Situated within the park, the Canoelands rock art cave is filled with ochre and charcoal paintings of echidnas, turtles, tiger quolls, ancestor beings and more, which suggests that the cave was not an ordinary place of shelter but a significant and special site. Penrith historian Lorraine Stacker points to the significance of Nah Doongh [or Nellie], who was born around 1800 in Kingswood, and lived most of her life within the local area of Penrith. The names for the common wombat combine both indigenous and European words. The English common name is the same as the scientific name (Platycephalus = flathead; fuscus = dusky). Seasonal land management was practiced instead: meaning they hunted and lived in an area before moving to another place within Some of the most well known Aboriginal words for hello are: Kaya, which means hello in the Noongar language. So many Australians dont realise they already know a few Darug words, like wallaby and koala. More than 60,000 years of Indigenous history make up present-day Parramattas city and surrounds. While happy to know the land will not be carved up for housing, the Darug believe it should be given to them so it can be used to tell the Darug story. [8] Intact is an inappropriate concept here, but resonances of a prior open landscape are certainly apparent. Phillip Mar and Paul James, Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University (WSU) for the City of Parramatta, Parramatta Heritage Centre, 2017. marrinagul (small flathead)guwarri (large flathead). 1794 marks the beginning of a period of devastation and loss forDarugpeople as settlers took land along the river, ultimately culminating in brutal warfare asDarugwarriors fought to defend their lands and livelihoods. The City of Parramatta respectfully recognises the traditional owners of the land and waters of Parramatta, the Darug peoples. Change). Darug and Freshwater refer to freshwater (derived from freshwater flowing inland and saltwater generated from the coast). It was in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales that Hore met Tobin and Etal, and the Deerubin Shores choir was born, connecting with the river and other people to heal our communities. McGarvies list of Aboriginal placenames along Dyarubbin adds further insight into the story of Gurangatty. New South Wales, AustraliaKnown as the people of the three rivers, Wiradjuri people have inhabited modern-day New South Wales, Australia for at least 60,000 years. The Common Wombat is found throughout southeastern Australia. A list of Aboriginal placenames was a trigger for seeking the real secret river. The scientific name aptly means pygmy acrobat. WebMost of Western Sydney was home to the Darug people and as such their traditions, culture and lifestyle is not unique to The Hills but represents Aborigines from a number of other local government areas as well. But Karskens suggests that perhaps the most significant analysis of these early interviews, is the editing of Nellies stories to suit the agendas of the colonists and not to tell of the atrocities that white European settlers so violently executed in Australias early history. The area now known as Parramatta Park is an important heritage area, containing scarred trees from which bark was removed to make canoes, and water-carriers, shell-middens, and what archaeologists call artefact scatters and below-ground deposits. Their spirits still walk among us. Andrew Thompsons Red House (a) and Windsor Toll House (c) can be seen in this sketch. Aboriginal environmental impacts. True reconciliation is acknowledging everything that occurred in our past making peace and healing the wounds of the past. "Yarramundi his bloodline, we're still living on we're humming on and living on.". After the founding of the new colony, in 1791, Governor Phillip adopted the name he interpreted from the traditional custodians, and so Parramatta was born. Aboriginal dreaming paths and trading routes: the colonisation of the Australian economic landscape. They later lived on missions and reserves such as Sackville, La Perouse, Kogarah, Holsworthy and Katoomba. What Makes How many people speak the Dharug language? In this reprisal for the killing of three settlers, seven, eight, or possibly more Darug ancestors were killed, including leader and cross-cultural spokesman Yaraguwayi. Interestingly Karskens reveals that Frogmore was once the home and birthplace of Nellie, and perhaps her wanting to move in was more about her trying to find her home her safe place, a place of earlier times filled with her memories that no one can touch. The iconic koala is an arboreal marsupial found throughout eastern and southeastern mainland Australia. It describes a stout, erect shrub which may grow to four metres. Goodbye: Baayadhu. The Darug Aboriginals speak Dharug language as their first language. This long, winding and ancient river has been home to theDarugpeople for millennia and is a vital and sustaining resource. Aboriginal people realise they cannot actually make rain fall, but without the rivers flowing regularly due to drought and the impacts of climate change, singing to the river has strong symbolism, showing a need to look after the environment better. Meanwhile, Tobin coached a small group of men singing bass. The degree to which the Europeans were surprised by Australias unique fauna is reflected in the specific epithet of this species peregrines is Latin for strange or exotic. I can sing bass but not basso profundo. Kensington: UNSW Press. Evidence from South-eastern Queensland. The Blue Mountains World Heritage Area is located in New South Wales, about two hours drive west of Sydney (Credit: Narvikk/Getty Images). Marika is a Gamilaraay and Mandandanji descendent with family ties to Moree in north-west