Books open a new chapter for Indigenous language
Working to preserve the many Indigenous languages in Australia has evolved from a classroom project to a professional mission for Tictac Moore.
A decade ago, Ms Moore was teaching at Tiwi College – a unique school catering to Indigenous students in the Tiwi Islands off the northern coast of
Australia – when visitors from the Indigenous Literacy Foundation offered to publish a book she was working on with students.
Written in English and the traditional Tiwi language, the children’s book about an owl called Bangs who rose above his bullies and learnt to be brave became the first of many in ILF’S Create Initiative Program.
Ms Moore, who after nine years of teaching at Tiwi College became the ILF programs manager, now works with high school students to give them the same opportunity to write a book using Indigenous language and relatable stories in a week, and have it published by a major Australian agency.
With 150 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages still spoken in Australia but only 14 considered to be strong, according to the National Indigenous Australians Agency, it’s a labour of love for Ms Moore.
“We’ve brought students to Melbourne, to Darwin and Sydney where they write, illustrate and publish a book in five days,” Ms Moore said.
Backed by the Australian
Book Industry and ILF ambassadors, the program is one of many ways the ILF works in more than 400 communities and has published more than 100 titles in 31 Indigenous languages through its programs.
“It’s important that we try to do everything we can to keep language strong and do what we can to help the communities,” Ms Moore said.