First Nations

Following our recent interview with Professor Peter Buckskin, we’re going to continue with a focus on the development of the South Australia Aboriginal Education Strategy and the importance of children being able to learn in their own language.

To find our more, we talk with Karina Lester, who has been involved in facilitating the APY community consultations about the development of the Strategy.

Karina is from the University of Adelaide’s Mobile Language Team where she is the Aboriginal Co-Manager and Senior Language Worker. She also works as a language interpreter and translator. Karina’s very passionate about keeping language alive and strong.

We talk with Karina about the community consultations for the development of an Aboriginal Education Strategy; about her thoughts on language and learning; and also about what she sees as the key issues facing Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara communities at the moment.

The interview includes an audio clip of part of a community consultation and includes the views of Mrs Yanyi Bandicha, who has worked as an Anangu Education Worker in Anangu schools, a member of the NPY Women’s Council and a language interpreter and translator. The interpreting of this segment is done by Dr Sam Osborne. We appreciate being able to use this audio segment in this program.

^{This program was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at cbf.org.au}