Abstract: On 6 July 2006 we saw the passing of Mrs Kumunjayi Joshua (nee Foster), a Warumungu woman who had a wide-ranging impact on linguistics and applied linguistics for Aboriginal languages in the Northern Territory, in a career spanning 30 years. She was born 17 June 1951 at the Fre-weena Roadhouse, Rockhampton Downs, in the Northern Territory, and grew up at Warrabri (now Alekarenge (All Curung)). Her father was known as Snowy Jampijimpa Foster, and his family's traditional country is around the Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles) area. Her mother, Ivy Tuala Napangardi (or Tualla Nalli) Foster was related to Warlpiri, Warlmanpa and Warumungu. Mrs Kumunjayi Joshua's dreaming was Aakiy 'bush-plum', and her skin name was Nangali (Warumungu), Nangala (Warlpiri) or Apwerle (Kaytetye). Mrs Kumunjayi Joshua (also known as Nangala), spoke many languages: she learnt her parents' language Warumungu, her father's language Kaytetye, and her mother's language Warlmanpa as well as Warlpiri; she also learnt English at the Rockhampton Station (Northern Territory). She met her future husband when they were fellow students at Batchelor College, and they moved to his country at Ngukurr, while continuing to visit her own relations in the Tennant Creek area. In Ngukurr, Nangala learnt to speak Kriol and some of her husband's mother's language, Marra. Mrs Kumunjayi Joshua could communicate with people from all walks of life and challenged many cultural barriers to complete a degree in teaching, and she continued to teach all of her life. Nangala earned a Bachelor of Education degree in 1987 from Deakin University in the 'DBATE' (Deakin-Batchelor Aboriginal Education) program jointly with the then Batchelor College. Along with Mandawuy Yunupingu, she was among the first native speakers of an Aboriginal language to do so. When she graduated it was a source of great pride and joy to her family, especially her mother. Her achievement was recognised. In 1987 she was named NAIDOC Aboriginal Scholar of the year. In 1995 she was awarded a Graduate Certificate in Education (Hearing Impairment) from Batchelor College; she also earned an Associate Diploma in Applied Linguistics. Later Nangala began working towards a Masters degree and a Diploma in interpreting. She was a brilliant teacher. Jane Simpson recalls how in 1995 Nangala rescued a CALL Warumungu language class by running demonstration lessons, showing how to get children interested, and drawing diagrams labelled in Warumungu to explain her approach. As a further tribute to her unfailing commitment and enthusiasm, in 2005 she was chosen as leader for the Indigenous Women's Development Program for the Office of Indigenous Policy. Mrs Kumunjayi Joshua was a linguist in both senses of the word. She was a NAATI-accredited Warumungu/English and Kriol/English interpreter, and believed in the importance of understanding and identifying cultural differences and prejudices and exposing them as the underpinnings of miscommunication between the 'Anglo' Australian community and the Indigenous Australian population. Due to her in-depth knowledge of English, her interpretations were descriptive and complex and she stayed true to the speaker's individual way of communicating. Her exceptional accomplishments and determination, as well as humility, made her an inspiration to both groups. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Nangala was also a language analyst and had an obvious love of academic linguistics- you could find her writing verb paradigms in Warumungu or plant names in Marra, explaining demonstratives or speech act verbs in Kriol, or getting excited about the concept of polysemy; why should 'beetle', 'charcoal' and the 'pupil of an eye' share a form in Warumungu, she wondered. …
Publication Year: 2007
Publication Date: 2007-03-22
Language: en
Type: article
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