Kuku Yalanji: Promoting fluency on Country with breath to breath teaching and digital preservation

In this episode of Guardians of Language and Country, we journey through the dense rainforests of the Daintree to Mossman, on Kuku Yalanji Country. Join host Donnie Johannessen and producer Alden Lyall—a proud Kuku Yalanji man—as they talk with community members about the power of speaking language on Country. From handheld recorders to language apps, we also hear how technology is being used to capture, preserve, and breathe new life into ancient words—building communities of speakers and safeguarding language for generations to come. We also explore how schools are weaving traditional language into learning, and how rangers keep fluency alive through daily practice and cultural connection.

Credit: Alden Lyall

Breath to breath is another way of saying just learning it from family... if I'm hearing body parts or animals or nature names... it'll naturally become part of my language, like we just use it in sentences. It becomes natural in breath to breath.

Alden Lyall

LISTEN TO

Kuku Yalanji: Promoting fluency on Country with breath to breath teaching and digital preservation

SBS NITV Radio

21:14English

Credits:

Hosts: Donnie Johannesen and Alden Lyall

Supervising Producer: Donnie Johannesen

Producer: Alden Lyall

Additional Production: Mandy Coolen

SBS Team: Kerri-Lee Barry, Joel Supple, Max Gosford, Bernadette Phương Nam Nguyễn