Bamaga Enterprises Ltd (BEL) is supporting a new project to revive and pass on the Saibai language to future generations. The KKY Language Project aims to provide digital video resources to Bamaga, Seisia and Saibai communities.

Jeffrey Aniba-Waia, a custodian and choreographer from Saibai Island, is driving the KKY Language Project as Executive Producer. Experienced film and television producer Dr Andrew Belletty is also steering the project and has delivered digital media programs to Indigenous communities previously.

BEL has coordinated letters of support from local organisations and bodies to support an application for a $50,000 Indigenous Languages and Arts (ILA) Program 2020 grant.

The Kalaw Kawaw Ya (KKY) dialect is spoken mainly in the top western group of islands in Torres Strait.

“The KKY language contains culture and lessons that can only be passed down through stories and songs,” says Mr Bellety.

“This includes stories of the land, the sea, the stars, plants and animals, so it’s incredibly important that people understand the language so this culture and knowledge isn’t lost.”

If successful with the grant, the project team plans to undertake pre-production from September 2020 onwards, followed by further funding applications so production can take place in 2021.

“We wanted to use a local organisation and Jeffrey felt that Bamaga Enterprises had good infrastructure to support our efforts,” Mr Bellety says.

“They’ve helped us obtain letters of support for our grant application. The project administration will go through BEL if we’re successful, which is important so the community maintains ownership

“We want to get younger people from local communities involved in the production to train them and make the digital video resources self-sustaining.”

BEL Chairperson, Robert Poipoi, says the project is close to his heart as a speaker of the Saibai language, along with two other of BEL’s directors. “We hope Jeffrey and Andrew are successful in acquiring funding for this important project and look forward to further supporting this production.”