Pama Languages Press, established by Pama Language Centre in 2017, is supporting writers in First Nations Languages.
Pama Languages Press aims to enable First Nations authors and language champions to develop ancestral language literature and resources required to support both community based language revitalisation and maintenance and support school based language curricula. Very little published literature and educational material is currently available in the First Nations languages of Cape York Peninsula.
Pama Languages Press is working with First Nations authors and language champions to establish a new ancestral languages publishing domain. We develop traditional and contemporary First Nations ancestral language literature in both print and digital media, promoting ancestral language literacy and developing professional pathways in First Nations languages.
As a multi media publishing company established specifically for the purpose of First Nation ancestral language revitalisation Pama Languages Publishing will be able to:
- create employment and support to authors interested in taking on the challenge of writing in First Nations Languages
- establish status and recognition for First Nations languages as languages of high culture
- create training pathways and opportunities for careers in Ancestral Languages literacy, translation and teaching.
By supporting authors, developing essential resources and by strongly contributing to the building of ancestral language pathways via employment and training, Pama Languages Press will work to build many of the foundational resources and much of the expertise necessary for ancestral language viability.
The development of a professional corps of First Nations Ancestral Language Experts – including writers, editors, teachers, translators and language curriculum experts – is a necessary step toward ensuring and developing the cultural capital of Cape York Peninsula.
