Marmanar- reawakening the language of North West Tasmania

Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation (CHAC) represents Aboriginal people in Circular Head, delivering holistic services that support individuals, families, and the wider Aboriginal community across North West Tasmania.

CHAC is committed to nation rebuilding by working with the local community to reconnect and strengthen the shared socio-linguistic network (Nation) of the Northwest region of Tasmania.⁶Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation, Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation & tarkiner Annual Report 2024-25, 27, [link]

Marmanar—meaning ‘my tongue’ or ‘my language’—is the collectively chosen name for the shared language of twelve culturally, linguistically, and familiarly connected Aboriginal tribes of the North West nation. These tribes are:

• The Tommeginer people of Table Cape
• The Lowreenner people of Rocky Cape
• The Parperloihener people of Robbins Island
• The Pennemuker people of Cape Grim
• The Pendowte of Studland Bay
• The Peerapper people of West Point
• The Manegin people of Arthur River
• The Tarkiner people of Sandy Cape
• The Peternidic people of the mouth of the Pieman River
• The Mimegin people of Macquarie Harbour
• The Lowgernown people of Low Rocky Point
• The Ninene people of Port Davey

On 1 July 2024, CHAC launched the Marmanar Language Program to awaken the North West nation’s language. With only fragmented written records preserved by European observers, CHAC has undertaken intensive linguistic and cultural analysis as part of its nation-rebuilding work.

CHAC collaborates with linguists while maintaining community leadership and control. Guidance is provided by the Community Language Committee (CLC), a working group of Elders and community members who direct the project, shape policy, oversee implementation, and safeguard community ownership. The ‘reawakening’ of Marmanar is the culmination of years of work, with generations of Elders, members, and staff contributing research, recordings, and archival insights.⁷Rochelle Godwin, Language Project Manager, “Exclusive: Aboriginal corporation’s language revitalisation project: a powerful reconnection to identity, Country, and culture”, National Indigenous Times, December 2025, [link]

Through consensus, the CLC confirmed Marmanar as the language name and identified 50 foundational words based on recurring sounds across records, consistency across locations, and accessibility for new learners. These words form the basis for understanding the language’s sound system and establishing an emerging orthography, providing a strong, culturally grounded foundation for ongoing development and use.⁸Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation, Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation & tarkiner Annual Report 2024-25, 30 [link]

Language is Culture. Culture is language. They are interconnected, so without one, the other feels incomplete. Language connects us to Community, to Country and to our identity.
– Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation, 2025⁹Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation, Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation & tarkiner Annual Report 2024-25, 30 [link]

The next phase of the Marmanar Language Program focuses on bringing the language into everyday use. This will include the delivery of language workshops across the North West region, development of culturally grounded learning resources, and integration of the language into schools and community programs.¹⁰Stephen Hafner, Community Language Coordinator, “Exclusive: Aboriginal corporation’s language revitalisation project: a powerful reconnection to identity, Country, and culture”, National Indigenous Times, December 2025, [link]