Stan Grant (Wiradjuri elder) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stan Grant Sr.
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Stanley Vernard Grant
1940 (age 84–85) Australia
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| Occupation | Teacher |
| Family | Stan Grant (son) |
| Awards | Member of the Order of Australia (2009) "For service to Indigenous education and the preservation and promotion of the Wiradjuri language and culture, as a teacher and author, and to youth." Deadly Award (2004) "for outstanding achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education" |
Stanley Vernard Grant Sr (born 1940) is an important elder from the Wiradjuri people. The Wiradjuri are an Indigenous Australian group. They come from the south-west inland region of New South Wales, Australia. His grandfather was put in jail for speaking his own language. Today, Stan Grant Sr teaches the Wiradjuri language to many students. He helps keep his culture alive.
Keeping the Wiradjuri Language Alive
Stan Grant Sr grew up hearing his tribe's language. He heard native speakers like his grandfather, Wilfred Johnson. In the 1940s, it was against the rules to speak Aboriginal languages in public. His grandfather was arrested for speaking Wiradjuri. After that, his grandfather stopped speaking his language in public.
Stan Grant Sr has worked hard to bring the Wiradjuri language back. He worked with Dr John Rudder. They traveled among the Wiradjuri people. They taught the language to both city and country tribal members. They used old records to rebuild the spoken and sung language.
In 2005, they published "A New Wiradjuri Dictionary." This book was 600 pages long. In 2006, their work won a Deadly Award. This award was for outstanding achievement in Indigenous education.
About Stan Grant Sr's Family
Stan Grant Sr's father was Cecil. Cecil served in the 9th Division in Tobruk.
Stan Grant Sr married Betty Cameron. Her family came from Gunnedah Hill. After they married, they lived in an Aboriginal reserve near Griffith. They had several children and many grandchildren. His son, Stan Grant, is a well-known journalist. His daughter, Lowanna Grant, is a radio presenter.
Stan and Betty live near Narrandera. This area is in the southern part of Wiradjuri country. His son, Stan Grant Jr., remembers moving often. The family lived in small huts. This was so Stan Grant Sr could find work.
In 2017, Stan Grant Jr. interviewed his father. This was for the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum. This vote changed the Constitution of Australia to recognize Aboriginal people.
Awards and Recognition
Stan Grant Sr has received many honors for his work. On June 8, 2009, he was named a Member of the Order of Australia. This award was for his service to Indigenous education. It also recognized his work to preserve the Wiradjuri language and culture.
In December 2013, he received an honorary Doctorate of Letters. This was from Charles Sturt University. It recognized his work with Indigenous communities. The university's vice-chancellor praised his contribution. He helped start a new program at the university. This program teaches Wiradjuri language, culture, and heritage.
In 2022, Stan Grant Sr received the Lifetime Achievement Award. This was at the NAIDOC Awards.
