An outback Queensland school leads the way to keep endangered Indigenous language alive
In the outback town of Mitchell in Queensland's south-west, students sit cross-legged in silence, waiting for the word from local Indigenous elders. Key points: Less than 2 per cent of Queensland schools teach Indigenous language There were once more than 150 Indigenous languages in Queensland, but today less than 20 are spoken as a first language The successful Gunggari language program is being used as a blueprint in other outback schools Colourful paintings adorn the classroom walls, sprawled with words in the region's original tongue – the Gunggari language. Despite the region's rich and varied vernacular, the language classes at St Patrick's School is the only structured Indigenous language program taught in the state's vast south-west. Noolla nagarla - "Goodbye/see you" Of the estimated 2,000 schools across Queensland, about 35 teach a formal, structured Indigenous language program — equating to less than 2 per cent. "More than 90 schools are currently supported by the department to work with Language Owners of 27 different languages to teach or investigate plans for teaching an Indigenous language," it said.
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