Senior Australian of the Year 2012 Laurie Baymarrwangga at home in the Crocodile Islands
TIME AND TIDE
Northern Territory Indigenous community leader Laurie Baymarrwangga has been voted as the 2012 Senior Australian of the Year.
Laurie Baymarrwangga is acknowledged in this most prestigious Australian Award for her tireless work in sharing information about her ecological experiences and the passing on of the local language Yan-nhaŋu, to younger generations, to help protect the Murrungga (Crocodile) Island and its diversities.
This video begins with Laurie's lesson to school children, including the words for items found on the island and continues through to the bigger issues that surround this beautiful untouched Murrungga Island.
The Yan-nhaŋu language is about to disappear with only about 20 speakers left in the world. Laurie Baymarrwangga is pioneering to keep the Yan-nhaŋu language fresh.
Currently, the Yan-nhaŋu Language Team, which consists of both linguists and native speakers, is working to compile resources for the description of Yan-nhaŋu culture and the revitalisation of Yan-nhaŋu language. These include a portrait of marine identity, a dictionary, and a learners guide to the language. •
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