Political Candidate Faces Widespread Condemnation for Mocking Indigenous Language
Cory Bernardi, the lead candidate for One Nation in the upcoming South Australian election, has ignited significant controversy after posting videos to social media that appear to mock the traditional Kaurna language. The videos, which have accumulated more than 50,000 likes on Facebook, have drawn sharp criticism from Kaurna elders, political opponents, and community leaders who describe the content as damaging and offensive.
Videos Target Language on Public Landmarks
In two separate videos posted to Facebook, Bernardi specifically targeted instances where Kaurna language appears on prominent Adelaide landmarks. The first video, uploaded in mid-February, shows Bernardi standing outside Adelaide University questioning a banner displaying "Niina Marni," a traditional Kaurna greeting meaning "hello, how are you?" or "are you good?"
Bernardi states in the video, "Here I am at the Niina Marni centre. I don't know what that is and nor does anyone else to be honest. Why are we putting names or banners or flags on our university campuses that don't mean anything to anyone?"
The second video, posted more recently, features Bernardi outside the Women's and Children's Hospital where he gestures toward a sign reading "Ngangkiku Ngartuku Kukuwardli," which translates to "a place of health that cares for women during pregnancy and birthing, babies, children, and young people" in Kaurna language.
After mispronouncing the words, Bernardi questions, "Why? Why are we doing this to ourselves? No one knows where the Googa Waggly centre is. They just know where the women's and children's hospital needs to be."
Elders and Politicians Express Outrage
Kaurna elder Lynette Crocker responded forcefully to the videos, explaining that the wording represents "a respectful greeting to people" and comparing it to the expectation that visitors to Italy would learn some Italian phrases.
"It's just about respect for one another as human beings and how we communicate with one another," Crocker told media outlets. "I think it's unfortunate that they have to pick on Aboriginal people to display their disgruntledness. I think it's the lowest form of communication when he picks on Aboriginal people."
Jeffrey Newchurch, another Kaurna elder who has been instrumental in developing dual naming policies with Adelaide City Council and successive state governments since the early 2000s, described Bernardi's rhetoric as "damaging" to reconciliation efforts.
"It allows for people to launch their discriminating views upon us Aboriginal people and they're targeting a language and a people that were denied," Newchurch stated. "They're growing that position for people to come out of the darkness and put these views forward."
Political Fallout and Party Positioning
The political response has been swift and critical. Josh Teague, the Liberal Party's spokesperson for Aboriginal affairs, labeled Bernardi's comments as "grossly offensive" while acknowledging that some dual naming initiatives might be excessive.
"His focus shows how little One Nation cares about the important things to South Australians, like affordability, a better healthcare system and safer communities," Teague asserted.
Despite this criticism, the South Australian Liberal Party announced on Saturday that it would preference One Nation over Labor in all seats during the upcoming election. This decision comes as internal Liberal Party members express concerns about the party's future viability amid polling that suggests potential electoral challenges.
The South Australian government, while not directly addressing Bernardi's videos, emphasized through a spokesperson that the Labor Party remains "focused on an inclusive society that brings people together, not tearing people apart with division."
Institutional Support for Indigenous Languages
Adelaide University, known as Tirkangkaku in Kaurna language, issued a statement affirming its commitment to Indigenous heritage: "We are proud to share, honour and promote its legacy and continued practice of First Nations languages, culture and people as an important part of Australia's heritage."
Kaurna elders have been actively engaged in dual naming initiatives for over two decades, working to establish recognition and foster reconciliation through language preservation. Newchurch explained the significance of these efforts: "To have dual naming and to have that language on display is a sense of identity that brings us together and the importance of knowing country."
One Nation South Australia has not responded to requests for comment regarding the controversy surrounding Bernardi's social media posts.
