NORTH Stradbroke Island-based Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation will receive $200,000 to help preserve and enrich Redland Indigenous languages.
Bowman MP Andrew Laming said the funding was provided under the Coalition government’s Indigenous Languages and Arts program.
He said arts and language played an essential role in the health and well-being of Indigenous communities.
“It’s a great local outcome which will enable Quandamooka to achieve some really significant results,” Mr Laming said.
“The money will be used to revive and maintain the Jandai and Guwar languages through the delivery of the Quandamooka Languages Program – creating indigenous art and preserving Aboriginal stories for current and future generations.
“That will include developing and digitising various innovative language tools such as apps to support language, arts and cultural activities.
Quandamooka community language consultant Sandra Delaney said she was overwhelmed with the success of the grant application.
“We’re very grateful,” said Ms Delaney, an author and illustrator of children’s Indigenous language books.
“The work we’ll be able to do will help further connect us to our community – to our island base.
“When children can even say a few words (in their local language) it makes them feel good about themselves.
“But really, our (indigenous languages) are part of Redlands history, so we just want to share that.”
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