In 2005 a submission developed to the Christensen Fund an American philanthropic was accepted. The Christensen Fund has a track record of providing funding to build the capacity of Indigenous people around the world.

The course objectives included:

• Enhancing concepts of group identity and self esteem;
• Building pride in generational history, language and culture;
• Recognising skills and knowledge of community elders and encouraging respect for senior community member;
• Creating an understanding of how people arrived at the situation they are in today;
• Developing cultural and technical competencies;
• Creating supportive cultural and workplace environments;
• Generating mutually rewarding relationships which enhance reciprocity;
• Creating a harmonious environment in which to share the diversity of rich cultural lived experiences;
• Focus on the principles of self-determination and self-management. (Christensen Fund Submission, Madjulla Inc. 2004)

The purpose of the Nyikina and Language Course was to equip the first Nyikina community educators/teachers in the proper use of the teaching resource materials developed in 2004. Madjulla Inc. is currently negotiating with the Christensen Fund America to fund the second stage of the language course which will focus on the research and production of a higher level of language literacy. This learning will be enhanced through applied language learning, knowledge and practice in partnership with Nyikina Elders who are fluent language speakers and cultural mentors.

Click here for the Nyikina Language dictionary (2.7MB). SORRY, OUR DICTIONARY IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT. Clicking on the link will ask if you want to download Lexique Pro. This is a dictionary database program from SIL - Summer Institute of Lingluistics and is quite safe. Loading Lexique Pro then gives access to the draft dictionary.

download brochure for Nyikina Language and Culture Resource Kit (pdf 400kb - opens in new window)

Using bush medicine