Think Globally, Act Locally — Help Save an Indigenous Language Today

Wednesday, 25th June 2025

Every year, I spend a month or two working as a visiting psychiatrist in Cape York and the Torres Strait, and each time, I return changed. The culture, the community, the humour, the quiet strength — they stay with me. These aren’t remote, forgotten places; they’re vibrant centres of knowledge, identity, and deep time.

But here’s the thing: one of the most profound cultural losses on the planet is unfolding right now — and almost no one’s talking about it.

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A Language Dies Every Two Weeks

Globally, a traditional language disappears roughly every 14 days. In Australia, we started with over 250 Indigenous languages. Fewer than 14 are still being passed on to children. The rest are fading fast. With each loss, we don’t just lose words. We lose worldviews. We lose ecological knowledge, law, kinship systems, and creation stories. We lose maps of meaning.

This isn’t only about language. It’s about coherence — the psychological glue that bonds communities, identities, and histories together. Remove that, and all that’s left is silence.

On Moa Island, a Community Is Fighting Back

The Mualgal people of Moa Island in the Torres Strait are standing their ground. Through their Indigenous-owned art centre, Moa Arts, they’re building a recording studio — not to chase fame, but to preserve fading stories, songs, and language while it’s still possible.

They’re not asking for much. They need basic equipment — microphones, a laptop, some software — and professional training to do it well. In return, they’ll record a universe. One where Kala Lagaw Ya is spoken with pride, and kids grow up hearing their ancestors' stories in their own language.

As James Muller, Moa Arts Manager, puts it:

“Language is integral to culture. It carries unique identities, stories, myths, heritage, and spiritual connections… This campaign aims to utilise digital technologies to record Kala Lagaw Ya language and ensure that it remains accessible for future generations.”

Senior artist and board member David Bosun is just as clear:

“Our Elders know our language the best — but they are getting older, and we might lose much of our language when they pass. This is why we want to create our recording studio… so they are not forgotten and can be passed down to the younger generation.”

This isn’t nostalgia. It’s strategy. It’s survival.

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Culture Isn’t a Museum Piece

One common myth among non-Indigenous people is that First Nations culture is fixed. That it exists only in dusty books and museum labels. But that’s wrong. Culture isn’t a relic — it’s an ongoing practice. It’s alive, evolving, and yes, fragile.

The team at Moa Arts says it better than I ever could:

“We’re not a museum piece – we’re living, breathing communities here on the islands, working hard every day to keep our language and knowledge going in a dynamic world. If you care about justice, culture, and truth-telling, please support this appeal… Stand with us in a real way – so our children can grow up hearing their own language and feel proud of who they are.”

So, What Can You Do?

Think globally. But act locally. Here’s a local act with global weight.
Support the fundraiser. Share the link. Tell someone.
A few dollars buys a microphone. A few voices make a signal.

We can’t undo the past. But we can decide what’s preserved for the future.