FILM AUSTRALIA COLLECTION

Title Details

Not to Lose You, My Language

Not to Lose You, My Language looks at some aspects of Aboriginal bilingual education in the Northern Territory.
Year : 1975 | Total Duration : 27 Minutes | Producer : Malcolm Otton, Tim Read
Director : Greg Reading |
Slow zoom to rising sun over wide red outback landscape. WS trees and plain. CU mouth of Aboriginal elder (several teeth missing) speaking native language. CUs mouths and facial features of various Aboriginal people speaking various dialects. Zoom out from Aboriginal woman talking in her native language to non-indigenous linguist writing notes and conversing with Aboriginal woman.
Access No. 132087 | 1 min 17 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
CU picture of turtle drawn on blackboard with Aboriginal name written underneath. Pan to Aboriginal male teacher teaching class and having children repeat word. CU Aboriginal child's hand following printed passage in book, reading out loud and CU of finger on words. CU young Aboriginal child's smiling face. Opening titles.
Access No. 132232 | 1 min | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
VS busy classroom scenes with Aboriginal and non-indigenous teachers working with Aboriginal and non-indigenous children on various activities. MS bearded and long-haired non-indigenous teacher speaking to camera about bilingual education programs.
Access No. 132233 | 38 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
VS Aboriginal teacher with small Aboriginal preschool children finger painting on Milingimbi (Goulburn Island). Pull- back to naked children and to group sitting on grass listening to Aboriginal teacher reading English book in Aboriginal. CUs childrens' faces concentrating on book.
Access No. 132234 | 44 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
VS classroom craft activities with both Aboriginal and non-indigenous teachers with children. VS teachers drawing outlines of children on paper spread on floor and talking to children in two languages. VS non-indigenous teacher instructing preschoolers to make an ÒfÓ sound.
Access No. 132235 | 1 min 10 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
VS non-indigenous linguist Beulah Lowe joining group of Aboriginal women sitting under trees while children play in water at Milingimbi. VS women in conversation with Beulah. MS Beulah working at desk with card index containing work towards dictionary of local Aboriginal language. MS several completed boxes. MS Beulah sitting outside at table with Aboriginal teacher Manydjarri working on an Aboriginal story primer. English subtitles.
Access No. 132265 | 3 mins 3 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
Aerial tracks over outback town of Yuendumu. MS non-indigenous teacher in front of class and children standing at attention. VS children playing drums and rest of school marching out of assembly bare-footed. CU interview with young female non-indigenous teacher speaking of the merits of the bilingual program in helping children to read.
Access No. 132266 | 1 min 2 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
MS small children animatedly filing into classroom. VS children sitting on floor watching Aboriginal teacher writing Aboriginal words on blackboard, getting children to repeat words and explaining how to form letters. CUs childrens' faces. MS teacher ÒdrawingÓ letter ÒmÓ on child's back then getting children to do same on partner's back.
Access No. 132267 | 2 mins 10 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
Outdoor lesson with non-indigenous teacher teaching young children English with help of picture book. CUs faces of small children and teacher making ÒbÓ sound and imitating buzzing bee. VS bearded Aboriginal teacher teaching mathematics to class in native language (English subtitles). CUs young Aboriginal girl with blonde hair. CU girl with dirty nose doing maths counting on chalkboard.
Access No. 132268 | 2 mins 20 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
CUs Aboriginal and non-indigenous teacher sitting together discussing bilingual program and making up programme. CU individual interviews with teachers speaking of how the program has changed their jobs. VS Aboriginal musicians performing with traditional instruments and singing and young children dancing holding gum leaves in hands at Milingimbi.
Access No. 132269 | 3 mins 24 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
CUs Aboriginal woman basket weaving. Zoom out to VS group of women all weaving. VS Beulah Lowe asking Aboriginal elder Djawa to tell story of fish for making a book of story. MS Djawa speaking in Aboriginal dialect into tape recorder. VS Beulah at desk transcribing story from tape recorder and typing up story. Zoom out from artist at desk producing illustrations for story in ink.
Access No. 132270 | 1 min 34 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
Aerial track POV aircraft over countryside leading to Yayayi. VS Pintupi people and VS wurley and camp fire, broken down car, dogs etc. VS in classroom with children reading words out loud from blackboard as Aboriginal teacher points to them. VS children writing at desks. GS children kicking football outside and VS visiting non-indigenous teacher training Aboriginal teachers. VS community learning.
Access No. 132271 | 2 mins 59 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
VS preschoolers with mothers at informal learning session at Yayayi. VS visiting non-indigenous teacher working with children in the bush while their mothers are hunting. VS playing matching games and WS Aboriginal women hunting then bringing lizard kill to group. VS group of Pintupi people of various ages sitting on rug with teacher reading
Access No. 132272 | 1 min 50 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
Track of Beulah Lowe cycling through village and arriving at Aboriginal elder Djawa's house. Beulah shows him the book she produced from his storytelling. CUs of pages, Djawa's pleased face and VS children reading the book in school situation. WS outback with distant mountains and sparse trees. Closing titles.
Access No. 132273 | 2 mins 9 secs | 1970s | NT, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |