: There are over 250 different documented Aboriginal languages and
dialects with varying pronunciations. It is strongly suggested you contact
a local Aboriginal language speaker.
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46 Australian Aboriginal Culture R.I.C. Publications www.ricgroup.com.au
ISBN 978-1-86311-807-1