Global Indigenous

By Deusdedit Ruhangariyo. Special to ICT

Around the world: Millions of dollars are being awarded to boost preservation of Aboriginal languages in New South Wales, tensions are high between local communities and large agriculture firms over palm oil trees, and a Māori tournament will showcase cricket

AUSTRALIA: Grants will help revitalize Aboriginal languages

Fifty-eight community organizations in New South Wales have been awarded a share in $3.9 million in grants aimed at revitalizing Aboriginal languages, National Indigenous Times reported on July 20.

Under the Aboriginal Languages Trust Community Investment Program, the funding initiative is expected to play a pivotal role in supporting local efforts to rekindle, cultivate and promote awareness of the diverse array of Aboriginal languages throughout New South Wales.

Jason Behrendt, chair of the Aboriginal Languages Trust, said the grants demonstrate a significant increase in both value and scope, according to National Indigenous Times.

“By expanding the range of grants the trust can reach more Aboriginal communities to support their efforts to reawaken and reclaim languages,” Behrendt said.

“The trust’s vision is that all NSW Aboriginal languages are strong and healthy,” he said. “We understand communities’ needs will evolve as their languages grow and we must grow with them.”

Recipients of the grants are scattered across various regions in New South Wales, from Ulladulla to Tweed Heads and from Lightning Ridge to Condobolin.

The grants themselves vary in value, according to the specific needs and initiatives of different organizations, running from $199,080 to the Arwarbukarl Cultural Research Association to support individuals representing 28 distinct language groups to $7,425 to the Dunghutti Elders Council in South Kempsey, to enhance a community meeting space.

CAMEROON: Tensions rise over agriculture encroachment

Tensions between local communities and agriculture companies have escalated in Cameroon, fueled by land disputes and environmental concerns, Mongabay reported on July 17.

For three years, the approximately 4,000 residents of the eastern Cameroon village of Apouh have been tangled in a dispute with Socapalm, a local subsidiary of the Belgian agriculture behemoth Socfin, which operates plantations across 12 African nations.

The core of this conflict is over the villagers’ land rights. Villages object to the company’s plan to replant palm oil trees in areas near the outskirts of the village, an area the community says is needed to establishing farm plots to sustain their families.

“In front of our houses, there are palm trees. Behind our houses, more palm trees,” said the village Chief Ditope Lindoume, according to Mongabay.com. “We have no yards. They’ve planted everywhere. The fundamental problem is land grabbing. We want to have living space for our families.”

In Tibati, another town in northern Cameroon, Indigenous communities are fiercely resisting the government’s decision to allocate nearly 235,000 acres of land to Tawfiq Agro Industry, a Cameroonian company, for agro-pastoral development.

These conflicts are among a long list of disputes arising as industrial agriculture companies establish their presence in or near Cameroon villages.

The government of Cameroon, meanwhile, views agro-industries as catalysts for development, expected to generate wealth and contribute to the country’s economic growth. The trade deficit, however, has escalated to $1.9 billion by 2022.

NEW ZEALAND: Māori tournament to showcase cricket talent

New Zealand’s top female Māori cricket players will get a chance to showcase their talents in the inaugural National Māori Women’s Tournament set to be held at Cornwall Park from Oct. 13-15, Te Ao Māori News reported on July 20.

The women’s tournament follows the successful inaugural Māori Men’s tournament earlier this year.

Similar to the men’s tournament, the wāhine event is expected to feature both established Māori players and up-and-coming talents who have emerged from the Māori secondary schools program since its inception in 2018, Te Ao Māori News reported.

Notable players such as Marama Downes (Northern Districts) and Ocean Bartlett (Central Hinds) have progressed to domestic cricket for their respective associations after impressing in the Māori Secondary Schoolgirls XI.

Additionally, former Otago Spark, Tanya Morrison, and Central Hinds all-rounder, Kerry Tomlinson, who previously coached the Māori secondary schoolgirls side, are now included in New Zealand Cricket’s coaching pathway.

Kerry Tomlinson, who has affiliations with Te Whānau a Apanui and Ngāti Porou, expressed to teaonews.co.nz that Māori talent remains an untapped resource with immense potential for New Zealand cricket.

“I think you’ll see more Māori players because we’ve always been here - it’s just we haven’t been acknowledged,” Tomlinson said. “With the backing of New Zealand Cricket, that’s going to become more apparent.”

My final thoughts

My final thoughts are in southeastern Australia, where millions of money have been earmarked for Aboriginal language revitalization in New South Wales. This is a welcome development because language plays a vital role in the preservation of a people and their culture. It serves as a powerful tool for communication, expression, and transmission of knowledge and values from one generation to another.

Language is closely tied to individual and collective identity. It shapes how people perceive themselves and their place within a particular culture or community. By preserving their language, people maintain a strong connection to their cultural heritage and a sense of belonging to their community.

Therefore, I would like to encourage all cultures to organize events, festivals, and cultural gatherings that celebrate diverse languages and cultures. Promote opportunities for people from different linguistic backgrounds to come together, share their experiences, and learn from each other, because language is the backbone of all peoples of the universe.