International Mother Language Day: First Nations Languages

21 February

International Mother Language Day is observed on 21 February each year. It is a global observance that can provide an opportunity to foreground Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language maintenance, renewal and intergenerational learning in Australia.

Languages, knowledge and identity

UNESCO established the observance in 1999, and it has been marked since 2000. The day has its own history connected with the Bengali language movement. A First Nations-focused activity should acknowledge that origin rather than describe it as an Australian Indigenous observance.

Local languages and local authority

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages are diverse, and the people who hold them have their own protocols for learning, sharing, naming and use. A national calendar cannot supply permission to use a particular word or claim knowledge of a local language.

The date can encourage learners to find publicly authorised resources and understand the work of language centres, Elders and communities. It is also an opportunity to recognise that language carries relationships, knowledge and responsibilities, not simply a list of interchangeable translations.

A school or workplace might review the source and permission for words used in signs, learning materials or acknowledgements. Avoid copying vocabulary from an unverified online list, inventing pronunciation or combining words from different languages as if they were one. Credit creators and follow the relevant community’s guidance.

Reflecting and learning

Identify an authorised local language resource and the organisation responsible for it. What guidance does it give about use, attribution and learning?

Start with the sources below and distinguish the original event from later interpretations and commemorations. When using this date in a classroom or workplace, allow time for questions and further reading. First Nations peoples have diverse histories and perspectives; this brief introduction does not speak for every community.

Sources and further reading

• International Mother Language Day — UNESCO
• Annual celebration of International Mother Language Day — United Nations

Our related products and resources

We do not currently offer products or learning resources specifically for this date. The reading links above are provided for background and further learning. Suitable items from our range will be added here as they become available.