Indigenous Custodians Launch Landmark Statement to Strengthen Northern Territory Languages

A group of more than 30 Aboriginal language custodians has called for a significant shift in how Indigenous languages are integrated into daily life and government systems. On Monday, 6 July 2026, the delegation released the Top End Strong Languages Statement during a gathering of approximately 100 people at Charles Darwin University. The four-page report serves as a formal roadmap for the survival and revival of Indigenous languages across Australia’s Northern Territory. The statement outlines several key priorities, including increased funding for language and culture centres and the repatriation of archived materials back to communities. It also advocates for strengthening bilingual education by ensuring Western school systems work directly with communities to drive curricula. Furthermore, the report suggests that essential services, such as health clinics, should build their capacity to understand and communicate in local Aboriginal languages. Rarrtjiwuy Herdman, a speaker of the Dhaŋu language from Arnhem Land, has been a leading figure in the development of the statement. She emphasized the importance of ensuring the next generation can deliver services to their own communities in their native tongue. Herdman has already established a pilot program through the Djalkiri Foundation to teach young adults Dhaŋu, focusing on both literacy and oracy. Galiwin'ku delegate Ian Gumbula described the statement as a reflection of the heart and mind of NT communities. Speaking to ABC News, he noted that the release was a day for celebration and that language provides communities with life and freedom. In response to the calls for action, Paul van Holsteyn of the NT Education Department stated that Aboriginal languages are currently taught in over 50 schools and reaffirmed the department's support for incorporating local curriculum.