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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-07-05 Daily Xml
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NAIDOC Week

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:36): I rise today to speak on NAIDOC Week 2017. As honourable members may be aware, NAIDOC originally stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. NAIDOC Week is a national celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and achievements.

The national NAIDOC theme in 2017 is 'Our languages matter', which highlights the importance, resilience and richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. We know that language has a tremendous influence on cultural identity. Alongside a rich diversity of cultures and customs, Australian Indigenous people have always had a strong connection with language. They traditionally pass on their sacred history through word of mouth from older to younger generations. It is therefore fitting that recognising and reviving Australian Indigenous language remains a major priority across sectors including education and community services.

My understanding is that only about 120 of more than 200 Indigenous languages are still spoken today. The unfortunate reality is most Aboriginal languages spoken today are endangered, and so the campaign to maintain those still being actively spoken and revive dormant languages is being fought on many fronts.

Indigenous communities themselves are championing the fight. I am told that a series of lessons on YouTube is one of the innovative methods being used to ensure language is being preserved. Furthermore, a mobile language team based at the University of Adelaide is doing great work to record and document Aboriginal languages in South Australia.

Jack Kanya Buckskin is a part of the Kaurna Warra Pintyanthi team who are working to share knowledge of the Indigenous language spoken by the Kaurna people. On the significance of preserving the language, Mr Buckskin has said: 'I started understanding more of who we actually are and what our country and our culture actually means to Aboriginal people by learning language; it's a massive identity purpose for Aboriginal people.'

It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the fantastic work of the NAIDOC SA committee in bringing five major South Australian NAIDOC events to fruition, including the NAIDOC church service, the NAIDOC SA awards and Lord Mayor's morning tea, the NAIDOC march and family fun day, as well as the NAIDOC ball.

This year, I had the pleasure of attending the NAIDOC SA awards presentation. These awards showcase the outstanding contributions of South Australian Aboriginal people. One such person is author, Doris Kartinyeri. She received the lifetime achievement award for her dedicated service as an advocate for the stolen generation, having touched many lives by sharing her personal journey.

The 2017 NAIDOC Person of the Year was awarded to Paul Vandenbergh, Aboriginal Programs Manager at Port Adelaide Football Club—the best football club in this state considering all the premierships they have won over the years. We can see that the beauty of this program is its role in not only training potential AFL or SANFL players but also mentoring youth and supporting participants with their future pursuits, whether they be further education or employment. At an awards ceremony held last night, Frank Wanganeen was named the Premier's NAIDOC Award winner for 2017. As a Kaurna elder, Mr Wanganeen has shown strong leadership with a passionate commitment to reconciliation, social justice and preservation of the Kaurna culture and language.

Dr Alice Rigney, who recently passed away, was also recognised for her important legacy as the first female Aboriginal school principal in Australia, with the Dr Alice Rigney Prize established in her honour to recognise young Aboriginal students for excelling in education. The inaugural recipient was Tayla Karpany, a Kaurna Plains School year 11 student. My warmest congratulations go to all the award winners and finalists. NAIDOC Week serves as a welcome opportunity to recognise and pay tribute to the outstanding contributions that Indigenous Australians make to our great country, and I encourage all Australians to participate in this week's activities and celebrations.

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