Well-being and Indigenous Language Ecologies (WILE): a strengths-based approach: Literature review, National Indigenous Languages Report, Pillar 2

Abstract

The Well-being and Indigenous Language Ecologies (WILE) framework shows how well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples relates to speaking Indigenous languages, Traditional and New. By recognising and responding to the diversity of language experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the continent, WILE provides a differentiated model of well-being and Indigenous languages. This marks a significant advance for work in this area, and a tool for differentiating policies and programs. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages are held as a strength by their speakers, regardless of the extent to which they are spoken, and contribute positively to their well-being. Much evidence supports their points of view, even though well-being is multifaceted, and has been defined and modelled in different ways, and the present state of Indigenous languages data sets is not without issues. There is general consensus from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from a wide variety of backgrounds that Traditional Indigenous Languages provide enduring links to country and culture, a sense of identity and community and a (potential) means of healing and redress. A range of economic benefits and opportunities is associated with speaking Indigenous languages, particularly but not exclusively in the domains of art and culture, landcare, tourism, education and training, broadcasting and interpreting and translating. An additional dimension to the relationship between Indigenous languages and well-being is experienced by those Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who speak an Indigenous language as their first (i.e. the language they have learned as a baby) and strongest language, whether this is a Traditional or New Language. Their well-being is enhanced when they are enabled to utilise this language especially to access services or information which might otherwise be detrimental if English-only. The ways in which Indigenous languages relate to well-being are mediated by factors like the local configuration of languages (the language ecology) and an individual’s language repertoire (the languages they speak and the extent/level they speak them). Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have different language repertoires depending on the part of the country they are from, their families’ histories and their individual life experiences. Neither the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s language repertoires nor the language ecologies they live in has been consistently acknowledged in well-being research, or in policy, service delivery and evaluation more generally. This is also true in a lot of the international literature. This has ramifications for generalising research findings. Current demographic data sets with information about speakers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages should be treated with caution as many factors impinge on their accuracy (see 3.6 - 3.7 for details). Particularly prone to inaccuracy are the counting of New Indigenous Languages, language-dialect relationships, language proficiency (speaking fully, somewhat or just a little) and multilingualism (speaking more than one language to some degree). Due caution is advised as use of such language data can lead to unreliable research outcomes. Present day Indigenous language situations across Australia are diverse (no one size fits all), rich (many different languages are involved) and dynamic (the language landscapes are changing). Show more