Aboriginal language is deeply connected to identity, culture, and connection to land through kinship, and each language is specific to a particular place and people. Prior to colonisation, up to 700 languages were spoken – language is more than a way to communicate for Aboriginal peoples, it is also a way to express and pass on culture.
Today, it is estimated that only 160 Aboriginal languages are still spoken at home. Many of these languages were lost when people were banned from speaking or teaching their languages, which also caused intergenerational trauma. Practising culture was commonly punished.
There is more information on languages and projects to revitalise language in later sections.