Introduction to the Kaurna language
‘Strategies’ workshop
Session 1, 22nd June 2010, Eugene OREGON
Jack Kanya Buckskin & Rob Amery
Kaurna Warra Pintyandi & University of Adelaide
rob.amery@adelaide.edu.au
Kaurna Yerta
‘Kaurna country’
Kaurna Yerta
The Dresden Missionary Society
• Schürmann &
Teichelmann aboard
the Pestonjee
Bomanjee along
with Gov. George
Gawler
• arrive in Adelaide
on 14 October 1838.
Teichelmann & Schürmann
document the Kaurna language
• Trained in philology in Dresden (Hebrew, Greek,
Latin and a little Chinese)
• Given instructions to translate the Bible as soon
as they could master the language
• Immediately set out to learn and document the
Kaurna language
• Published a sketch grammar, vocabulary and
sentence examples in 1840 after just 18 months
• Recorded several traditional Kaurna songlines
(including secret sacred material)
Sources of Kaurna Language
T&S worked with
Kaurna men
including:
• Kadlitpinna
(opposite),
• Mullawirraburka,
• Ityamaiitpinna
• Wauwityinna etc
What is known of Kaurna from
documented sources.
• Vocabulary of 3,000 to 3,500 words (all except 200
or so recorded in T&S and TMs)
• More than 100 new terms for new things (eg nurlitti
‘key’; pintyandi ‘to write’)
• A reasonable sketch grammar (T&S, Teich)
• Several hundred translated sentence examples (all
but a few recorded in T&S and TMs)
• 8 short traditional songlines (5 in T&S; 1 by
Schürmann; 2 by Moorhouse)
• Very few texts
Kaurna Language Reclamation:
A brief history
• 1980 naming of Warriappendi Alternative
School
• 1980s Aboriginal Studies curriculum
culminating in The Kaurna People (1989)
• 1990 Songwriter’s workshop – 6 Kaurna
songs
• Annual Kaurna workshops 1990-1993
• Introduced to Kaurna Plains School 1992
Current Situation
• Kaurna is currently taught at all levels
including kindergarten, primary, junior
secondary, senior secondary, adult
(TAFE) and university
• Used increasingly in the public domain
• Used to a minimal extent within some
Kaurna homes and within the community
• Ongoing projects and research
Kaurna Warra Pintyandi (KWP)
•
•
•
•
•
Hosted by the University of Adelaide
Fields requests for Kaurna names, translations etc.
Plans and monitors use of the Kaurna language
Consultative body re Kaurna language matters
Produces Kaurna language resources