Pama Language Centre

Pama Language Centre Pama Language Centre works with speech communities to ensure the future of Cape York languages. Wellbeing is connected with the health of traditional language.

Pama Language Centre is dedicated to the recording, revival, revitalisation and maintenance of the unique and precious cultural heritage of the first nations of Cape York Peninsula. Every child born to an Indigenous nation has the right to grow up with an ancestral language as a first language1. Our languages, oral literatures and epistemologies will be documented rigorously in order to maintain a

nd revitalise our cultures. Of the forty-two or more languages once spoken across Cape York Peninsula, of which there are over a hundred dialects, even the strongest are now threatened by language shift. As arrangements for the Pama Language Centre (PLC) are being finalised, the last fluent speaker of one of our target languages (Mungkanhu) has died. Without a systematic effort, the cultural heritage and peoplehood potential of the Indigenous nations of Cape York Peninsula are rapidly being lost. This situation has implications for individual and family wellbeing. A strong language is an empowering context in which individuals are able to develop meaningful goals. The loss and degradation of traditional language is a catastrophe threatening the future of individuals as much as it threatens the future of our peoples. The Indigenous peoples of Cape York Peninsula have long been aware of the absolute importance of our languages. This is said in plain words, again and again, echoing down the generations, from every nation, at every gathering, from young and old. The future for the Indigenous nations of Cape York Peninsula will be a
multilingual future.

16/09/2025

Mugu baanggaaya, wawu bulngala, wawu balgaathinu.

Thana Department of Education, Student Wellbeing Hubngun gaban balgay wanhtharra malu-manaathinu. Nganhthaan Ngak Min Healththirr dagu balgay, gadil “Guugu yirrgii waathinu”. Yiyi gunbu nganhthaan nhaamuu balgay. Bithagurr Mrs. Lillian Bowengami nangguurr nhin-gay, thana gunbu gunday. Yurra baadaaya gunbu gundanu bithagurrthirr, nguba wawu garrbanu wawu diiganu thanamandithirr. Yurra yiyi gunbu gundala bayanbi nguba nangguurr. Nganhthaan gurra gunbu warrgaaygu bamaagami guuguwi garrgu balgal. Gulu! nganhthaan Ngak Min Healthgal yirrgaa, thana yiyi nganhthanun-gal miirriilin.

Yurra thadii https://studentwellbeinghub.edu.au/educators/topics/interoception-self-regulation/brain-break-bops/ mulbangu nhaathinu wanhtharra interoception exercises use-it-gurranu nangguurr yurraan-gami.

Take a deep breath and feel better.

This song in Guugu Yimithirr is based on one of a series of interoception exercises published on the Department of Education's Student Wellbeing Hub, and is part of Pama Language Centre's "Language for Life" collaboration with Ngak Min Health. The song is sung by students from Lillian Bowen's Guugu Yimithirr class at Hope Vale School. Try singing along with the children or breathing along with the frog, and feel free to use this song in your home or classroom. We look forward to translating more of these exercises into the ancestral languages of Cape York. And thank you to Ngak Min Health for suggesting this great project!

For more information about how to use interoception exercises in your classroom visit: https://studentwellbeinghub.edu.au/educators/topics/interoception-self-regulation/brain-break-bops/

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302-310 Sheridan Street
Cairns, QLD
4870

Telephone

0450 961 956

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Pama Language Centre is dedicated to the recording, revival, revitalisation and maintenance of the unique and precious cultural heritage of the first nations of Cape York Peninsula. Every child born to an Indigenous nation has the right to grow up with an ancestral language as a first language. Our languages, oral literatures and epistemologies will be documented rigorously in order to maintain and revitalise our cultures. Of approximately 150 language varieties once spoken in Cape York Peninsula, even the strongest are now threatened. As Pama Language Centre was being established the last fluent speaker of one of our target languages (Mungkanhu) passed away. Without a systematic effort, the cultural heritage and peoplehood potential of the Indigenous nations of Cape York Peninsula are rapidly being lost. This situation has implications for individual and family wellbeing. Wellbeing is connected with the health of traditional language. A strong language is an empowering context in which individuals are able to establish healthy identities and develop meaningful goals. The loss and degradation of traditional language is a catastrophe threatening the future of individuals as much as it threatens the future of our peoples. The Indigenous peoples of Cape York Peninsula have long been aware of the absolute importance of our languages. This is said in plain words, again and again, echoing down the generations, from every nation, at every gathering, from young and old. The future for the Indigenous nations of Cape York Peninsula will be a multilingual future.