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A national focus on news, events & issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Hear interviews and stories from the SBS NITV Radio program, part of SBS Audio.
1055 Episodes
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Skye Cusack is a writer and comedian exploring the mess and magic of everyday life, from classrooms and workplaces to relationships, through a candid, comedic lens. In this episode of Speak My Language Skye shares her story about writing, comedy and managing creative opportunities when living with an invisible disability. She also chats with Ngaire about her newest work, 'Checked Out', which received a 2025 Elevate Grant, the 2025 Copyright Agency Varuna Fellowship, and was shortlisted for the 2025 Penguin Write It!
Dr Alexander Smith is passionate about football, and he backs it up on the field. An Australian representative in Physical Disability Rugby League (PDRL) and a proud Rabbitohs player, Alex sits down with Ngaire Pakai to share his journey in becoming PDRL ready, the impact of team sport for individuals and the community, and the bright future he sees for the game.
Rickeeta Walley is from a family that helped bring the Welcome to Country into a modern age while protecting millennia old protocols. When her dad Richard Walley was asked to do a Welcome to Country for Harry Styles, he had no idea who that was. The Welcome became a viral sensation and sparked an international discussion about the importance of the Welcome to Country, and creating spiritually safe cultural protocols for guests coming to 'Australia'.
Jack Collard went from being raised in the country, to advocating for First Nations rights at the United Nations. He is the product of two-way learning, navigating academic space and cultural space. Travelling to Indonesia to study International Relations taught Jack about a different measure for happiness, and to value culture and connection over material wealth.
Ilona McGuire uses her art as commentary on the political climate of 'Australia', often with a lighthearted humour as a tool for activism. Ilona has grown up embracing her Noongar and Kungarakan cultures, performing with her Noongar family since a young age. Her culture informs her artwork and promotes valuable messages and brings attention to the political climate. Combining technology with culture, Ilona has worked with drone light shows such as “Moombaki” to centre the importance of place in story, and the power of knowing the significance of an area.
You can’t help others with an empty cup, but how does supporting your own needs first, before you support others really go? Shakara Walley went from working in the arts to working with incarcerated youth. Her journey to supporting herself and creating boundaries as a form of love, has informed her work supporting young people in what healthy relationships look like.
Language revitalisation has been a long and hard journey that continues to be impacted by the ongoing effects of colonisation. Policies such as the White Australia Act forbade First Nations Australians from speaking their languages. Dylan Collard strove to reclaim his connection to Noongar language, not only to deepen his own relationship to culture, but in order to keep the language of Noongar Country alive. Dylan started his language journey in 2017, and is now a fluent speaker and teacher.
Who controls research, and who benefits from it? Across Australia, Indigenous communities have often been the subjects of research rather than actively leading and shaping it. But in Galiwin’ku (Elcho Island), a different approach is taking hold - one built on co-design, mutual respect, and shared knowledge. In this episode, Dr. Sarah Hanieh speaks with Mrs Ruth Gulamanda Dhurrkay, Mr George Garambaka Gurruwiwi and Dr Ros Beadle, who are working together to create and deliver research that is community driven, shaped by cultural knowledge, and focused on real-world impact.
For Yolŋu people, the homelands are more than just a place to live, they are a way of life, deeply connected to country, culture, and identity. While living on country offers a sense of belonging that town life cannot replace, it also comes with challenges - from rough roads and deteriorating houses to unreliable essential services. In this episode, Dr Sarah Hanieh speaks with Margaret Dhorrpuy Munyarryun, who calls the homeland community of Dhambala home. She shares the realities of life in the homelands, the resilience it takes to stay, and why teaching young children about identity and connection is more important than ever.
What happens when a remote island community must build its own dialysis unit to keep families together? In Galiwin’ku, a Yolŋu community on Elcho Island in the Northern Territory, rates of chronic kidney disease are rising, forcing many to leave their homelands for life-saving dialysis treatment—often hundreds of kilometres away. In this episode, Dr Sarah Hanieh speaks with Charlie Yebarrarr Dhamarrandji, a community member undergoing dialysis, and Kat Baxter, a dedicated dialysis nurse from Purple House—an Indigenous-led healthcare service providing dialysis in remote communities. Together, they discuss the profound significance of the new local dialysis unit: what it means for culture, identity, and community.
