Figure 2: Study child’s tribe or language group.
Figure 2 description: This graph depicts the twenty most common tribes that parents identified the Study children with. These tribes are: Wiradjuri, Arrernte, Yorta Yorta, Gamilaraay, Waanyi, Bardi, Kalkantungu, Ganggalidda, Lardil, Nyulnyul, Bundjalung, Goonlyandi, Larrakia, Djambarrpuyngu, Garrwa, Ngarrindjeri, Yawuru, Pitjantjatjara, Warlpiri, Yuin.
Parents identified their children with a wide variety of tribes, language groups, clans and country. Some families have strong links to ethnic groups overseas, especially Pacific Island groups, such as Maori and Tongan, but also including European, Asian and African communities.
Many parents named tribal and language groups. A number of families identified physical locations rather than tribal names, such as particular islands, towns and natural landmarks like gorges or rivers. Some parents mentioned particular clan names or animals, particularly those in the Torres Strait and in other remote areas.
Only a small number of parents referred to large regional group names such as Koori when describing their child’s cultural identity. It was not uncommon for parents to list several tribal groups or clans. The largest groups represented in Footprints in Time were Wiradjuri, Arrernte, Yorta Yorta and Gamilaraay.
Culture is important in growing up strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children strong. Parents reported doing a number of different things with their children to make sure they were strong in their culture.
Over two thirds of parents (67% or 1,122) took their child to an Indigenous cultural event, ceremony or sorry business. Over half of parents (55% or 932) interviewed, reported their child had a connection to country or place, and over half of parents (56% or 906) identified their child with a tribal group, language group or clan.
Almost half of parents (44% or 728) reported that they taught their child traditional arts like painting, dance, singing and making ceremonial dress, and almost half of parents (41% or 680) reported that they teach their child traditional practices like collecting food or hunting.
When asked what it is about Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander culture that will help their children grow up stronger, many parents identified family strength and connectedness as being important, as well as the sense of belonging that they have to their community, culture and the land.
Also significant was knowing who they were and where they came from, knowledge about their culture and their history, and a sense of pride and respect for their cultural identity, their elders and their family.
“During NAIDOC week… my eldest daughter chose to talk about her culture… I told her teacher my daughter was a descendant and kind of said to them that they should have given the kids a bit of cultural awareness about the place. …when the teacher did say that my daughter was a descendant from that area, most of the kids wouldn’t believe it because her skin is white and they didn’t believe that she was even Aboriginal (laughing).”
“He’s proud to be Aboriginal and he is proud to come from Cherbourg. He tells everyone: I’m a Wakka Wakka boy.”
“Knowing who she is and being proud of who she is. Know who her mob is as this is gives her a sense of belonging.”
“…being proud of her background, knowledge of who she is and where her family has come from.” “Respect for and from his elders, respect for himself and strong family unit for support and help.”
“Family, identifying and acknowledging Aboriginal history and being accepted and acknowledged as Aboriginal.”
“Positive things like getting Aboriginal lawyers and doctors. There’s nothing that should set us back from being up there. I had one kid ask me why we’re second best - I said we’re not.”
“Knowing his people, culture, heritage and traditional ways.”
“Aboriginal culture, family history belonging to country.”
“Bush tucker, learning about hunting, land, reading about Aboriginal Australia.”
“Sense of identity, knowing about her culture, help her feel confident, she will grow up being empowered knowing about it.”
What languages do parents and children speak?
Figure 3: Number of parents and children speaking a traditional Indigenous language or a Creole.
Figure 3 description: This graph depicts the frequency of children speaking a traditional Indigenous language or a creole compared to their parent. The horizontal axis depicts the answer categories in terms language spoken and the vertical axis depicts the number of parents or children in each category.
Child: 293 spoke a traditional Indigenous language and 207 spoke a creole
Parent: 427 spoke a traditional Indigenous language and 249 spoke a creole
Approximately 20 per cent of parents speak one or more traditional Indigenous languages. Eighteen per cent of parents in the survey speak two languages and some parents (8%) speak three or more languages. Altogether our Footprints in Time families speak more than 100 different languages! Almost all parents (95%) speak English.
Around 15 per cent of children and babies are learning to speak two languages, and a further four per cent are learning between three and eight languages.
Figure 4: Top 20 traditional languages named in the dataset number of parent and child speakers.
Figure 4 description:This graph depicts the twenty most popular traditional languages spoken by parents and children in the study. The horizontal axis depicts the percentage of parents and children who speak the language, and the vertical axis depicts the answer categories in terms of languages spoken.
The top twenty traditional languages in the study are: Bundjalung, Bunuba, Kaurna, Anindilyakwa, Lardil, Nyikina, Adnymathanha, Warlpiri, Alyawarr, Wiradjuri, Tiwi, Yorta Yorta, Gooniyandi, Meriam Mir, Pitjantjatjara, Arrernte, Ngarrindjeri, Bardi, Kalaw Kawaw Ya, and Djambarrpuyngu.
Of the older group of children, 82 per cent speak English as their main language, over 14 per cent speak an Indigenous language as their main language, and over three per cent speak both an Indigenous language and English equally well. The most commonly spoken languages by children are English, Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole), Kriol, Kalaw Lagaw Ya (Torres Strait), Djambarrpuyngu, Arrernte and Ngarrindjeri. Eight children know sign language and 35 children speak foreign languages, including Spanish, Maori, Italian, Tongan, Greek and Indonesian.
Safe communities
Most parents (63% or 1,052) think their community or neighbourhood is a ‘good’ or ‘very good’ place for little children. An additional 24 per cent rated their community as ‘okay’ for little children. Seventy two per cent of parents reported that there were ‘some’, ‘a few’ or ‘lots’ of good places for kids to play in their neighbourhood.
Just over half (53% or 896 parents) said their community or neighbourhood is ‘very safe’ or ‘quite safe’. An additional 31 per cent describe safety in their community as ‘okay’.
Parents’ hopes for their children
All parents wanted the best for their children. Parents most wanted their children to receive a good education and have the opportunity for a good career as well as being healthy, happy, independent and successful.
Parents’ wishes for their children also included that they feel safe in their community, and be financially and emotionally secure.
It was also important for children to have a strong sense of cultural identity, pride in their cultural background, to have a good sense of right and wrong – and to be a good person. Here’s what many parents identified as their main hopes for their children.
“Be happy, learn his culture, get a good education and get a good job.”
“Good education so he can have an opportunity to do what ever he wants.”
“…having a choice in life, having her own thoughts, making her own decisions, and learning from herself.”
“To grow up knowing right from wrong, to know who his family is and where he comes from.”
“…learn both way Yolngu and Balanda.”