Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the world: Indigenous languages face extinction in Australia, a city in New Zealand expands the council to include a Māori seat, Saskatchewan stops withholding aid from people with settlements, and a Uyghur filmmaker tells a judge he was tortured into confessing.
AUSTRALIA: Advocates want Aboriginal languages protected
The Mirning language, spoken by the Aboriginal people along the Nullarbor coast in Australia, is in danger of disappearing completely, with no individuals currently learning it as their Native language, National Indigenous Television reported on Nov. 21.
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Australia, which once boasted more than 300 Indigenous languages, now contends with one of the planet’s most severe rates of language decline, resulting in fewer than 30 Indigenous languages remaining as primary spoken tongues today, National Indigenous Times reported.
In an attempt to counteract the trend, Mirning representatives turned to the Goldfields Language Centre in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in southwestern Australia.
The center’s efforts to revive the language are constrained, however, by funding limitations and a focus primarily on other geographical areas, NIT reported.
Sue Hanson, chief executive of the Language Centre, is proposing enactment of linguistic rights into legislative, as seen in New South Wales, to support the revival of languages in Western Australia.
“We are working against time because most speakers are elderly,” she said, according to National Indigenous Times. “It can be very difficult in an environment where funding only comes annually or every three years, but you have to commit for 20 years to the families to make sure the language is preserved.”
The Language Centre has worked closely with Mirning families in the last 12 years, engaging in extensive research of historical records and dedicating countless hours to their ancestral land. But Hanson said that it will be another three or four years before the center can produce a Mirning language dictionary.
NEW ZEALAND: City councils add special Māori districts
The Hutt City Council in New Zealand has voted to create a Māori ward or district for the upcoming 2025 local government election, following a trend among local authorities to add Māori wards to their councils, Te Ao Māori News reported on Nov. 22.
Hutt City Mayor Campbell Barry of Hutt City said the move represents the council’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its relationship with the Māori community, Te Ao Māori News reported.
Councils with Māori wards now make up more than two-thirds of the councils nationwide, according to Te Ao Māori News.
A Māori ward councillor would carry a distinct responsibility, representing individuals of Māori descent alongside mana whenua and prioritizing the city’s best interests, Te Ao Māori News reported.
Barry said the vote reflects the council’s enduring commitment to incorporating Māori voices into the decision-making process within Lower Hutt.
“Over recent years we have been focused on deepening our relationship with our mana whenua partners and Māori across our city,” Barry said. “Establishing a Māori ward is the right next step to deepen and build on what we’ve done so far.’’
“I look forward to seeing a Māori ward councilor around the council table from 2025, and to work with them and our mana whenua partners to advance the wellbeing of Māori and all those who live in our city.”
Hutt City became the third council in the Wellington region in 2023 to adopt Māori wards, following similar decisions by Wellington Regional Council and Kāpiti Coast, joining others that had them in the 2022 election.
CANADA: Saskatchewan stops withholding aid over settlements
The Saskatchewan government has decided to stop withholding income assistance from First Nations individuals who receive per capita distributions exceeding $15,000 from settlements, CBC News reported on Nov. 22.
The announcement came a day after the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations expressed frustration with the policy, representing 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan.
The settlements in question, referred to as “specific claims,” aim to rectify historical injustices. Under the Specific Claims Policy, the federal government collaborates with communities to resolve outstanding specific claims through negotiated settlements.
Before the change, individuals on social assistance had to count those settlements as income if they exceeded $15,000, CBC News reported.
First Nations chiefs spoke out against the caps on Nov. 21 and called upon the federal and provincial governmens to change the policy. The province announced on Nov. 22 that the settlement payments would no longer impact social assistance.
“Our government remains committed to the ongoing journey of reconciliation,” said Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky, according to CBC News. “That was a fair point, and it was part of the consideration to do what we did here today.”
CHINA: Uyghur filmmaker tells court he was tortured
A Uyghur filmmaker facing trial for charges of “separatism” and “terrorism” in Xinjiang testified in court that was tortured into making false confessions, Radio Free Asia reported on Nov. 21.
The testimony, as relayed by a police officer present in the courtroom, was presented by Ikram Nurmehmet, 32, who is facing trial at the Urumqi People’s Intermediate Court along with four of his Uyghur friends, all of whom studied together in Turkey, Radio Free Asia reported.
They are facing allegations of having affiliations with organizations based in Turkey that advocate for the independence of East Turkistan, which is the preferred term used by Uyghurs for the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
The trial comes amid the backdrop of a broader pattern by Chinese authorities to arrest and detain Uyghurs who have either pursued education or traveled abroad, accusing them of activities related to terrorism or separatism.
“All of them were accused of being members of an East Turkistan organization in Turkey,” said the officer, who insisted on not being identified for his own safety, according to Radio Free Asia. “All of them, except Ikram, admitted their guilt.”
According to the officer, Nurmehmet faced accusations of recruiting members and soliciting funds on behalf of an East Turkistan organization during his time in Turkey.
“Because Ikram told the court he was tortured, the judge was unable to conclude the case and the verdict was postponed to January,” he said, according to Radio Free Asia.
Nurmehmet spent six years studying in Turkey, and relocated to Beijing with the intention of creating films depicting the lives of Uyghurs, according to Radio Free Asia.
My final thoughts
My final thoughts are in Australia, where the Mirning language, which is spoken by the Aboriginal people residing along the Nullarbor coast, faces the perilous risk of complete extinction.
Currently, there are no individuals who are acquiring it as their Native language. This critical situation highlights the urgent need for action to preserve and revitalize endangered languages like Mirning.
The loss of a language represents the erasure of unique cultural knowledge, history, and a distinct way of perceiving and interacting with the world. When a language vanishes, it takes with it generations of wisdom, storytelling, traditional practices, and a deep connection to the land and community. It is not merely a linguistic loss but a loss of cultural identity and heritage.
To halt the irreversible loss of the Mirning language and similar endangered languages, several measures should be taken. First and foremost, efforts must be made to document and record the language comprehensively. This includes creating dictionaries, grammar guides, and oral histories with fluent speakers to preserve their knowledge for future generations.
Further, initiatives should be launched to promote language revitalization within the community. This can involve language immersion programs for young speakers, teaching the language in schools, and encouraging its use in everyday life. Collaboration with elders and fluent speakers is essential to pass down their linguistic expertise and cultural insights to younger generations.
Support from governmental bodies and organizations dedicated to preserving Indigenous languages is crucial. Adequate funding should be allocated to language preservation projects, and partnerships should be formed with local communities to ensure their active involvement and ownership of these efforts.
In addition, raising awareness about the importance of language preservation among both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities is vital. Advocacy and education campaigns can foster a sense of pride and responsibility for preserving linguistic diversity and cultural heritage.
Ultimately, the preservation of the Mirning language and others facing a similar fate is a collective responsibility. By recognizing the dangers of language loss and taking proactive steps to safeguard these linguistic treasures, we can help ensure the rich tapestry of human cultural diversity remains intact for future generations.
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