About

Our Story

Yawuru language was once the everyday, common ngan-ga (language) of people living within Yawuru Buru. Since colonisation Yawuru has become a critically endangered language, that is a language with one or few fluent first language speakers left. Prior to the Native Title Determination, the Yawuru elders laid the foundation for the revitalisation, preservation, and maintenance of Yawuru ngan-ga. 

In response to the Yawuru elder’s foundation to language the Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga team have created a website to assist in the innovative and revitalisation of Yawuru Ngan-ga for our community, we encouraged everyone to learn and practice ngan-ga with the support of the Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga Team.

Outcomes for learning Yawuru Ngan-ga are:

  • Build on your Yawuru oral and written language
  • Build a shared understanding of Yawuru language and culture
  • Strengthening Aboriginal sense of identity and cultural competence on Yawuru country
  • Build and develop confidence using Yawuru ngan-ga in your home environment
  • Build and develop confidence using Yawuru ngan-ga in the work environment and broader community
  • And most importantly making your mabuliyan

Yawuru Language Documentary

Play

Our Team

Nini Mills

CEO, Nyamba Buru Yawuru

Taliah Payne

COO, Nyamba Buru Yawuru

Naomi Appleby

Manager, Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga

Coco Yu

Yawuru Language Specialist

Gina Albert

Yawuru Language Specialist

Bart Pigram

Coordinator, Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga

Isobel Varney

Yawuru Language Teacher

Evolution of MYN

Walalangga Yawuru Ngan-ga Program

The inaugural Walalangga Yawuru Ngan-ga adult language program was a 2 year program specifically designed to re-introduce language into the homes of Yawuru families.
Nine Yawuru adults completed the first fulltime course and graduates have shared their learning with their community, gaining confidence and experience in public speaking, education and translation. Graduates have not only gained language skills, but also gained self-confidence, cultural knowledge and interpersonal skills that have increased their working experience and their capabilities in a range of areas.

Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga Dedication

Ngan-ga jayida yimburlan Bugarrigarragabu. Gamba ngan-ga yangarrajun nyambagun buru Bugarrigarragabu.

Our language comes from the Dreamtime.

It has been spoken on this country since the Dreamtime. Responding to a community request, the Yawuru Language Centre was created in 2013, becoming the Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga Nyirrwa in 2018.

We dedicate Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga Nyirrwa to our elders. In particular we thank Doris Edgar, Elsie Edgar and Thelma Saddler.

They recognised the fragility of our language and were active leaders in recording, writing and teaching Yawuru. They willingly shared our language with all who stepped on our Country.

Mabu Yawuru Ngan-ga continues the work of our elders and we show our respect to them by teaching and sharing Yawuru ngan-ga on Yawuru country.

Yangarrajulganjirra mirdanya wamba yirr jarndu yangarrajalajala ngan-ga jayida yirr yangarrajulga babagarra jayida wanggarrajalajala ngan-ga jayida babagarrayi gangajunu.

We tell our elders we will look after our language; and we will tell our children they must look after our language for generations to come.