Local festival receives grant to help showcase Aboriginal languages

The Djinama Yilaga Inc: 'Gambambar Yangga' will be a day of celebration, focused on songwriting and singing in language.

The one-day festival on Saturday, October 28, is open to all of the community, and will involve singing in language classes, song writing workshops and musical performances which showcases the Dhurga language at the Boomerang Meeting Place in Mogo.

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Gambambar Yangga Festival is one of 16 recipients of NSW Aboriginal Languages Week Grants Program - announced on Monday, October 23 - and received the maximum amount, $5,000.

The grants were awarded to support Aboriginal communities in showcasing their languages during the first ever NSW Aboriginal Languages Week (October 22-29) and totalled $78,620.

NSW Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty Minister, David Harris, and the Chairperson of the Aboriginal Languages Trust Board, Jason Behrendt, announced the funding.

"This month the first ever NSW Aboriginal Languages Week will take place to shine a spotlight on Aboriginal languages across the State, and these grants support Aboriginal communities to join the celebrations and showcase their languages," said Mr Harris.

The funding is to help Aboriginal communities promote, with a broader audience, the great work being done to revitalise their languages.

"There's an exciting range of events planned by local Communities for NSW Aboriginal Languages Week, many of which are open to the wider community, and I encourage everyone to get involved and be part of the celebrations," said Mr Harris.

Executive Director of the Aboriginal Languages Trust, Clare McHugh, said the NSW Aboriginal Languages Week grants were a response to calls from Aboriginal Communities for increased opportunities to celebrate and promote their languages.

"We often hear from communities how NSW Aboriginal languages are alive and growing because of the hard work and dedication of people in communities over many decades, and communities want to celebrate these achievements," said Ms McHugh.

NSW remains the only jurisdiction in Australia to enact legislation to recognise the importance of Aboriginal languages.

NSW Aboriginal Languages Week is an annual event that coincides with the passing of the Aboriginal Languages Act into law on October 24, 2017.

The aim of the week is to raise awareness about Aboriginal languages and increase support for languages revitalisation.

For more information about the Gambambar Yangga Festival, visit the Djinama Yilaga Facebook page.

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