A culture is only as strong as its language, and efforts have been made over the past 30 years to resurrect the Wiradjuri language.

A community consultation meeting will be held at the Tolland Community Centre on Friday at 11am to talk about producing a local protocol to guide schools in implementing a Wiradjuri language subject.

New Charles Sturt University Indigenous Affairs chair Stan Grant started his role this week and was in Wagga on Wednesday to meet with staff and students.

Mr Grant’s role will be to continue to engage in debate in the push for constitutional recognition of Aboriginal people.

The former journalist threw his support behind making the Wiradjuri language more accessible in Riverina schools.

“Wiradjuri language is important,” Mr Grant said.

“It is essential to the ongoing strengthening of our community.”

Mr Grant said he learnt Chinese while in the country to better understand the culture in which he was embedded.

“When you understand what people are speaking you understand their thinking,” the 52-year-old said.

“Language is open to all – this is the way it should be.”

Mr Grant’s father, Wiradjuri elder Dr Stan Grant Snr, spearheaded the language’s resurgence, along with Dr John Rudder, producing the culture’s first dictionary.

Dr Grant Snr was proud of what has been achieved over the 30 years he has worked to bring the voice of his people back.

“I’d be very happy to see more schools learning the language,” Dr Grant Snr said.

“I never thought in my wildest dreams that we would get to this point.”

A NSW Board of Studies spokesman said the local community played a vital role in being able to roll out Aboriginal language studies.

Tim Wess, who graduated at CSU with a certificate of Wiradjuri Language and Nation Building last year, was behind the concept.

“I’d encourage anyone to learn a second language,” Mr Wess said. “Bilingualism makes you think differently.”

The Welsh native said people historically suppressed a language to suppress a culture.

“(Teaching Wiradjuri language in schools) is a golden opportunity not to be missed.”

All three men agreed studying the language should not be a compulsory part of the school curriculum.

“I don’t believe that people should be forced to learn, but if people are inspired and motivated – if we’re strong; if we are able to keep our language and culture together and make it something that all of the people can share in then I think we’re going to be a better country because of it,” Mr Grant said.