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My grandmother’s lingo: one woman’s fight to save her language

Jake Duczynski
Jake Duczynski Source: Matthew Venables for SBS

SBS has just launched 'My Grandmothers Lingo', an online interactive animation which tells the personal story of a young Aboriginal woman who is dedicated to preserving her endangered native language.


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Updated

By Kirstyn Lindsay

Source: SBS


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SBS has just launched 'My Grandmothers Lingo', an online interactive animation which tells the personal story of a young Aboriginal woman who is dedicated to preserving her endangered native language.


The interactive animation follows Angelina Joshua as she tries to absorb Marra, her native tongue, from the last three elders who can still speak it.

The story takes place in the remote East Arnhem Land community of Ngukurr.

 Jake Duczynski, author and creator of the animation explains that Angelina is not only eager to learn her native tongue, she is also keen to preserve it and teach it to future generations.

The author adds that without proactive initiatives ike Angelina's, many indigenous languages would just disappear as the remaining few elders who can still speak them pass away.

Jake Duczynski also reveals that these Aboriginal languages, that have been around for thousands of years, are now endangered as a consequence of colonisation.

Log in and take the journey with My Grandmothers Lingo.