Back from the brink: Podcast celebrates the revival of Wiradyuri language

A new podcast celebrating the reclamation of Wiradyuri language has been launched by NITV Radio this month featuring First Nations people from across central NSW and the Riverina.

Hosted by Wiradyuri woman Lowanna Grant, the series tells the story of her pop, language pioneer, Dr Uncle Stan Grant Snr, and the generations who have been involved in the mission to revive and spread the language.

Ngiyang is Wiradyuri for language, but as Uncle Stan explained, it is something deeper than just the words we speak.

“Wiray ngiyang, wiray mayiny. No language, no people,” he said in the first episode of the podcast.

“Language is important because it’s who you are, where you come from.

“Everything’s in your language. All your stories are in your language. Everything you talk about is in your language. You don’t realise how important it is until it’s almost gone.”

Lowanna recently completed the Graduate Certificate in Wiradjuri Language, Culture and Heritage through Charles Sturt University and said it was a privilege to share such an important cultural success story.

“Ngiyang celebrates what our elders have achieved and what is being done to secure language and culture for the next generation of Wiradyuri people,” she said.

“These are stories close to my heart, and it’s been a privilege to record my pop telling his story in his own words as well as speak to other Wiradyuri people about their language journey, and hopefully help more Australians connect meaningfully with the longest continuous culture on the planet.”

Wagga-based digital creative Bernard Higgins played a key role in the production of the series and said he was inspired by listening to people like Uncle Stan share their stories.

“I’ve had the privilege to go to Uncle Stan’s place and have chats with him over the years, but the interviews really prompted memories from his early childhood and following his grandfather Wilfred Johnson around and learning the language,” he said.

“He’s talking about a time when, back in the 1940s he’d be told, ‘If we catch you doing cultural stuff and using your language, we’ll take the kids off you’, and yet he still passed it on to the next generation.

“Back in that time he might have been looked down on and viewed as a ‘savage’, but he’s a man who can actually speak 17 languages.”

The stories are told in first-person and share how language is being revitalised in different places by different generations and how Wiradyuri people are being empowered through the process.

Bernard said multigenerational storytelling made for engaging and emotional listening.

“It’s funny because I know most of the people on the podcast, but it’s not like we usually sit around talking about our past or our trauma, so it’s amazing to get that insight into people’s lives,” he said.

“Even though I worked on it, when I listened to the first episode, I got emotional.

“I think about my own journey and both my parents didn’t finish high school, but I’ve graduated from uni and I’m working in this space where I can sit down with people and I can work with elders and community on cultural and language resources.

“It’s so important to capture these histories and put these good news stories out into the world.”

Ngiyang is available on the SBS Audio App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, LiSTNR and wherever you stream podcasts.