The four edition of Hobart Language Day is coming!
Everybody is welcome to celebrate their language and cultural diversity with different activities taking place on Saturday 23rd April 2016, 11 am-1 pm in Mather’s House, Bathurst St, in the 4th edition of Hobart Language Day.
This year, we will have two special guest: April Campbell and Carrie Nagamara, Aboriginal women from Ti Tree community in the north of Alice Spring, who will explain and show (iltyem-iltyem) the hand sign language this amazing and little known aspect of Australian Indigenous culture. They were and are used over many areas of Australia, but they are especially strong and complex in the desert regions, for example amongst the Warlpiri people. The sign languages are used in a number of situations, such as hunting (so as not to disturb the prey), communication at a distance (instead of shouting), and during certain taboo and mourning times. These languages have been studied by linguists and have been found to have a grammar and vocabulary just as complex as any spoken language.
April and Carrie, will be speak Anmatyeer, Walpiri and English language too. Everyone is welcome to join them.
http://iltyemiltyem.com/film/
As every year, we will have members of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community, who will give the welcome to the country, will do ochre hand prints and use Palawa Kani language around the activities & materials.
Hobart Language Day is about celebrate languages spoken in Hobart and cultural diversity that show our strong sense of community. This year we are focus in other language and alphabets as communication tools. Apart of the Aboriginal hand sign languages we will have a volunteer in Braille alphabet, mudras and Auslan.
The Hobart Language Day is an opportunity for everybody who speaks some language, to come and share their interest, value and taste for languages.
The language day has support from the Hobart Council, Tasmanian Government and Multicultural Council of Tasmania and it’s a free and family event.
Sonia Parra/Matthew Bishop
