Newsletter #6
March 2013
PROJECT UPDATE
We're coming close to having the search interface ready for testing, and we're looking forward to taking it for a spin. We're still busy digitising, OCRing and checking metadata for the thousands of items already collected, and refining aspects to make the archive attractive.
A great deal of effort has gone into the map interface, so people can choose to look at materials by clicking on either a location or a language area. This has been quite challenging, but will enable people with low literacy to engage with the archive visually, without requiring a great deal of typing or reading.
Now that we have so many items digitised and ready to make available, we need to focus on getting the information right and permission to publish.
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HOW CAN YOU BE INVOLVED?
We are always looking for people who can help with talking to the story owners and illustrators and their families to tell them about the archive, and to seek permission for the use of their material. We have always found people to be very interested and willing to agree, but there are many more people to be contacted. Let us know if you can help in a particular area.
Texts and metadata in the various languages need to be checked and it is always much better to be done by someone who knows the language well. We also need to weed out duplicates and discrepancies in author names, so that searching groups the right names together for the right people. Please let us know if you are willing and able to help with checking.
ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY
We haven't been visiting communities so much lately, but there are still people in Darwin willing to help us out. Milingimbi elder and retired university lecturer Waymamba Gaykamaŋu has been recording some of the books written by her father in Gupapuyŋu language, with Emma Murphy assisting in the editing. Two ladies from Numbulwar (Didamain Uibo and Ginyibuwa Murrungun) came to the University with Melanie Wilkinson to look at the Wubuy (Nunggubuyu) language materials and help us work out who wrote and illustrated some of the materials with minimal metadata. Jane Galathi from Galiwin'ku has also been helping with some of the books in Yolŋu languages, and Mary Laughren is planning to work with some of the Warlpiri ladies living in Palmerston to record some stories.
PRESENTATIONS
Cathy presented the project and a preview of the archive interface to linguists at the Australian Languages Workshop on Stradbroke Island earlier this month. People were very pleased to hear that these valuable resources were being preserved. A number of people also mentioned "I have a box of books from when I was working in x community, can you put it in the archive?"
A brief report was given at the recent Central Australian Linguistics Circle in Alice Springs, and next month an update will be given at the Top End Linguistics Circle in Darwin. Brian and Cathy also presented the project to a group of students as part of the Growing Our Own program at CDU for Indigenous Assistant Teachers who live and work in the Territory’s remote communities.
FUTURE PLANS
It's ARC application time, so the project team is busy working on another application for further LIEF funding (Linkage, Infrastructre, Equipment and Facilities) to continue and expand the project. We're delighted to have a further commitment from the NT Department of Education and Children's Services, and hope that the Australian National University will continue to be involved. We're talking to potential new partners at Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, the Northern Territory Library and the Catholic Education Office. It will be a busy few weeks with meetings and budgets and getting all the details right, but we hope it will allow us to go further with the project.
COMING SOON
We hope that by the next newsletter we can invite people to view the website and interact with the archive. We look forward to getting feedback so we know what tweaks are needed. We'll also be making plans to launch and publicise the archive later in the year.
As always, we welcome your feedback and input.
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