TRANSCRIPT
A traditional ceremony to celebrate a hard-won victory in the remote government school in Yirrkala.
Karen Weston is the chief executive of the Northern Territory's education department.
“We are really keen to continue to support you to do whatever we can to support the amazing work you do at this school.”
Painted and proud, students here learn the curriculum in more than a dozen traditional languages… supported by Yolgnu and non-Indigenous teachers.
Yalmay Yunupingu is the chair of the Yirrkala School Board and 2024's Senior Australian of the Year.
“Yolngu Matha is their first language and English is their second language and this is what they are comfortable in when they are in the classroom.”
It’s been half a century since bilingual schools were established in the Northern Territory under the Commonwealth.
The Territory achieved self-government in 1978 and since then both major parties have tried to dismantle the system… they have been met with unwavering defiance from Yolngu elders and teachers.
Co-principal of the Yirrkala School, Merrkiyawuy Ganambarr-Stubbs says its a process that has taken perseverance.
“We heard about it and we just kept doing what we thought was appropriate for this school.”
Yalmay Yunupingu further describes the importance of language.
“We don’t want the language to loose because language is very important it’s our identity… who we are where we come from and we can’t take that away.”
The bravery to stand up for bilingual education now has government support.
Mark Monaghan is the NT's education minister.
“These people not only represented this region and fought for bilingual education - and It wasn’t an easy fight – but they fought not just for here – they fought for every other region in the Northern Territory and across the country.”
The local member for this electorate of Mulka, Mark Yingiya Guyula says he is a product of the bilingual education in nearby Galiwin’ku and took those principles of respect to Parliament House.
“First thing I walked into Parliament House – I spoke Yolngu Matha and they said no no no, you can't say that. Then I pushed... I want to speak Yolgnu Matha, and I got told no you can't. I pushed three times finally they said yo you can use Yolngu Matha in Parliament – so it’s there.”
The next step is getting better recognition for the Yolgnu teachers leading these classrooms.
Co-principal of the Yirrkala School, Katrina Hudson explains.
“Every single one of our Yolngu staff is involved in training and that has also been a battle to keep that going with different funding cycles and it's something that we still are working towards and I guess having greater advocacy for tertiary institutions to recognise Yolngu who are working already as teachers in classrooms, and trying to tailor courses to being indiginous language specialists. “
The Department of Education wants to grow more teachers in remote communities too
They’re bringing back the programs that nurtured teachers like Senior Australian of the Year Professor Yalmay Yunupingu… with further announcements expected in the near future.
