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A dictionary 64 years in the making

15 December 2022
Culture and Capability

Goldfields Aboriginal Language Centre Aboriginal Corporation has published a dictionary that took 64 years to make.

On 13 December, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2022 - 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages, drawing attention to the critical status of many Indigenous languages across the world and encouraging action.

Since 2011, the Goldfields Aboriginal Language Centre Corporation (GALCAC) in Western Australia have been preserving and revitalising the Aboriginal Languages in their region. The GALCAC started as a project to work on two languages - Ngalia, spoken by the people in and around Leonara, and urgent preservation works on Tjupan, a highly endangered language. 

Today it is the peak body for the study and preservation of the Aboriginal languages of the Goldfields region. Incorporated with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) in 2020, GALCAC works have expanded to between 14-16 distinct Aboriginal languages in the region.

Recently, the GALCAC published a language dictionary that took 64 years of research and preparation – The Dictionary of Cundeelee Wangka. Cundeelee Wangka is spoken by people in Wiluna, Warburton Ranges, Ernabella, Oldea, Yalata, Coonana, Tjuntjuntjarra and Kalgoorlie. There are many fluent speakers and many more who Corporations can speak or understand the language in some way, or who identify as of Cundeelee Wangka descent.

Read the full story at: https://www.oric.gov.au/publications/spotlight/dictionary-64-years-making

Find out more

The Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations is an independent statutory office holder appointed by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (CATSI Act). Find out more about the registrar.