Students learn forbidden language

Burri Jerone, from the Waka-Waka people, performs a smoke cleansing ceremony at the Rainbow Ridge Steiner School at Lillian Rock on Friday.

Cathy Adams

UNCLE Charlie Moran remembers when his people were forbidden to speak their own language.

Today the Bundjalung elder couldn’t be happier to see both indigenous and non-indigenous children learning his language at schools like Rainbow Ridge Steiner School.

“It really gladdens my heart,” he said.

“To think that this is being recognised now is so good.

“There has been a lot of people who didn’t want to speak their language because they were ashamed, because on the missions you weren’t allowed to speak your language.

“So to see it coming back today it really makes me feel good.”

Rainbow Ridge Steiner School introduced a Spotlight on Language program at the beginning of the year.

The program teaches the students primarily the Wahlabal dialect, as well as songs from other areas of Australia.

Uncle Charlie, 80, grew up at Pretty Gully.

He has been assisting Rainbow Ridge with the Spotlight on Language program, as well as sharing his stories about the Goorie culture.

“I think it’s so important,” he said.

“I grew up with a couple of old traditional tribal men who took me under their wing and taught me their language and about the culture.

“To me it’s my whole life because I’m so proud of my language.

“It gives me a feeling that I know who I am. There’s a feeling of recognition.”

Rainbow Ridge Steiner School students shared their learning experience with Goonellabah and Larnook public schools on Friday with a special smoking ceremony, song and dance.

Goonellabah Primary School has had an indigenous language program since 1998.

Goonellabah Aboriginal education officer, Ricky Cook, said the program, which is taught to all students at the school, had resulted in the production of a CD of songs, which has been called Ngulli Muggi Midginwern.