Guardians of Language and Country is a series exploring how emerging technologies, grounded in a deep connection to Country, are helping to preserve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. Join host Donnie Johannessen and producer Alden Lyall on a journey through Far North Queensland as they speak with Mamu, Gunggandj, Kuku Yalanji, and Western Kuku Yalanji elders and rangers, sharing stories of language, land, and community. Celebrate these custodians of culture, discover histories new and old, and learn a few new words along the way.
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Guardians of Language and Country is a series exploring how emerging technologies, grounded in a deep connection to Country, are helping to preserve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. Join host Donnie Johannessen and producer Alden Lyall on a journey through Far North Queensland as they speak with Mamu, Gunggandj, Kuku Yalanji, and Western Kuku Yalanji elders and rangers, sharing stories of language, land, and community. Celebrate these custodians of culture, discover histories new and old, and learn a few new words along the way.
Western Yalanji: Connecting to language and Country through virtual reality
Guardians of Language and Country
19 minutes 24 seconds
4 months ago
Western Yalanji: Connecting to language and Country through virtual reality
In this final episode of Guardians of Language and Country, we journey to Western Yalanji Country. Set against the rugged beauty of Far North Queensland’s rivers and freshwater creeks, this episode explores how Western Yalanji people are preserving their language—through teaching on Country, sharing intergenerational knowledge, and embracing new technologies. Brad Grogan from Western Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation shares plans for a language app and a virtual reality project that will allow connection to Country in the digital space. Rangers Lindsay Gore and Nisha Williams offer insights into everyday language use and the vast resource of cultural knowledge elders hold. From snakes interrupting interviews to heartfelt reflections on legacy and learning, this episode is a powerful reminder that language is more than words—it’s identity, connection, and a way home.
Guardians of Language and Country
Guardians of Language and Country is a series exploring how emerging technologies, grounded in a deep connection to Country, are helping to preserve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. Join host Donnie Johannessen and producer Alden Lyall on a journey through Far North Queensland as they speak with Mamu, Gunggandj, Kuku Yalanji, and Western Kuku Yalanji elders and rangers, sharing stories of language, land, and community. Celebrate these custodians of culture, discover histories new and old, and learn a few new words along the way.
