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 in 1940) is an important elder from the Wiradjuri people. The Wiradjuri are an Indigenous Australian group from the south-west inland part of New South Wales, Australia. Stan Grant Sr. is a teacher and author. He has worked hard to keep the Wiradjuri language and culture alive.
His grandfather was once put in jail just for speaking his own language. Today, Stan Grant Sr. teaches the Wiradjuri language to many students. He has received an award called the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his amazing work.
Learning and Teaching the Wiradjuri Language
Stan Grant Sr. was born in Cowra, Australia. He has several brothers and sisters, including Flo Grant and Pastor Cecil Grant.
When he was younger, Stan Grant Sr. worked many different jobs. He sold fruits and vegetables and also worked at a sawmill.
Keeping the Language Alive
Stan Grant Sr. is one of the few people alive who heard native Wiradjuri speakers when he was a child. He grew up listening to his grandfather, Wilfred Johnson, speak the language. His grandfather could speak seven different languages!
In the late 1940s, his grandfather was arrested because a policeman heard him speaking Wiradjuri to his son. At that time, it was against the rules to speak Aboriginal languages in public. After this, his grandfather stopped speaking Wiradjuri in public. But he continued to teach young Stan and his brother Cecil in secret.
Rebuilding the Wiradjuri Language
Stan Grant Sr. has been very important in bringing the Wiradjuri language back to life. He worked with a person named John Rudder. They traveled among the Wiradjuri people, teaching them their language.
They used old records to help rebuild the spoken and sung parts of the language. In 2005, they published a large book called "A New Wiradjuri Dictionary." It was about 600 pages long! In 2006, this important work won a Deadly Award for outstanding achievement in Aboriginal education.
Stan Grant Sr. also helped create a course at Charles Sturt University. This course teaches the Wiradjuri language, culture, and history. He still attends the graduation ceremonies for students who complete the course.
Family Life
Stan Grant Sr. married Betty Cameron. Her family came from a place called Gunnedah Hill. After they got married, they lived in a broken car on an Aboriginal reserve.
They have several children and many grandchildren. One of their children is the well-known journalist, Stan Grant. Their daughter, Lowanna Grant, is a radio presenter.
Stan and Betty Grant live near Narrandera, which is in the southern part of Wiradjuri country.
Overcoming Challenges
Stan Grant Jr. remembers that his family often lived in simple huts. They moved around a lot so his father could find work.
In May 2017, Stan Grant Jr. interviewed his father. They talked about the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum. This was a special vote that changed the Constitution of Australia to recognize Aboriginal people.
Stan Grant Sr. shared how he experienced unfair treatment when he was young:
Unfair treatment was very clear. I was called many hurtful names. You couldn't own land or a house. You had to rent. You couldn't be out late at night; you had to be gone by sundown from the street. There were many, many things we couldn't do.
However, he later saw positive changes:
Around 1969-1970, I noticed some changes. The unfair treatment that was so obvious before, wasn't as clear. It was more hidden. It gave us the right to be citizens in our own country.
Awards and Recognition
Stan Grant Sr. has received many important awards for his work.
Member of the Order of Australia
On June 8, 2009, he was named a Member of the Order of Australia. This award was given to him for his "service to Indigenous education and for helping to keep the Wiradjuri language and culture alive." It also recognized his work as a teacher and author, and his support for young people.
Honorary Doctorate
In December 2013, Charles Sturt University gave him an honorary Doctorate of Letters. This special award recognized his amazing work with Indigenous communities.
The university's vice-chancellor, Andrew Vann, said that Stan Grant Sr. "has made an outstanding contribution... especially to Indigenous communities." He also said that as an Elder, author, and teacher, Stan Grant Sr. has made a great intellectual contribution. His deep involvement in starting the university's new Wiradjuri Language, Culture and Heritage program in 2014 was a clear example of his important work.
NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award
In 2022, Stan Grant Sr. received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the NAIDOC Awards. This award recognized all his hard work and dedication over many years.
See also