NSW. We are revitalising our language and trying to bring back that stronger connection to country through song. The resilience of the plants, which continue to grow despite this, is remarkable. Rock engravings can be found on the biggest bends of the river, each telling the story of the Great Eel as you pass through Darug Country. While visiting, take a stroll around the Arrunga Bardo Aboriginal Bush Food Garden. Singing is a way to heal the soul and heal others and its a great way to bring our language back, she concluded. Aboriginal environmental impacts. Join more than three million BBC Travel fans by liking us onFacebook, or follow us onTwitterandInstagram. by George William Evans watercolour SV/123. Lime made from burnt shell was also used by Dharug people as a white paint on bodies and artefacts such as shields and clubs. For the Darug, the old Black Town is a powerful symbol of their identity. The Aboriginal Flag signed by the original flag designer Harold Thomas, sits proudly in the entry to Penrith City Council, located in the heartland of the Darug. (2014). The English common name refers to the feather-like fringes of hair lining the tail, which is used for steering when gliding. Some time in the 1920s the Aborigines Protection Board took control of the land and sold it in the Our mothers and grandmothers are our teachers, they teach us of the Dreaming, our language and our culture as their mothers before taught them. The Guardian I just cant stand up for something I dont believe in, he told the publication. Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin. It is the largest kingfisher in the world, although it isn't a fish-eater, preferring terrestrial prey. We joined our voices in harmony as the rain started to fall heavier on the roof. For Darug people, there are spiritual dimensions to the flooding of Dyarubbin. Despite his successful work in Aboriginal mental health outcomes, the community backlash culminated in calls for Williams to hand back his award. Women carved theirgunirafrom wood in unique shapes and designs that were individual to them. Bush foods - or bush tucker - have been consumed for thousands of years in Australia, and it makes us unique in the world when it comes to cuisine. They had been taught me to express myself again. Early settlers in the Sydney region used shell middens (rubbish or ash piles) to produce lime for mixing cement. WebThe Darug People. Thompson uses the example of holocaust survivors and their families. To view a copy of this license visit:http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, L to R: Rhiannon Wright, Leanne Watson, Jasmine Seymour in rock art shelter, Canoelands, Erin Wilkins in rock art shelter, Canoelands. Leanne has been Director of DCAC (Darug Custodian Aboriginal Corporation) for the past 15 plus years. [3], Research in the Sydney region suggests an increase in burning in the late-Holocene period. An expert mimic, this species occurs in wet forest habitat along coastal New South Wales to eastern Victoria. Indigenous women throughout the world have developed their styles of weaving. Moreover, the Darug people consider ancestral lands and watersto be of great importance. Dyarubbin, the Hawkesbury River, begins at the confluence of the Grose and Nepean rivers and ends at Broken Bay. So tread softly on this ancient land, because our Dreamtime is still happening, our Dreamtime is forever. It is the land of our ancestors. what makes the darug community unique - interiorstate.com The Darug, originally a Western Sydney people, were bounded by the Kuringgai to the northeast around Broken Bay, the Darkinjung to the north, the Wiradjuri to the west on the eastern fringe of the Blue Mountains, the Gandangara to the southwest in the Southern Highlands, the Eora to the east and the Tharawal to the southeast in the Illawarra area. It was a month before Covid-19 lockdown and my mind was full of the horror of the fires. Travis is also a father of three young children, and he loves spending time with his family. As you stroll along the foreshore, notice the depictions of traditional Aboriginal foodstuffs, native plants and fishing activities underfoot. The choir workshops are becoming popular as non-Aboriginal people are becoming more curious about Australian languages. This long, winding and ancient river has been home to the Darug people for millennia and is a vital and sustaining resource. In the second sketch from the left, Andrew Thompsons Red House (a) and Windsor Toll House (c) can be seen. Its bends and features are encoded with meaning. Erin recounts that just downstream there is a massacre site, and that much of the fiercest resistance was fought nearby as Aboriginal people defended their sovereignty and land. Aborigines in the Hills District They became more flamboyant during that era. make You are free to copy, distribute, remix and build upon this content as long as you credit the author and the State Library of NSW as the source. sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter. Darugknowledge-holders, artists and educators Leanne Watson, Jasmine Seymour, Erin Wilkins and Rhiannon Wright share their culture and stories of special sites alongDyarubbinas shared custodians of this beautiful and haunting place. [2] The First Fleet officer John Hunter noted that Aboriginals around Sydney set the country on fire for several miles extent. Australias solution to ecological grief Many worked on the nearby property Lilburndale in exchange for wages and rations, shown in the Hall family accounts and receipts from 1866-84. Weaving has practicality when manipulating the fibre by hand, leg and foot with an earth The workshop was hosted by Darug musicians who offer singing workshops each year to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to