Ngunawal community members and linguists from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) first met in early 2014 to discuss the possibility of working together on language revival. AIATSIS and the Ngaiyuriija Ngunawal Language Group announced the signing of a cooperative research agreement to revitalise the Ngunawal language of the ACT and South East NSW in July 2014.

The Ngaiyuriija Ngunawal Language Group, comprised of a number of Ngunawal family groups – Thunderstone Cultural and Land Management Services Aboriginal Corporation, Koomurri Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation and Ngunawal Heritage Aboriginal Corporation – are working with AIATSIS to not only revitalise the Ngunawal language but also to  develop a language program for primary school children. The Group’s aim is to provide a fully functional language that could also be part of the ACT school curriculum.

Hear Ngunawal elder Kayleen Busk discuss the importance of language to the Ngunawal people in the below video.