Elders and community members are working together to ensure the future of the Guugu Yimidhirr language for generations to come, by developing strategies to bring the language back into the homes.
The Queensland State Library, the Resource Network for Linguistic Diversity (RNLD) and Pama Language Centre are hosting a language workshop in Hope Vale at the Indigenous Knowledge and Technology Centre.
Participants include Elders and people with experience of language teaching – Des Bowen, Pearl Deemal, Dora Gibson, Lillian Bowen and others, as well as younger people.
The main topic is Master–Apprentice language learning. Master Apprentice is a method for transmitting language mainly through listening and speaking. The first principle is to leave English behind.
The Master aims to speak whole sentences in ancestral language as much as possible and helps the Apprentice to understand through non-verbal communication.