At the time of European settlement, an estimated 250 Indigenous Australian languages – including 800 dialectal varieties were spoken. Today, 90% are considered endangered. 

The preservation of Indigenous languages through the voices of Aboriginal Elders is essential to strengthening Aboriginal identity and culture for future generations.  As older generations are at greater risk of succumbing to COVID-19, capturing their stories and languages is paramount to retaining Aboriginal history, culture, and language.

Rosie Sitorus from the Bundiyarra–Irra Wangga Language Centre spoke with Alex James about how COVID-19 presents even greater challenges to the preservation of Australia’s endangered languages. 

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay