Poetry in First Languages

Meet our educators Jacob Morris, Kirli Saunders, Aunty Sharyn Halls and Aunty Trish Levett

Meet our poets Kirli Saunders, Joel Davison, Jeanine Leane

Language on red soil Poetry on Arrernte Country

Going green on Gundungurra Conserving the bawa (bush)

Exploring culture at workshops on Gundungurra Country

Keeping languages alive Donate today>>

There's poetry in the water Listening at Cookaroo Flow, 2018 installation

Finding mirren (belonging) Gadigal workshops, RBG Sydney

Discovering the magic of Dharawal Support our work>>

Gūgarra Djedjembēn Nadaji
Mah Mah Mah
Yallumba Būrajāh Banggliga

~ Jacob Morris, Ethan Bell and Adrian Webster from 'Banggliga'

Delivered by Red Room Poetry and developed by Gunai poet Kirli Saunders, Poetry in First Languages (PIFL) celebrates, shares and preserves knowledge of First Nations languages and culture through poetry, music, dance and art. PIFL aims to support students to find strength in their cultural identities through language learning and connecting to Country, Culture and Community with the intention of enhancing overall wellbeing and knowledge.

2020 program

2019 program

2018 program

Program goals (2018–2020)

25 commissioned First Nations poets, emerging, mid-career and established
Creation of language group-specific learning resources aligned with Australian Curriculum
First Nations poets, Elders and Language Custodians working directly with 1,000 First Nations students
Performance and publication of student poems via creative installations and the RR website
A print and a digital anthology of First Language poems collected during the project in 2020
Professional Development sessions (3 per year) for teachers
Independent evaluation conducted by BYP Group and by UTS

Poems

Bahloo , Bury me , 2560 , Heart Thunderstorm , Rain dancing... , Barka – murrdie (Darling, black person) , Un-named , Ngayrayagal didjurigur (Soon enough) , My City , The Wounded Brave

View all Poetry in First Languages poems

Research

Research on the impact of PIFL on educational outcomes, connection, identity and wellbeing:

Poetry in First Languages Evaluation by Jackie Bailey, BYP Group (2019)
“Finding new words to talk about ourselves”: Exploring the relationship between self-concept clarity and language by Eleanor Carless, University of Technology Sydney (2019)

Contact media@redroompoetry.org to access the full report by Eleanor Carless.

Strengthening Language and connecting to Country

Dharawal 2019

Filmed by Tad Souden

Starting our Language journey together

Dharawal 2018

Filmed by Craig Holbrook

Learning resources

HSC English Resource: Ali Cobby Eckermann's Inside my Mother
Digital Workshop: Speaking and Listening from the Heart
Webinar: First Languages, Education and Reconciliation (Part 1 and 2)
Learning resource: Poems to Share II

Discover them here >

Partners and Supporters

Poetry in First Languages is generously supported by many partners since 2018: Oranges & Sardines Foundation, Ades Foundation, Graeme Wood Foundation, Norman Catts, Northern Illawarra AECG, the National Health Commission and Dharawal Men’s Aboriginal Corporation.