Leonard Collard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leonard Collard
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Leonard Michael Collard
24 December 1959 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | Murdoch University (MA 1996) |
Leonard Michael Collard (born 24 December 1959) is an important Noongar elder and a professor at the University of Western Australia. He is a leading expert on Noongar culture and language.
Contents
Understanding Leonard Collard's Background
Leonard Collard was born in Pingelly, Western Australia. He is a Whadjuk/Balardong Noongar person. The Noongar people are the traditional owners of the land around Perth, Western Australia. This means their ancestors have lived on and cared for this land for thousands of years.
His Education and Research
Leonard Collard studied literature and communications. He has spent many years researching Noongar history and culture. His work helps us understand the rich traditions of the Noongar people. He also develops new ways to study and share Noongar knowledge.
Protecting Noongar Language and Culture
Leonard Collard is dedicated to preserving the Noongar language and culture. He works to make sure this important heritage is not lost.
Mapping Noongar Place Names
In 2011, Professor Collard began a big project. He started a three-year study of Noongar place names. These are the original names for different places across the South West of Western Australia. He plans to create a public website with about 25,000 Noongar words for these places. This will help people learn about the land's history from a Noongar perspective.
Creating Noongarpedia
In 2014, Leonard Collard announced another exciting project. He is working to create Noongarpedia. This will be the world's first online Aboriginal encyclopaedia. An encyclopaedia is like a huge online dictionary and information book. Noongarpedia will help keep the Noongar language alive. It is very important because the Noongar language is currently endangered. This means fewer people speak it, and it could disappear if not protected.
