Indigenous Languages

Register your interest for the 2025 Indigenous Languages Research Discovery Workshop at State Library

Yuuingan Dhilla Yari [YOO-IN-gan DIL-ah YAR-ee] Indigenous Languages Symposium Watch the livestream Returning for its fifth year, the annual Indigenous Languages Symposium is a cornerstone initiative within State Library’s Indigenous Language Project. This year, the event will focus on the revitalisation, transmission, and modern adaptation of First Nations Languages, exploring the intersection of language preservation and innovation in the digital age. This one-day symposium will bring together language speakers and experts, industry professionals, academics, researchers, cultural leaders and community for insightful and interactive discussions about reviving and using Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. Within the theme of preservation and revitalisation of languages, we'll explore the challenges and opportunities in digital language growth, emphasising the role of the arts and collections in language revival. The program will be led by two very special keynote speakers: Michael Running Wolf (Northern Cheyenne and Lakota) was raised in a rural prairie village in Montana, USA, with intermittent water and electricity. Michael is an AI ethicist with a Master of Science in Computer Science, who envisions an Indigenous future where, alongside reclaiming their languages, Indigenous communities attain technological sovereignty while addressing data ownership and systemic barriers to Indigenous AI. Michael has been an engineer at Amazon’s Alexa, and formerly on faculty at Northeastern University. Among other awards, his languages work has been recognized with the Patrick J. McGovern AI for Humanity Prize. Tanya Denning-Orman, a proud Birri and Guugu Yimidhirr woman from Central and North Queensland, is a member of the Board for Screen Careers, the World Indigenous Broadcasters Network, a non-Executive Director on the Board of the Starlight Foundation and the First Nations Director for SBS. She leads Indigenous content across all SBS channels, amplifying First Nations voices across the network, and building on the network’s pioneering work in reflecting and exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories. With more than 30 years’ experience in media, Tanya previously led National Indigenous Television (NITV) for more than 12 years, before becoming SBS’s first Director of Indigenous Content in 2020. She’s an experienced journalist and producer for ABC and SBS and a champion for a strong Indigenous media and improved representation of First Nations peoples and perspectives across the wider media sector. The program will offer examples of successful initiatives that have responded to the challenges of the digital age and share learnings on how technology can be harnessed effectively, as well as showcase the intersection of language revival and the arts, and the relationship between caretakers and language collections. View program Tickets Onsite attendance has now reached capacity. Join the waitlist or see online attendance options below. We are proud to offer complimentary tickets to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members for this symposium, supported through Federal funding. Additional registration options welcome: General public and non-for-profit organisations: $50.00 (GST inclusive) Government, Council, and Tertiary education sector representatives: $120.00 (GST inclusive). Registration includes a welcome pack, access to a wide selection of workshops and presentations, creative activities, catered morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, and community conversations. Online-only free attendance options (live-streamed) Opening keynote presentation by Michael Running Wolf: 9 - 10:30 am Keynote presentation by Tanya Denning-Orman: 1:30 - 2:20 pm Watch the livestream