Who is Thirrimbithi?
Thirrimbithi – “Echidna” in Mpakwithi – is the current Cape York Peninsula embodiment of the social robot developed by CoEDL Robotics at University of Queensland in collaboration with the Ngukurr community, to support transmission of the fragile ancestral languages of the Ngukurr area.
Thirrimbithi Pimi – Echidna One – , Thirrimbithi Dhwithi – Echidna Two – and Thirrimbithi Chumu – Echidna Three – currently live with Agnes Mark, Susan and Victoria Kennedy, who are working with Pama Language Centre and CoEDL to develop Thirrimbithi’s potential as a home language tutor of Mpakwithi, the ancestral language of Tentpole Creek. Mpakwithi is a revival language spoken by just Agnes, Vikki, Susan and Pama Language Centre linguist Xavier Barker.