Government House Queensland
As passionate advocates for Indigenous literacy, the Governor and Professor Nimmo hosted a special celebration at Government House to mark Indigenous Literacy Day 2022, which highlights the incredible richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Stories, Cultures and Languages, and their deep connection with identity.
In Queensland, there are 177 different Indigenous languages plotted on our State’s Language Map, and each language is its own unique form of expression—a way of connecting with the land, its living creatures, and cultural traditions that stretch back at least 65,000 years.
Sadly, however, many of our precious Indigenous languages are at risk of being lost forever, with only 20 of the 177 being used as first languages. Some of their words reflect beautiful concepts that do not have an English equivalent, so the repercussions of their loss would be significant.
Preserving and encouraging the use of First Nation’s languages is vital for building self-esteem in individuals, and resilience in communities. This is why the practical work the Indigenous Literacy Foundation is doing—in supplying culturally relevant books to remote communities, promoting the concept of reading, and encouraging the use of First languages —is so crucial in our State, and right across the country.
It's also why Her Excellency has undertaken to have Government House publication 'A Place for All Queenslanders' translated into some of the prevalent Indigenous languages spoken throughout Queensland and in the remote communities she has visited.
