Nyiyaparli Widi game helps revive endangered language via tech

A smartphone game developed in collaboration with the Nyiyaparli community in Western Australia is being used as a tool for revitalising the critically endangered Nyiyaparli language.

The game, Nyiyaparli Widi, enables children and adults alike to learn their ancestral language and cultural knowledge through gameplay on everyday devices such as iPhones and iPads.

Nyiyaparli is one of Australia's Indigenous languages facing critical endangerment, with only eight fluent speakers remaining. Just 18 months ago, there were 11 speakers, indicating the urgency for preservation measures.

Leonard Michael Stream, a member of the Nyiyaparli Living Language Project Cultural Working Group, commented on the community's approach:

"We keep telling kids to get off their phones - but here's a story where staying on the phone might just help save a language and the cultural knowledge it unlocks."

Rather than relying on traditional methods such as textbooks or formal classroom settings, the Nyiyaparli Widi game incorporates community voices, technology, and local knowledge. Children using the game engage not only with words, but also with stories, places, and customs integral to their culture.

Game features

Nyiyaparli Widi, with 'widi' meaning 'game' in the Nyiyaparli language, uses a format familiar to smartphone users, but its purpose is to promote language revival. Game missions involve real Pilbara locations and reference sites of specific cultural importance. Throughout the play, users hear the voices of Nyiyaparli elders (both past and present), senior language speakers, parents, and children themselves.

Participants earn "Paathupaathu Points", which stands for respect points, by collecting cultural items from the Nyiyaparli tradition within the game. The design aims to make language learning enjoyable, with an appeal similar to mainstream mobile games such as Angry Birds or Fishing Clash, but with a cultural focus.

The community-driven aspect of the project is central. The Nyiyaparli community was directly involved in the game's design and voiceovers, ensuring it is both authentic and accessible to a wide audience.

Cultural preservation

The initiative comes at a pivotal moment for Nyiyaparli speakers. With the number of fluent speakers decreasing, there is a pressing goal to reach younger generations in the ways they most commonly interact with the world - through digital technology. The game is available nationally on major app stores for both Apple and Android devices.

Nyiyaparli Widi is part of the broader Nyiyaparli Living Language Project, which aims to preserve the language for future generations. As the game launches across the country, it coincides with growing interest from broader education, technology, and cultural sectors that are invested in supporting Indigenous language revival efforts.

Included with the launch are materials such as a short documentary, "Wangkama Nyiyaparli (Talk Nyiyaparli)", as well as game trailers and visual assets showcasing the game and its community applications. Organisers note that while direct interviews with community members are limited, the media is encouraged to use the approved materials to respect the community and represent its perspectives appropriately.

Nyiyaparli Widi aims to support language learning not just for Nyiyaparli youth, but also non-Nyiyaparli people with an interest in Indigenous languages, making cultural education a more widespread experience.