| Wai, Kulila! Hey, Listen Up! You are invited to experience an exciting world first – an online window into Pitjantjatjara language and culture!
This online learning site is just one part of what is known as Ngapartji Ngapartji – a long-term, inter-generational language and arts project based on Arrernte country in Mparntwe (Alice Springs, Central Australia). The project, coordinated by the award-winning social change arts company Big hART, is also made up of an experiential language show and a main stage theatre production. Both performance components have traveled to major Australian cities and arts festivals over the last 2 years, and feature elders and young people from the Pitjantjatjara-speaking community who also participate in a grass-roots community development program.
To understand what lies at the heart of the Ngapartji Ngapartji project check out this short film . Alternatively, log in with the username 'guest' and the password 'guest1' to take a look at the first five language/culture lessons of the Ninti (to know, to be competent at, to be able to do, to be experienced with) site.
According to the 2005 National Indigenous Languages Survey , the situation of Australia’s indigenous languages is ‘very grave and requires urgent action’ and Australia has been identified as the place with the most rapid and widespread loss of Indigenous languages anywhere in the world over the last one hundred years.
Let's change the story together!
So how does it all work?
Young Pitjantjatjara speakers are building this course from the ground up, with the support of ongoing workshops coordinated by artists and community workers. In the process young people learn skills in design, multimedia, communication, film and literacy. With the support of their elders, they share their language and culture with you through the Ninti site.
Your journey into Pitjantjatjara culture and language is made through short films or songs that have been produced by community members and artists. Each clip or song is accompanied by a handy list of Pitjantjatjara words with their English meanings, pronunciation guides and guided worksheets (for when you want to get really serious!)
By engaging with the language and cultural material online, you get a basic introduction to Pitjantjatjara and an understanding of some vocabulary and key concepts. But because this isn't your average 'language course', you'll be learning simple words and grammar through personal stories about the lives, country, history and culture of the Pitjantjatjara community. This rich experience will allow you to engage with Trevor Jamieson’s family story in a deeper way when you attend the Ngapartji Ngapartji performance.
Once you sign up, you can check in whenever and wherever you like – you're free to work totally at your own pace and it's never too late to get involved. We'll keep track of which lessons you've seen and keep you up to date when new content is added to the site.
Since the learning materials are developed through Ngapartji Ngapartji's community development project, we're careful to be responsive to the issues which arise for the young people and the elders who are your teachers.
What subscribers have said so far:
“Can't tell you how much I love the language course and the show is icing on the cake for me. Warm wishes” – Janelle
“As a Victorian Secondary teacher I am inspired by this approach. The website is
great! Kind regards” – Toni
“Thanks for this website. Unlike many websites where you feel like you're 'on the web', Ngapartji takes you to places beyond the computer screen. It helps you get ready to learn the language by putting the learner in a context. I love it! The song for Week One is really effective”. – Mairead
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Get involved!
Sign up to Ninti; the most economical language and culture site of its kind, and you’ll have access to this unique window to the Pitjantjatjara community. In addition, you’ll receive a free hardcover Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjara to English dictionary, published by the Institute for Aboriginal Development Press and valued at $50.
Your subscription fees ($200 full price / $170 Concession) will go directly towards the day-to-day running of the Ngapartji Ngapartji project – and straight into the community. The costs of running such a vast and complex project are very high, and your invaluable contribution will help us cover ongoing expenses such as:
• $750 in fuel to get us 1200km to and from Ernabella to run a week’s worth of workshops with young people and elders • $2200 to produce one new language lesson • $4250 to rehearse, accommodate, transport and pay one cast member every time the show goes on tour. Your interest and involvement also helps us address the burning issue of Indigenous language maintenance and preservation – we're working to get it on the agenda for government departments and policy makers around Australia. How to contribute
• To sign up yourself (or a friend!) today click here
• If you are part of an institution, school, workplace or reading group and wish to discuss options for group rates, please contact Big hART directly: enquiries@ngapartji.org
• If you would like to support us but this language experience doesn't suit you at the moment, you can choose to make a tax-deductible donation to the Big hART Fund.
• And if you're keen to participate but find the cost prohibitive, please contact us and we'll see if we can work something out.
Big hART offers you the opportunity to be involved in the development of the course as we build it and add content. Your feedback, suggestions and ideas will be invaluable to the site and the Ngapartji Ngapartji project as a whole. Tell us what works for you!
What are you waiting for? Get involved and sign up now! Palya,
Ngapartji Ngapartji Team.
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