The role of localised culturally responsive practices in enhancing Aboriginal language revitalisation andeducation

Abstract The revitalisation of Aboriginal languages in Australia is gaining momentum, particularly as more schools take up the call to promote Indigenous language education. Schools require collaborative, reciprocal relationships to develop Indigenous language curricula and resources. This paper shares key findings from a co-designed study with Wakka Wakka Elders and Historical Elders from the communities of Cherbourg and Murgon in Queensland, which focused on the co-design process to support Aboriginal language revitalisation in their local schools and communities. The paper reports on research exploring culturally responsive ways of recording and reporting Indigenous views, particularly the language and cultural features the community considered vital to Wakka Wakka language revitalisation. The findings are highly contextualised to Cherbourg and Murgon but have implications for other schools and communities embarking on Indigenous language revitalisation through education.