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aboriginal languages

Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. There are currently projects and ongoing programs throughout Australia to preserve those languages that are spoken and revive languages lost.

"There are more than 200 Australian Indigenous languages. Less than 20 languages are strong, and even these are endangered: the others have been destroyed, live in the memories of the elderly, or are being revived by their communities. " Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages - Editor: David Nathan

Alice Springs-based group who created Ngapartji Ngapartji are calling on the Federal Government to urgently introduce a National Indigenous Languages policy. see Ngapartji Ngapartji Language Discussion Paper 2008 (pdf)

Below is an index to Aboriginal languages issues in the media both in Australia and overseas including media releases from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations relating to languages.

australian aboriginal languages in the news

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external links

• The Federation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages is a non-profit organisation. FATSIL is the national peak body for community based indigenous language programs in Australia. The organisation was established in 1991 in response to the Australian Language and Literacy Policy, to promote the maintenance, retrieval and revival of indigenous languages, through the support of community based language programs.
• AIATSIS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resourse links
• http://www.ngapartji.org/ see language discussion paper Ngapartji Ngapartji Language Discussion Paper 2008 (pdf)
• The State Library of NSW has added the historic documents to its indigenous Australians website to try to rescue some of the vocabulary from extinction.
• Aboriginal Languages of Australia
  There are more than 200 Australian Indigenous languages, most of which have been destroyed; all the others are endangered. This site has annotated links to 140 resources for nearly 40 of these languages. About 30% of these resources are produced by Indigenous people.
• Language and Culture: A Matter of Survial
  Reconciliation and Social Justice Library
• Technology and Indigenous Languages
• Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages (VACL)
  Responsible for coordinating community Language programs throughout Victoria. This involves retrieving, recording and researching Aboriginal languages and providing a central resource on Victorian Aboriginal Languages.
• National Indigenous Language Survey