Arrernte

File:Aboriginal map of northern territory australia.jpg

Location of Arrente (light blue) in the Northern Territory

Arrente is a language, a group of people, and also an area of land in Central Australia.

Sprache

The language of Arrente is one of the many Central Australian Aboriginal languages, and has many similarities with languages of surrounding areas, including:

• Luritja
• Warlpiri
• Pitjantjatjara
• Central Arrente
• Eastern Arrente
• Western Arrente

Menschen

The Arrente people, or Arrente Rhilla are a group of people that traditionally live in the Arrente lands. Some Arrente Rhilla live in other areas a distance from their homeland, and may even live in Sydney or Melbourne or overseas.

The population of Arrente people living on Arrente land (including Alice Springs) is estimated at 25,000, making it the 2nd largest of all Central Australian aboriginal countries, after Pitjantjatjara (which is primarily in South Australia).

Area of land

The Arrente land is controlled by Arrente Council which in turn is controlled by Central Land Council from Alice Springs. Arrente is the traditional language of Alice Springs, which is the centre of Arrente land.

Arrente land claims run as far west as Mutitjulu and King's Canyon, and as far east as Wallace Rock Hole. Arrente does not control any land south of Alice Springs, as that land is controlled by Pitjantjatjara. Arrente does control a small amount of land north of Alice Springs, but there are no communities on this land.

Distinguishing between the forms of Arrente

The 4 distinct languages and groups of people can be best described as follows:

• Central Arrente refers to people from the township of Alice Springs only.
• Eastern Arrente refers to people from the Arrente lands East of Alice Springs.
• Western Arrente refers to people from the Arrente lands West of Alice Springs.
• Arrente refers to all groups combined, or alternatively to the people from the few Arrente lands North of Alice Springs.

(note: There are no Arrente lands South of Alice Springs, as these lands belong to Pitjantjatjara, which is primarily in South Australia)

Scholars vary in opinion as to whether the 4 languages constitute languages or merely dialects of the same language, as the wordage used is at least 98% identical amongst all 4 languages. However, it could equally be argued that Luritja is over 80% identical to Arrente, as is Warlpiri and Pitjantjatjara, and henceforth there is an argument that they should be considered to be their own separate languages. Whilst Aboriginal languages in entirely different parts of Australia are vastly different, languages of people in close proximity to each other traditionally have significant overlap.

Arrente language in schools

In most primary schools in Alice Springs, students (of all races and nationalities) are taught Arrente (or in some cases Western Arrente) as a compulsory language, often alongside French or Indonesian languages. Additionally, most Alice Springs High Schools give the option to study Arrente language throughout High School as a separate subject, and it can also be learned at Centralian College as part of a TAFE course. Future plans are that it will be included as a university subject.

Arrente language in workplaces

Many Alice Springs workplaces require for employees to learn at least basic Arrente in order to communicate effectively with the large numbers of Arrente people (approximately 25% of Alice Springs residents speak Arrente as their first language). Many workplaces offer learning of Arrente as an option and will fund the course.

Learning of the Arrente way of life

Throughout Alice Springs, tourists can learn about the Arrente way of life, with guides and storytellers speaking of the life in a variety of different ways. Tours are run regularly to Hermannsburg (Western Arrente) and Wallace Rock Hole (Eastern Arrente) so as to learn more about the Arrente way of life, from their artwork to their culture and language.