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The  27th annual Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Symposium will be held June 14-18, 2021 at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada on the lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples.

As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, SILS27 will be taking place fully online in 2021.

SILS27 will be hosted jointly by Queen’s University; Tsi Tyonnheht Onkwawenna Lanaguage and Cultural Centre, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory; and Kingston Indigenous Languages Nest (KILN) a part of the urban Indigenous community of Kingston, ON.

SILS27 will focus on global perspectives of Indigenous Language Revitalization, as reflected in the Symposium title, “Global Indigeneity: Language from the Four Directions.” In addition to bringing together voices from around the globe, this theme is inspired by the four directions teachings for understanding health and community in holistic perspective, encompassing the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. With this in mind, the Program Committee has identified four broad topic areas:
  1. Physical – Technologies and products for language revitalization
  2. Mental – Insights and innovations in revitalization research
  3. Emotional – Community connections for revitalization
  4. Spiritual – Creative arts and language revitalization

For more information about the logistics and format of the conference, we invite you to visit the conference logistics page on our website, or to stop by the Social Rooms and Help Desk space on Zoom, which will be open throughout the conference. All Zoom links are available here on Sched—we ask that you don’t share them with anyone not registered for the conference, but anyone is welcome to register late for the conference, and will get access to Sched within 24 hours of registering. 
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Wednesday, June 16 • 6:15pm - 6:45pm
Reclaiming our language - palawa kani: a Tasmanian Aboriginal Experience

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Tasmanian Aborigines did not grow up speaking their language, in fact there has been no fluent speakers for over 100 years.

This workshop/poster will showcase the experience of Pakana (Tasmanian Aborigines), from a community with no living language, to one with 2 - ALMOST 3 generations of families who have grown with their language - palawa kani.

palawa kani literally translates as 'Tasmanian Aborigines speak' - and is the name chosen by the community for their revived language. The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC) has been working to retrieve, reconstruct and revive Aboriginal language in Lutruwita (Tasmania), through the palawa kani Language Program since the early 1990s; work that continues. Laborious, but rewarding work that began with researching recorders, wordlists, sounds of our original languages, and consulting with the Aboriginal community which included what they saw as important regarding a sound and spelling system (our languages were oral); who would have access to our information, and the use of palawa kani. Working with linguists, Aboriginal community members trained on-the-job in linguistics, research methods etc, and the journey began. Some 30 years later, we have our second dictionary; have recorded 2 episodes (in palawa kani) of an animated series aimed at indigenous school-aged children; had palawa kani spoken in a feature film, The Nightingale; and our people are writing songs/poems/speeches in palawa kani. We now are tasked with maintaining our momentum, and attaining fluency once again.
Speakers
TS

Theresa Sainty

Senior Indigenous Scholar (PhD), UTAS
I am currently doing a PhD at the University of Tasmania, and am Aboriginal Linguistic Consultant for the palawa kani Language Programof the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.

Wednesday June 16, 2021 6:15pm - 6:45pm EDT
TBA
  Talks   Panels and Posters