Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-operative

In 1986, several elders of the Gumbaynggirr people got together with the aim of reviving their language. In collaboration with linguist and teacher Brother Steve Morelli {{post-nominals|country= AUS|OAM}}, they established a plan to revive the language. First, they found the last remaining recordings of Gumbaynggirr, in order to build up the vocabulary and to create a grammar of the language.{{cite web | last=Keen | first=Liz | title=Cleverman showcases revival of Australia's Indigenous languages | website=ABC News (Australia) | date=3 July 2016 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-04/cleverman-showcases-revival-of-indigenous-languages/7561842 | access-date=11 August 2023}} In that year, Morelli (nicknamed "Gugs") worked with the group, which included Maggie Morris, and the Gumbaynggirr Language and Culture Group was established in Sherwood.

After obtaining funding from the federal government the elders published the first Gumbaynggirr dictionary-grammar, in 1992. A second edition of Gumbaynggirr dictionary and learners grammar was published{{cite web | title=Publications | website=Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-operative | url=https://muurrbay.org.au/publications-and-resources/publications/ | access-date=11 August 2023}} in 2015.{{Cite book | trans-title=Gumbaynggirr dictionary and learner's grammar |title= Gumbaynggirr bijaarr jandaygam, ngaawa gugaarrigam | author1-first=Steve |author1-last=Morelli | publisher=Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-op | year=2015 | isbn=9780980840599 |place=Nambucca Heads, N.S.W. }}

The success of the centre led to growth and expansion. Muurrbay was confirmed as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) in 1997 and started offering language classes. In 2004, it became a regional language centre, adding a further six languages to its offerings.

In 2014, the co-op received extra funding for language revitalisation.

Muurrbay is a regional language and training centre focused on language revitalisation of seven Aboriginal languages in the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, and Central Coast of New South Wales. It is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), and collaborates with local government and community groups about appropriate use of Indigenous history and names in public spaces. It also develops research programs for documentation and archival of linguistic and cultural materials, and collaborates with universities in other language research.

It publishes a variety of materials relating to language, as well as delivering services in linguistics, information technology, and education, including teaching language in local schools.

{{as of|2023}}, elder Gary Williams is CEO of Muurrbay. Micklo Jarrett is chair, and former politician Aden Ridgeway is also on the board.{{cite web | title=Board of Directors | website=Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-operative | url=https://muurrbay.org.au/about-us/board-of-directors/ | access-date=11 August 2023}}

{{as of| August 2023}} co-founder Steve Morelli ("Gugs") is still employed at the centre. He was born in Hungary and migrated to Australia with his family in the 1950s. He earned a BA in Languages, followed by graduate diplomas in linguistics and counselling, and has been recognised for his work at Muurrbay several times. In 1996 he received the Aboriginal Education Award of Excellence from the Department of School Education, Aboriginal Education Unit. He received the Patji-Dawes Language Teaching Award by the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language in 2019 (the International Year of Indigenous Languages) for outstanding achievement, after being nominated by Gary Williams. In 2021 he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal "for services to the Indigenous Community of Mid-North-Coast NSW", which he said was shared with the local elders and community.{{cite web | title=Staff and consultants | website=Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-operative | url=https://muurrbay.org.au/about-us/staff-profiles/ | access-date=11 August 2023}}{{cite web | title=Christian Brother's love of language honoured | website= Australian Catholic Bishops Conference | date=15 July 2019 | url=https://mediablog.catholic.org.au/christian-brothers-love-of-language-honoured/ | access-date=11 August 2023}}

Williams and other members of the Muurrbay team advised the actors in the 2016 ABC series Cleverman on pronunciation of Gumbaynggirr, which they used along with alongside the northern NSW language of Bundjalung.

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book| chapter-url=https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/handle/2123/6952/RAL-chapter-9.pdf;jsessionid=6CBDBBB4A9BFC0735BBACC123B7BECA8?sequence=1| chapter= 9. Maam ngawaala: biindu ngaawa nyanggan bindaayili. Language centres: keeping language strong| first1=Anna | last1=Ash | first2= Pauline | last2=Hooler | first3= Gary | last3= Williams| first4= Ken | last4= Walker|title=Re-awakening languages| pages=106–118 }}
• {{cite book| url=https://www.aboriginalaffairs.nsw.gov.au/media/website_pages/research-and-publications/completed-research-and-evaluation/Final-report-final-version.pdf| title=The triangularity between language and culture, educational engagement and community cultural health and wellbeing: A literature based research study for the New South Wales context|first= Shayne T.| last=Williams|date=2011}}

• {{official website|https://muurrbay.org.au/}}

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Category:Australian Aboriginal languages

Category:1986 establishments in Australia

Category:Language advocacy organizations