Proud Gundungarra raised Gunai nation woman with ties to Yuin nation and former Southern Highlands resident Kirli Saunders has been named as the NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Kirli said she was surprised when the announcement was made.
"I was surprised on the day especially because the women on the panel that were also finalists, Ngiare Brown and Pauline Clague, are two women whose work I deeply admire," she said.
"I was just standing up on stage there thinking oh my God I get to hang out with these incredible women and I was definitely not expecting to be named as the NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year.
"It felt like a tribute to my mum who has done such wonderful things in our community. She and my dad have done such a wonderful job of raising us kids to be fairly well rounded.
"It's nice that this award shines light on cool things happening in language revitalisation which is where this award and nomination really stems from, the work through Poetry in First Languages.
"I feel very lucky that Aunty Val Mulcahy and Aunty Trish Levett have taught me Gundungarra language.
"It's a life long journey for me. It doesn't just stop when you learn some words."
Kirli was raised in the Southern Highlands and is the founder of Poetry in First Language and manages poetic learning and Red Room Poetry.
Poetry in First Languages (PIFL) celebrates, shares and preserves knowledge of First Nations languages and culture through poetry, music, dance and art.
Kirli said she knew it was time to learn the First Language after she could hear the sounds of ancestors singing but couldn't understand what they were saying.
"I called Aunty Trish Levett to ask what was going on and she told me that the ancestors were saying it was time to learn language," she said.
It was from here that Poetry in First Language was born.
Kirli sat with her artistic director Doctor Tamryn Bennett at Red Room Poetry.
She explained her vision to create a program where she could not only learn language but create a program where poets could learn their First Nation languages with their elders and custodians.
"I then wanted to take those poets and elders out on country with our First Nations kids and community and have kids learn language through different projects around conservation, bush medicine, bush tucker, art and dance," she said.
"It kind of just evolved through there and now poems are published on bus backs and keep cups.
"This year we will be leading workshops on Gundungarra Country between March 16 - 20. We have 13 schools involved.
"It's so exciting that these First Nation students put their hands up and identify and be strong and proud of their cultural identities."
PIFL is now delivered in NSW, NT and ACT and more than 15 languages have been represented in poetry and the success has taken Kirli by surprise.
"I definitely didn't think that this little idea would steam roll in to what Poetry in First Languages is and I am so lucky that this project is supported by Red Room Poetry who helped me deliver this."
"Poetry in First Language is all community managed, community led on country and I feel really lucky that this happens."
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.
In 2020, Poetry in First Languages is focused on the South East of NSW and is being delivered with Gundungurra, Dharawal, Gumea Dharawal, Yuin, and Jerrinja Communities in early childhood, primary and secondary settings.
Read also: Brigadoon postponed due to virus concern