Wik-Ngathan Linguistic Notes and Sources

The following is a preliminary overview of a selection of language resources and documentation about the language and speakers of Wik-Ngathan:
(1) During his long-term fieldwork on language, society and territory at Cape Keerweer, Peter Sutton has collected recordings in seven dialects of the region, in particular Wik-Ngathan. Sound recordings are held at AIATSIS, some with restricted access rights. Wolmby, Peemuggina & Sutton (1990) and Sutton (1997) include texts in Wik-Ngathan language. Entries in the Wik-Ngathan Dictionary (Sutton, 1995) provide a number of example sentences. A sketch grammar and text (N. Peemuggina 1977) is included in Sutton (1978: 234–331). The site-mapping database (Sutton et al. 1990) includes Wik-Ngathan language data.
(2) The archive of Ursula McConnel includes an extensive collection of photographic documentation of the Wik area, field notes and recorded and transcribed texts. These materials include a number of Wik-Ngathan-related materials.
(3) Elicited wordlists collected by Ken Hale (1958) include some Wik-Ngathan data and examples, published in Hale (1964, 1976).
(4) Various film sources include Wik-Ngathan speakers: Turn back. The untold story of the first European contact in Australia, 15 minutes, DVD, Dan Bracegirdle (Director). Wik Media (Production), 2006.
(5) Recent language documentation work has involved collaborative research to record the current language practices of Wik-Ngathan, Wik-Ngatharr and Wik-Alken speakers as part of a pan-dialectal documentation project about Wik-Ngathan and Wik-Ngatharr/Wik-Alken. The documentation materials have formed the basis for a community-oriented archive and further descriptive work (Ashmore, in prep).
(6) A language and Cultural maintenance project involving the digitisation of genealogical and photographic material held at South Australian Museum was completed in March 2016.