Aurukun Ancestral Language Experts translated the Referendum Council document Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Constitution into a Wik-Mungkan audio-recording for the Referendum Council.
This lengthy and complex document was translated into Wik-Mungkan and recorded as an audio recording by Phyllis Yunkaporta, Mary-Anne Kerindun and Perry Yunkaporta and facilitated by Pama Language Centre (Louise Ashmore) after consultation with Aurukun Shire Council.
The key purpose of the interpretation was to ensure Wik-Mungkan speakers had access to information about possible constitutional change in their mother tongue. While there is on-going value in the audio, and it can be played as a public educational resource in the region, the important consideration was to enable Wik-Mungkan speakers to have their say about constitutional change through an online submission (via the Referendum Council website). Submissions closed on the 8th May, 2017. The interpretation was a bit of a challenge to get finished in time but Phyllis Yunkaporta worked through the weekend to get it all done.
The Wik-Mungkan interpretation is available online at – https://www.referendumcouncil.org.au/resource/audio-recordings