PLAN TO BRING ENDANGERED LANGUAGE BACK TO COUNTRY

The Pertame School teaches the endangered Pertame language, with less than 30 fluent speakers, to younger generations. (Credit: Batchelor Institute.)

A language school in the Northern Territory is planning to build a new on-country learning centre to teach and preserve the endangered Pertame language.

Pertame School, which was founded in 2016, is fundraising to build a new classroom on Pertame Country, south of Alice Springs.

Coordinator of Pertame’s Master-Apprentice program Samantha Penangka Armstrong said language belonged on country.

“We’re based in Alice Springs at the moment, but you can’t really do much with your own language in another country,” she said.

“It’s much better and has more meaning when its back out on country.”

Ms Armstrong said it was important to preserve the endangered language.

“[We want to] get it back strong to how our ancestors were and how our grandparents and great grandparents were,” she said.

You can donate here to support the new learning centre.