What is Kriol?
Kriol is a creole language spoken by thousands of Aboriginal people across northern Australia, especially in the Northern Territory's Katherine region and the Kimberley. It developed from English and Aboriginal languages.
Kriol emerged in the early 1900s, particularly at the Roper River Mission in the Northern Territory, where children from different language groups lived together. Over time, it became a full language with its own grammar, sounds and vocabulary.
Although many Kriol words come from English, they often have different meanings or pronunciations, and the grammar is quite different. For example, the word blanga means of or for.
A language of its own
Kriol is now the first language for many Aboriginal children in communities such as Ngukurr, Barunga, Beswick and parts of the Kimberley. It is one of the most widely spoken Indigenous languages in Australia.
The full Bible was translated into Kriol and launched in 2007, a major milestone for the language.
Linguists stress that Kriol is not broken English but a separate language. Some schools have used it alongside English and traditional languages in teaching, and it is heard on community radio and in music.
Did You Know?
Torres Strait Creole, also called Yumplatok, is a different creole spoken in the Torres Strait.