Miromaa tools and methodology for community led language documentation and conservation
Daryn McKenny
Course Description
Miromaa is an incredibly powerful and comprehensive suite of tools designed to empower Indigenous people to be directly involved in all aspects of language reclamation, conservation and revitalization work.
Miromaa is one of the easiest, user friendly, but also powerful computer programs developed by Miromaa Aboriginal Language and Technology Centre in Australia, for the maintenance of our traditional languages. It places gathering, analyzing, and dissemination tools at your fingertips. Miromaa can be used in the field, as an individual or by community language programs for all aspects of language documentation and conservation.
This workshop will start with an overview of the Miromaa software program and introduce participants to our community focused methodology. Key to the workshop is understanding the philosophy which underpins the programs’ design and use in Indigenous communities worldwide.
Over the 4 days you will get to explore all facets of using Miromaa for language documentation and at the conclusion of the workshop you will be extremely confident in using all of its features including its extensive use of multimedia and archiving abilities. You will explore the library function of Miromaa by digitizing and uploading historical language sources and gain an understanding of how powerful Miromaa is in housing all language sources in the one place.
You will be shown how to create word lists, dictionaries and iOS apps through Miromaa and we will spend time familiarizing you with the Miromaa Community Dictionary Maker and all of its capabilities. You will have a chance to try different equipment from our Language Technology case which includes the complete range of Zoom digital audio and video recording devises. We will be using Audacity for sound recording in our interactive recording session and you will gain an understanding of how Miromaa works with other programs such as Toolbox and Lexique Pro. But most importantly you will be learning skills to use in all aspects of your activity to help stop the loss of Indigenous languages.
Miromaa means `saved’ in Awabakal, the language of the Newcastle region of Australia. You will be working with samples from the Awabakal language during the workshop, a language which until our program started, had not been spoken for over 150 years.
Miromaa is the first and only Aboriginal designed language documentation and resource production tool and it is currently used by over 200 communities worldwide. Miromaa is highly suitable for use with many of the traditional languages of North America.
Read more: http://www.miromaa.org.au/ and hover your mouse over the Miromaa menu item
Course Requirements
In attending this course we will be providing every participant with the Miromaa software program for your personal use. You will need a Windows based laptop to run Miromaa (if you have a Mac you must have Windows installed via Boot Camp or accessible in a virtual environment like Parallels) and other specific software installed:
After completing your course registration you must visit the CoLang 2016 special web page at our Miromaa Aboriginal Language and Technology Centre website at http://miromaa.org.au/miromaa/register/colang.html to read the training information and instructions which also include your personal Miromaa software licenses request.
As we are coming from Australia it is very important that you have applied for your Miromaa Licenses and that your computer is setup with the required software well before the start of the workshop. We are very excited to have this opportunity to meet you all and share our skills with you at CoLang 2016 this year.
What to bring
Your windows based laptop with all of the installed software listed ready to go. (if you have a Mac you must have Windows installed via Boot Camp or accessible in a virtual environment like Parallels or VMware)
Be comfortable with using your Windows computer and have a basic understanding of file management as a minimum. Ideally you will also have Microsoft Word and Excel installed. Making dictionaries requires Word.
Have Miromaa http://www.miromaa.org. au/miromaa/register/colang. html and Audacity http://audacityteam.org/download/windows installed on your computer.
Come prepared with an open mind and open heart ready to do some amazing work together!
Any further questions
Please email miromaa@acra.org.au.
