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Article published In:
Australian Review of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 41:3 (2018) ► pp.252–279

A Yolŋu ‘Bothways’ approach to English and Warramiri literacy at Gäwa

| Charles Darwin University
| Charles Darwin University

In the famous Djuranydjura story from North-East Arnhem Land, when the visiting ‘Macassan’ offers the Yolŋu ancestral dog rice, shoes and blankets, he rejects them all, in favour of his own land and resources. At Gäwa homeland on Elcho Island, this powerful story is reinterpreted to include the arrival of balanda (white) teachers, and their focus on English literacy. However, it is not that English literacy is devalued, but that it must maintain its proper place; negotiated to sit alongside the foundational literacy of the land, and Warramiri language itself. An approach of applying such a ‘Bothways’ pedagogy through utilising the ‘Accelerated Literacy’ methodology for both languages and cultures is outlined to demonstrate that strengthened identity is attainable when the community moves together.

Keywords: Bothways philosophy, Warramiri language, Yolŋu education, Gäwa, Accelerated Literacy
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.‘Bothways’ literacy education
  • 3.Positionality
  • 4.Warramiri ‘Bothways’
  • 5.Rationale
  • 6.Accelerated Literacy ‘Bothways’
  • 7.Case study: Storm Boy and Balanda Runu’ŋur
    • a.Text choice
    • b.Literate orientations, transformations, spelling
    • c.Writing
  • 8.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 22 March 2019
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/aral.18016.gel
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