{
  "id": 14283842,
  "title": "Great-grandmother learns her native language at very special preschool",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/great-grandmother-learns-her-native-language-at-very-special-preschool",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-13T20:03:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-14/great-grandmother-learns-language-at-indigenous-preschool/107169750"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Julie Craig, now 65 years old, is embarking on a language journey at Kulai Preschool on the NSW Mid North Coast. She attended the same preschool as a child and is now learning Gumbaynggirr language for the first time. Her great-granddaughter Enalanii Greenup attends the preschool as well. Julie's mother and father did not speak the language, and she only learned it later in life. Before the ban on Indigenous languages in schools was lifted in 1972, speaking these languages was prohibited. Julie believes that her great-grandchildren are learning more now because of the language being spoken at the preschool. She is proud that her granddaughter sings songs to her mother in Gumbaynggirr, a language she cannot sing in English anymore. The Kulai Preschool was established in 1961 and became an Aboriginal Controlled Community Organisation (ACCO) in 1989. Its director, Julie Carey, has witnessed significant changes in language revitalization efforts over the past 34 years, with formal language programs being introduced in 2022. Carey emphasizes that the preschool's cultural identity and sense of belonging are vital for families and overall wellbeing. Another nearby preschool, Dalaigur, was started by Save the Children in 1965 and became an ACCO in 1991. Its chair of the board, Uncle Fred Kelly, recalls how speaking Dhanggati language was once feared and punished. Dalaigur's director, Debbie Swanson, highlights that culture and language are naturally integrated into the preschool. The Dalaigur board is concerned that the children's rich language and cultural learning may cease upon graduation. Gumbaynggirr Giingana Freedom School, opened in 2022 as the first bilingual primary school featuring Indigenous language in the state, is working to address this concern. The school's director, Dylan Berger, states that the children exhibit a stronger sense of cultural identity than previous generations. Studies conducted in the Freedom School indicate that children from Kulai often arrive with a strong sense of cultural identity and confidence, demonstrating the positive impact of culturally strong early childhood environments on language and cultural development.",
  "summary": "A Gumbaynggirr elder was never allowed to speak her native tongue, but now she learns alongside her great-granddaughter at an Indigenous preschool.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}