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Kaytetyemoji (2023)
app

Collaboratoration with Philip Janima, Valentine Shaw, Tommy Jangala, Kathleen Rambler, Matthew Heffernan, Myfany Turpin, Joel Perrule Liddle, Bridey Lea and others.


Full credits

  • App Store
  • Google Play

Kaytetyemoji is a sticker set of Kaytetye emojis, words and audio pronunciations for you to use via a free app.

 

After the success of the Indigemoji app, the Arrernte Indigemoji team decided to support a Kaytetye language project. They knew Kaytetye was considered a highly endangered Australian language, with only 109 speakers listed in the 2021 census, down nine per cent since the previous census.


Over many months, the Kaytetye team led by Philip Janima, Valentine Shaw, Tommy Jangala, Kathleen Rambler went through a process of translating the relevant Indigemojis from Arrernte to Kaytetye as well as designing 44 new emojis for plants, animals and other important parts of Kaytetye life and culture, with the help of graphic designers. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the team used mobile phones to check emojis and their meanings with other Kaytetye speakers too. We made recordings of the word to match each emoji, along with example phrases which you can find on this app.

The main emoji representing the set is ‘artnke’ which means flat-topped hills, a significant feature of Kaytetye country. You see these hills when you come towards Barrow Creek. Other neighbouring language groups also recognise artnke as a feature of Kaytetye country.​ It was launched in April 2023 at the Barrow Creek Hotel.

The stickers are available for you to use and share through a free app available through the App Store and Google Play.

This project was funded by Regional Arts Australia, Johnston Foundation, University of Sydney and the Australian National University.

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