Irriti ngurra Warumpila ngayulu nyinapayi. Pulinguru walpangku ngyunya
yunpa pampunu.
A long time ago, I lived on the land of my people, Warumpi. From the
mountains, the wind would blow and caress my face.
~ from 'Ngurrparringu (Forgotten)' by Matthew Heffernan
Celebrating the International Year of Indigenous Languages
With the International Year of Indigenous Languages at an end, we're grateful for all of our poets, Elders, Language Custodians and partners who have helped Poetry in First Languages strengthen cultural connections and voices across the country.
Delivered by Red Room Poetry and developed by Gunai poet Kirli Saunders, the Poetry in First Languages (PIFL) project celebrates, shares and preserves knowledge of First Nations languages and culture through poetry, music, dance and art. PIFL supports First Nations students in creating poetry in first languages by connecting them to First Nations poets, Elders and Language Custodians on Country to empower pride in their cultural identities resulting in enhanced wellbeing.
With your support, our 2019 highlights include:
- 395 First Nations students engaged in 39 workshops
- 116 student poems published in 6 Languages
- 64 poems commissioned in 11 Languages
- 50 employment opportunities for Elders, Custodians, Poets, Artists and Educators
- 30+ generous partners and supporters
- 200,000+ community members reached with poems performed at festivals nationally and published on buses, murals, in waterways and more
Help keep First Nations languages alive
Contributing Elders, Language Custodians & artists
Ellen Van Neerven (Mununjali Yugambeh), Matthew Heffernan (Pintupi-Luritja), Melanie Mununggurr Williams (Djapu), Declan Furber Gillick (Arrernte), Nicholas Paton (Ngunawal), Ethan Bell (Ngunawal), Nicole Smede (Woremi), Kirli Saunders (Gunai), Aunty Sharyn Halls (Gundungurra), Aunty Trish Levett (Gundungurra), Jacob Morris (Gumea Dharawal), Aunty Jodi Edwards (Yuin), Paul Collis (Barkindji), Joel Davison (Gadigal), David Cragg (Bundjalung), Allan Giddy.
