Farewell Amy!

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.

News & AnnouncementsLakota Milera-Weetra3 April 2024farewell Amy

Sharing Circle March 2024

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!

Birri Gubba Online Training

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.

Paper & Talk 2023

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.

Who, What, Where? Resource

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.

Puliima Workshops 2023

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.

WA Workshops June 2023

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.

Sharing Circles 2023

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.

Sharing CircleLakota Milera-Weetra3 August 2023Sharing Circle, connect, mob

Caboolture Workshop Dec 2022

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.

Warra: Indigenous Languages Youth Forum

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.

Workshop HighlightsPenelope Schmidt23 November 2022Pullman AdelaideAdelaide, Gathang, Warrungu

Visit to Goldfields Aboriginal Language Centre

"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.

Sharing Circles Continue

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.

News & AnnouncementsPenelope Schmidt29 June 2022Sharing circle

Community Trainer Block 3

From 31 May to 2 June we hosted the third and final block of our Community Trainer Program. This block was all about bringing everything together from the last two blocks.

Workshop HighlightsPenelope Schmidt2 June 2022Community Trainer

Language Leadership Workshop 2022

Over five wonderful days in May, Living Languages joined our partner, Nyamba Buru Yawuru (NBY) in Broome, to run the 2022 Language Leadership Workshop.

Community Trainer Block 2

Community Trainer Block 2 is done and dusted! We spent 3 great days with the crew, with lots of laughs and some learning on the side.

Workshop HighlightsPenelope Schmidt31 March 2022Community Trainer

Community Trainer Program

February 15-17 saw the launch of a new training program for Living Languages! The Community Trainer Program aims to support and enhance the skills, knowledge and confidence of people who want to teach or train others within their communities, or who are already doing so.

Workshop HighlightsPenelope Schmidt17 February 2022Community Trainer

Resources yarn kicks off Sharing Circle

In the first Sharing Circle for this year, the Living Languages Team shared some handy online tools and were able to give a basic demonstration on how those tools could be used at home or at work to make some practical language and culture resources.

News & Announcements, OtherPenelope Schmidt3 February 2022Sharing circle, events, online series, online sessions

Language Digital Activism Toolkit Workshops

Over the first two weeks of December, Ebony and Language Leadership participant Lakota Milera-Weetra co-facilitated an online workshop series on unpacking the Language Digital Activism Toolkit, on behalf of Rising Voices.

Living Languages News

Newsletter

Sign up to our quarterly newsletter to keep up-to-date on our latest news and training workshops.