This month Real Gold honours the UNESCO Year of the Indigenous Language 2019 with the display and digital publication of two Awabakal language manuscripts.
One is the Gospel according to Luke titled 'Evangelion unni ta Jesu-um-ba Christ-ko-ba Upatoara Louka-umba'. Translated into the language of the indigenous Awabakal people, located in the vicinity of Hunter River and Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia in the year 1829, and further revised by the translator, L E Threlkeld, Minister. The copy on display was the fourth and final revision created in 1957.
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/manuscripts/id/13367/rec/1
And the second manuscript is an Awabakal and English lexicon to the Gospel according to Saint Luke. 1859. It provides critical information on pronunciation and meaning.
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/manuscripts/id/13511/rec/2
Both documents have played a central role in language revitalization for the Awabakal today.
In this podcast we are joined by Heritage Outreach specialist Renee Orr who shares her research on the story behind the creators of the manuscript and its journey to Auckland Libraries Special Collections.
View the manuscripts at Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero | Central City Library in the Reading Room Level 2 or through Kura Heritage Collections Online https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz
