#5: Sharon Gregory on Teaching Noongar Language and Connection to Aboriginal Culture in Fremantle

Sharon Gregory has been striving to make a difference in her community through revitalisation of Noongar language for the last 16 years. Noongar is the local First Language in the south west region of Western Australia, including Perth and Fremantle. She is a Department of Education-trained Indigenous Language teacher. She started her Noongar teaching career at local Primary Schools. Since leaving the Department of Education, Sharon has developed a solid career in Noongar community services, utilising Noongar language and cultural knowledge as a tool for healing. In her spare time, she has also led a Fremantle-based language learning group Waalyalap Waangkaniny for the last eight years. Under Sharon’s guidance, the group aims to share Noongar language and advocate for wider recognition of Indigenous languages. Sharon also runs weekly Noongar classes at the Meeting Place in Freo and has taught at the Fremantle Noongar Cultural Centre and for the City of Cockburn, as well as authoring a Noongar Language dictionary, overseeing Noongar songwriting and undertaking translation for community projects. I really enjoyed speaking to Sharon about her work and hopes for the future in this International Year of Indigenous Languages. To purchase her Noongar Language Dictionary you can email Sharon directly at [email protected] To attend a Noongar Language Class check out the schedule here: https://www.fremantle.wa.gov.au/arts-culture/walyalup-program Show Notes: http://www.abidimam.com/sharongregory