New generation of Indigenous students learn ancestral language

Tanya McEwen and Billy Williams aren't your average students. Tanya, who's taking part in an intensive short course at Charles Darwin University's Sydney campus, said learning language gives her more integrity as an Aboriginal person. "We're learning about the different structures in the language," said Tracey Cameron, a Gamilaroi woman and teacher of the course. "It's a bit bittersweet to be honest because I'm a bit older now and trying to learn a new language is a fair challenge," Billy said. "A linguist is not going to spend a couple of years learning Gamilaraay unless there's a job there for them, and at the moment there's not a job there for them," Dr Giacon said.