Kalali language facts for kids

Kalali is an Aboriginal language from Australia. It is also known by names like Kullili, Galali, and Garlali. This language was spoken by the Kalali people near the Bulloo River in Queensland.

Kalali is part of the larger Pama–Nyungan language family. However, it is seen as a unique branch within this family. This means it has its own special features. Some experts, like Gavan Breen, have also linked it to other languages in the area, such as Minkabari and parts of the Ngura language.

The Kalali People and Their Language

The Kalali people and the Wanggumara people lived near the Bulloo River and the Wilson River. Both rivers are located in South West Queensland. It is not fully clear if they first lived by the Bulloo River or the Wilson River.

Some people moved around when European settlers arrived in Australia. This happened in places like Thargomindah and the middle Bulloo River. They sometimes adopted new languages but kept their original group names.

The Kalali people who lived by the Bulloo River were found around Thargomindah. Their land stretched south to the Currawinya Lakes. It also went west to Bulloo Lakes and north to Norley Station.

A linguist named Gavan Breen studied the Bulloo River Kalali language. He learned it from a speaker named Charlie Phillips. Charlie Phillips was 74 years old at the time. He was born at Backwood Station in south-west Queensland. He spoke Kalali very well, even though he had not used it in conversations for 40 years.

There are different spellings for the name 'Kalali'. Gavan Breen himself used forms like Garlali before. He now prefers the spelling Kalali.

Bringing Kalali Language Back to Life

Many Aboriginal languages in Australia are no longer spoken every day. Because of this, there are efforts to bring them back. This is called language revival.

Kullilli Ngulkana is a project working to revive the Kalali language. It was started by two brothers, Toby Adams and Daryl Docherty. Toby Adams' father was part of the Stolen Generations. This means he was taken from his family as a child. He was moved from his home in Quilpie to a special reserve at Cherbourg.

Toby Adams wanted to reconnect with his family's culture and language. He met a linguist named Claire Bowern from Yale University. Claire had worked with Kullili elders before. She had helped create language materials.

Together, Toby Adams and Claire Bowern started working on the project. They are creating a dictionary for the Kalali language. They are also making other learning tools. This includes a mobile phone app to help people learn Kalali.

The local school in Thargomindah is also helping. They are working with Toby Adams. They want to include Kalali language learning in their school lessons. This helps younger generations learn and keep their language alive.