Alice Springs-based student Shania Armstrong is playing a key role in keeping local language alive

IN the Central Australian desert a language native to the area is now only spoken by a few people. But one student is playing a key role in keeping the ancient language alive

Shania Armstrong (far right) teaches Pertame. Picture: Supplied

• New locally-created app teaches Alice Springs’ first language, Arrernte

OVER time in the Central Australian desert a language native to the area, Pertame, has been taught less and less and is now only spoken by a few people.

But Alice Springs-based student Shania Armstrong is playing a key role in order to keep the ancient language alive.

The endangered Southern Arrernte language is spoken by the family of the Centralian Senior College student.

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She is working with Mparntwe elders, the Alice Springs Language Centre and the Bachelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, to become a skilled practitioner of Pertame.

And the Year 12 student worked in a master-apprentice relationship in the Pertame Language Project — an initiative to retain and revive the language.

Centralian Senior College principal Tony Collins said Shania had “worked sensitively with elders to develop many Pertame teaching tools”.

“With the elders she has created multimedia resources, such as quizzes and presentations, useful in teaching young people in holiday programs, and a Bradshaw Primary School enrichment program,” he said.

“This year she successfully led a collaborative project with Headspace to develop a series of interactive mental health posters in Arrernte.

“Shania is making an outstanding contribution to our local community in keeping Pertame strong.

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“She inspires others to learn through her teaching to young people, and the development of engaging language resources.”

Mr Collins believes Shania’s role in the Pertame Language Project signposts a career path as a language educator in the community.