50 words: From hello to kangaroo, new map of Indigenous languages of Australia

Jack Buckskin had "no idea" what he was getting into when he signed up 14 years ago to learn his people's "sleeping" language.

Spoken for thousands of years by the Aboriginal people of Adelaide and the Adelaide Plains, nobody had used it in everyday life for nearly 150 years.

Now 50 words of Kaurna have been included and voiced by Mr Buckskin on a new Indigenous language mapping project called 50words.online.

Mr Buckskin, who once dabbled in stand up comedy, is one of five fluent speakers who is dedicating his life to revitalising the language.

The 33-year-old estimates he has taught Kaurna (pronounced Garna) to thousands of people, including children at Northfield Primary School in Adelaide last Monday.

Read more: https://www.smh.com.au/national/50-words-from-hello-to-kangaroo-new-map-of-indigenous-languages-of-australia-20190730-p52c1y.html

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