It is with a heavy heart that we farewell long time trainer and Program Coordinator Amy Parncutt, whose last day with us was on Friday 1st March.
Amy first joined Resource Network for Linguistic Diversity, as we were called then, as a volunteer in 2015, before becoming a Trainer in 2016. She has been part of more than 100 face-to-face and online workshops over her 8 years with the organisation, and has supported countless people in their journey to reclaim and strengthen their languages. With a background in linguistics, Amy shines when it comes to sharing linguistic knowledge, but always in a way that respects people’s deep and abiding connection to their Language, and the knowledge they already hold.
Earlier in March the Living Languages Trainers Mandy and Desiree hosted their first Sharing Circle for 2024!
This time they were joined by our amazing Program Coordinator Amy Parncutt as our guest presenter. It was a very informative and interactive session on linguistics and sounds in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. A big thank you and farewell to Amy, our Trainers will be wishing you all the best for the future, and you will be sadly missed by the Living Languages team and Sharing Circle participants!
Living Languages Trainer, Mandy Davis started online training sessions with Birri Gubba woman Marie Dennis in February last year. Marie grew up knowing only single words in Birri Gubba and had limited resources; a Birri Gubba word list and a handful of other resources passed on to her, from family members. Her ambition was to learn the pronunciation of words and understand the grammar to make sentences, so she could be able to teach her family members, and use more Birri Gubba language in song, dance, and ceremonies.
The Living Languages team, in partnership with AIATSIS, had the pleasure to offer another Paper & Talk workshop in October!
We brought people from 7 language groups to Canberra to search and retrieve their language materials from the archives at AIATSIS and National Library Australia. The groups also received training to help them to interpret those materials and use them in their language work. It was a massive two weeks for Mob to search the archives, followed by a very special on-Country trip with our Ngunnawal hosts.
In celebration of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, Living Languages partnered up with Muurrbay Aboriginal Language & Culture Co-operative & deadly Dunghutti artist Frank McLeod to create a new resource for language learning and teaching!
The resource can be used by all Mobs from all around Australia, made up of 52 picture cards and 2 posters with a how to guide – this resource can be used as we’ve suggested, or you can decide how it can be best used for your needs; a versatile tool to assist in the language learning journey.
The Living Languages team had the pleasure to present two workshops on sharing language immersion teaching ideas and techniques at Puliima Indigenous Language & Technology Conference in Darwin. Our trainers were joined by our wonderful team of guest trainers to bring these immersion techniques to many participants from communities from all around Australia.
In June our trainers Amy, Mandy and Desiree travelled to Yawuru Country in Broome, WA, to deliver a workshop for the Catholic Education Aboriginal Teacher Assistants for the Kimberley Region. They then travelled on to Miriwoong country in Kununurra, to deliver a four-day workshop for the Mirima Dawang Woorlab-gerring Language Centre mob.
Living Languages have continued to host the ever-popular Sharing Circle in 2023. Our wonderful trainers, otherwise known as the deadly duo; Birrbay woman Mandy Davis & Ngalakan/Mudburra/Jingili woman Desiree Johnson have played an integral role in bringing these Sharing Circle’s to mob.
In December Amy and one of our newest trainers, Desiree, travelled to Kabi Kabi Country in Caboolture, QLD, for a workshop with the language teachers at Caboolture State High School.
In November Living Languages travelled to Adelaide on Kaurna land to take part in the 2-day Warra: Indigenous Languages Youth Forum. The Forum was hosted by First Languages Australia and aimed to bring tomorrow’s leaders together, to build networks, gain skills and inspire young people to take on vital community language roles.
"Preserving our Languages for all of us" is the vision of the Goldfields Aboriginal Language Centre. Our CEO Anna Ash recently visited them in Boulder-Kalgoorlie and met with the enthusiastic staff of this dynamic language centre.
Our monthly Sharing Circles have continued to be a culturally safe space for sharing the language and culture yarn, through advice, support, encouragement and making connections.
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