What Role Does Language Play In Indigenous Australia

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Language is much more than a means of communication, it is something that not only contains the understandings of a person’s culture and connection to the land, but it also plays an essential role in maintaining one’s well-being, self-esteem and more importantly, their sense of identity. In addition, with regard to Indigenous Australians, language plays a significant role in their culture and history; however, since colonization there has been a significant decline in indigenous languages. This issue will be further discussed through examining the causes and background factors to this issue, looking at the various stakeholder perspectives, analysing the current strategies and options in place to resolve this issue and finally, formulating recommendations that could further improve this issue. …show more content…
Prior to the colonization of Australia, there were approximately 250 indigenous languages spoken. However, when the Europeans colonized Australia, they formed the assumption that Indigenous Australian languages were less valuable than the English language. This assumption was used in policies like assimilation, where Aboriginal children were removed from their families and placed in the care of white people so that they could learn English. In addition, Indigenous Australians were not only banned from speaking their language and exercising their culture, but were also made to feel ashamed of speaking their language in

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