How do you navigate a future shaped by both tradition and change? For young Yolŋu leaders, the path forward isn’t always clear. Tradition is strong, but modern influences - like social media - are changing the way young people connect with culture, community, and Elders. With these shifts, tough questions arise: What traditions do you hold onto? What do you adapt? And how do you make space for both worlds? In this episode, Zelda Dhamarrandji, a young Yolŋu leader shares her experience of growing up in Galiwin’ku, where cultural knowledge and modern influences intersect. She reflects on the responsibility of carrying forward cultural knowledge, the pressures of the modern world, and what it means to move forward while staying connected to the past.
Western medicine treats the body, but for Yolŋu people, health is something much bigger. Wellbeing is tied to land, kinship, and the natural environment, passed down through generations. This traditional way of looking at health and wellbeing has sustained Yolŋu communities for centuries, but today, it exists alongside Western healthcare. In this episode, Dr. Sarah Hanieh speaks with Marcus Lacey to explore Yolŋu perspectives on health, the vital role of country in healing, and why these traditions remain essential in today’s world.
In this final episode of Guardians of Language and Country, we journey to Western Yalanji Country. Set against the rugged beauty of Far North Queensland’s rivers and freshwater creeks, this episode explores how Western Yalanji people are preserving their language—through teaching on Country, sharing intergenerational knowledge, and embracing new technologies. Brad Grogan from Western Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation shares plans for a language app and a virtual reality project that will allow connection to Country in the digital space. Rangers Lindsay Gore and Nisha Williams offer insights into everyday language use and the vast resource of cultural knowledge elders hold. From snakes interrupting interviews to heartfelt reflections on legacy and learning, this episode is a powerful reminder that language is more than words—it’s identity, connection, and a way home.
In this episode of Guardians of Language and Country host Donnie Johannesen and producer Alden Lyall bring us stories from the Gunggandji on Yarrabah Country, where language is alive in classrooms, on beaches, and through the voices of the next generation. We'll hear from Lynese Hari about how the Gunggandji Aboriginal Corporation is preserving language through school programs, Junior Ranger activities, and how emerging technologies like AI and social media are being used for language learning. Educator Candice Sexton also explains how students are learning to introduce themselves, sing songs, and tell traditional stories—like how the turtle got its nose—in Gunggandji language. Young rangers demonstrate how deeply language is connected to country as they share place names, animal words, and the cultural stories that connect the past and the future.
Bianca Templar is an artist deeply rooted in her culture and an advocate for First Nations rights. Her creative journey is woven with tradition, community, and activism. In this episode Bianca yarns to Lowanna Grant as she shares the profound influence of the elders and mentors who have passed down traditional cultural art practices, shaping both her artistic expression and her identity.
In this compelling conversation with Lowanna Grant, Kerri Shying, a Wiradjuri poet with a mixed heritage including Chinese Australian ancestry, shares how poetry serves as a tool for emotional expression and cultural connection. Despite living with a degenerative disease, Kerri explains how poetry helped her regain her voice and connect with both her Indigenous roots and broader communities.
Paul Constable Calcott, or Uncle Paul, a proud Wiradjuri man and artist, reflects on his life's journey from a childhood impacted by polio to becoming a UN delegate advocating for Indigenous artists with disabilities. Through his involvement in the NuunaRon Art Group, Uncle Paul continues to create safe spaces for storytelling and cultural expression, helping others to find their voices through art.
Cass Best is a proud Gay Kamilaroi Mari who is non- binary and living with disability. They actively advocate for and engage with Mob and the LGBTQI+ community. Much of Cass’ advocacy focuses on intersectionality, working to create inclusive spaces for mob who are queer and live with disabilities. Being an advocate has not only improved Cass’ wellbeing, but has also improved inclusion and accessibility for others. In this episode Cass chats with Kerri-Lee Harding.
In this episode of Speak My Language (Disability), Kerri-Lee Harding yarns with Samantha Schmidt, a para-athlete and proud Wakka Wakka and Gubbi Gubbi woman from Queensland. Samantha, who holds the Australian national record in women's F38 discus, shot put, and javelin, recently returned from representing Australia at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Her journey in athletics, alongside her experience living with cerebral palsy, reveals the transformative power of sport and community.
In this episode of Speak My Language: Disability we share the story of James Griffiths, a proud Wangaaypuwan man. After becoming blind in 2005, James has become a passionate First Nations advocate for disability inclusion. James is also an avid fisher and yarns to us about the art of blind fishing.
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