revitalise their language. I craved fresh air to breathe and the support of community after months of anxiety during the wildfires. If animals and nature suffer, so do we. As you continue on, take a moment to acknowledge the transformation of those riverbanks when, in 1788, Governor Arthur Phillip sailed in and declared the land suitable for settlement. Comber, J. I feel a sense of sadness for what I know they [my ancestors] endured over a lifetime. https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2023/04/28/watch-class-of-2023-students- Sydney Harbour was first named Stingray Bay by Arthur Phillip in 1788, due to the large numbers of stingrays and stingarees that were found in Port Jackson bay (known today as The Rocks). The placename is formed by two stem words: Waway means monster fish spirit and mii is eye according to Professor Grace Karskens and linguist Dr Jim Wafer. That led her to set up Big Sing in the Desert, where Aboriginal elders now teach songs to others every year. A Dharug Taxonomy of Australian animals | by Matt Poll | Medium The species was named Platypus anatinus (flat foot; duck-like) by Shaw in 1799, and a year later independently called Ornithorhynchus paradoxus (bird snout; paradox) by Blumenbach. Thompson doesnt agree with claims of intergenerational trauma of Aboriginal people. Wowawme (fourth word from the bottom) is likewise now Wuwami. Travis believes that every student has the potential to succeed, and he tirelessly works to help them reach their full potential. Now they have family names like Lock, Webb, Everingham, Moran and Gale. It is one of three living wombat species, all of which are also endemic to Australia. Much of this region has sacred and ceremonial significance to Australias Aboriginal peoples. They are told to hold one of gumins puckered seeds, known as worry seeds, and roll it around in their hands to take their worries away until their parents can find them. Erin says that it was a traditional river pathway to the Blue Mountains and a plentiful source of food. We provide advice and support to all public libraries and local councils in NSW. Ethnic group. Leanne, Rhiannon and Jasmine believe that the veneration of Andrew Thompson and the failure to confront the darkest aspects of colonial history in this region contributes to the continued erasure of Darug people who have lived at Bulyayurang, and along this part of Dyarubbin, for millennia. It had been decades since some of us had sung, let alone in a choir. Dorumbolooa (third word on the list) is now Durumbuluwa in line with contemporary linguistic approaches. For thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, the Darug people of Penrith from the Cumberland Plain to the Blue Mountains, lived in harmony with this land and are still viewed as the traditional custodians. I think its an excuse used when having to face up to the harshness that life can offer. Who are the traditional owners of Liverpool? Darug culture, spirituality and sense of being are all intrinsically connected to the river. guriyayil Small parrots Scientific classification of animals groups species into related taxa, such as genera, families and orders. It is not known whether the three Dharug names refer to different sizes of this species, or to different species of flathead. Gould actively sought out the Indigenous names of Australian birds and mammals, as it aided in his acquisition of specimens. The magnificent Hawkesbury River is a place of great cultural significance to Australias Aboriginal people (Credit: Shells1/Getty Images). "That's a problem for people in south-east Australia because the courts are taking a very narrow interpretation of traditional culture.". On this list, significant and spiritual placenames like Wuwami and Durumbuluwa can be found and mapped to their original location through the Real Secret River, Dyarubbin project. Retrieved 17 July, 2017. pp. The Darug people are a group of Indigenous people of Aboriginal Australians that were united by a common language, strong ties of kinship and survived as skilled The old Sackville Aboriginal Reserve was established formally in 1889 by the Aborigines Protection Board and is a small portion of land on the banks of Dyarubbin at Cumberland Reach. what makes the darug community unique Gran would say doesnt matter son, our money is the same as white folk, we can find another shop. These days I dont suffer from such racism, however I see it among our young men and women.. Through singing with indigenous Australians who had survived so much despair, I felt welcomed. The Common Ringtail Possum is an arboreal marsupial found along the east coast of Australia, including Tasmania. At the time of European colonization, there were an estimated 3,000 Wiradjuri living in the region, representing the largest cultural footprint in the state. I was on my way to attend an Aboriginal weekend choir workshop called Singing Deerubin Shores in Richmond 10km up the Hawkesbury River from Yarramundi. Sign up to receive the latest news, updates or events happening in Parramatta. It is an update of his 1993 book The Darug and Their Neighbours, which helped arouse Darug consciousness. Land rights claims by Darug elders in the Supreme Court often fail and in doing so cause a re-creation of loss of home, of land, and of a place to belong. Its bends and features are encoded with meaning. Leannes artwork is inspired by her family, Darug Country, the environment and life experiences. Grand Vistas Panoramas from the collection, The real secret river: exploring Dyarubbin, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The generic name Tachyglossus means rapid tongue, and refers to how it quickly laps up its prey (ants and termites) with its sticky tongue.