New Aboriginal language centre to be built in the Pilbara

7/7/06
A new $2.75million Aboriginal language centre will be built in South Hedland with the help of $800,000 announced today by Acting Premier Eric Ripper.
The funding from Lotterywest will go towards the construction costs of the Wangka Maya Pilbara Language Culture and History Centre, with the State Government also providing $400,000 through the Pilbara Fund.
Mr Ripper said the new centre would provide services to the local Aboriginal community of about 2,000 people.
"Keeping Aboriginal languages alive is becoming a matter of great urgency for indigenous people across Australia," he said.
"As time goes on, and as the traditional language speakers get older, there is a need more than ever to protect the cultural foundation of the Pilbara people - their languages.
"The centre is the first dedicated indigenous language, culture and history centre in the Pilbara representing five language groups.
"It will provide the means of maintaining and preserving the indigenous languages, as well as recording and storing the languages and other artefacts of cultural significance."
Wangka Maya Pilbara Language Centre chairperson Bruce Thomas said he was very happy to receive the grant from Lotterywest, as the committee had been dedicated to building the centre for many years.
"The Pilbara Aboriginal speech community is set to benefit enormously from this centre and a new building will also allow the centre much greater exposure to the wider community, so that everybody can access the information available," Mr Thomas said.
The Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre was established in 1987 and provides a translator and interpreter service and advice to those wanting to teach Aboriginal languages, as well as producing resources about the Pilbara languages, culture and history of the region.
Lotterywest has supported the organisation since 1987, with previous grants totalling $21,263.
Acting Premier's office: (08) 9222 8788