A Special Cultural Edition of a Dual Dhudhuroa / WayWurru Language Dictionary was launched at the Big Fella Festival at Falls Creek on New Years Day.
|
 |
Photo - The Smoking Ceremony Jida Murray Gulpilil and Jesse Rotumah-Gardiner.
|
The decade-long project to compile a dual Dhudhuroa / Way Wurru Language Dictionary could be best described as a 'work in progress' with much more input to be made by the language groups involved.
The 125 page Draft Dictionary acknowledges the cultural heritage of the Dhudhuroa and Way Wurru people and urges any use of material from the Dictionary to do so with respect.
Numerous indigenous musicians entertained an enthusiastic audience at the resort’s first Big Fella Festival which showcased emerging and established Aboriginal artists.
The artists were very proud to be invited to the event that recognized many, many years of research which has been undertaken to compile a document which embraces their heritage.
One paragraph in the dictionaries' forward, which is particularly relevant to the project, states Our language has been 'sleeping' and been awoken by People who assert the rights of traditional Owners. The dictionary is linguistic evidence of our connection to Country.
The joint project has endeavored to create consistency between the two groups which have an oral language which pre dates the bible.
The Way Wurru and Dhudhuroa Language Dictionary is the seventh of nearly 40 traditional languages to be produced in Victoria and it has taken about a decade of research to reach the draft stage of the project.
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
Pics above by Chris Hocking of the Big Fella Festival on 1 January 2009.
|
|
|
Jida Murray-Gulpilil, the principal cultural person from the DhuDhuroa clan, has come south from Arnhem Land to be involved in a historic, once-in-a-lifetime event. The launch of a Dhudhuroa / WayWurru Language Dictionary at Falls Creek on New Year's Day.
|
 |
|
Gulpilil said:"Our elders and members of the DhuDhuroa people will join our counterparts from the WayWurru people to pass on our cultural heritage taught by their father and uncles.
It will quite a different journey to Victoria's largest alpine resort for Jida Murray-Gulpilil, who in his younger years saved hard to snowboard at Falls Creek..
"There a contingent of dancers, a renowned didgeridoo player Andrew Murrenda, and a line-up of talented indigenous musicians who'll perform at the inaugural Big Fella Festival at Falls Creek.
"We'll involve the resort guests in a traditional Smoking Ceremony Welcome to our country and our elders (and possibly one of our dancers) will wear the traditional Possum Skin Cloak.
"It will be an extraordinary day for our people and the visitors at Falls Creek. They could be part of the unveiling of the decade-long project to compile a dual Dhudhuroa/Way Wurru Language Dictionary (which pre dates the bible) which reflects our culture, our heritage, our law, customs, beliefs, family and our special places.
"We'll sing in the DhuDhuroa language and encourage the participants in the alpine resort's Big Fella Festival to be involved in the dance and celebration."
If resort guests purchase a Big Fella Festival three day/night accommodation package the New Year's Day (and evening) entertainment is free.
The Big Fella Festival Tickets are only $10 per person or $20 for a car load. Children under 12 will allowed access to the Main Stage performances in the Village Bowl (between 2pm - 10pm) free of charge.
Gates and Festival Market open at 1pm.
|
|
|
Dual Dhudhuroa/WayWurru Language Dictionary to be launched at the Big Fella Festival on New Year's Day.
|
 |
Photo of Gary Murray wearing a traditional Dhudhuroa possum skin coat, courtesy of The Age.
|
The ramifications of the decade-long project to compile a dual Dhudhuroa/Way Wurru Language Dictionary has had quite an impact on the group nominated to carry out the task.
It could be best described as a 'work in progress' owing to the amount of words still to be included in the final version of the dual language dictionary.
A 129 page Draft Dictionary acknowledges the cultural heritage of the Dhudhuroa and Way Wurru people and urges any use of material from the Dictionary to do so with respect.
Contributors to the huge body of linguistic evidence documented from and by Traditional Owners in the past as gleaned, interpreted and recorded by the first colonizers, explorers, pastoralists, mission managers,and Christians, amateur historians followed by the professional anthropologists and linguistic experts, are also recognised.
The Dictionary is strong linguistic evidence which distinguishes Way Wurru and Dhudhuroa from the neighbouring language groups such as Yorta Yorta, Taungurung, Wiradjuri, Ngarigu/Monero, Gunnai/Kurnai and Bidweli. This distinguishment is akin to the differences between Russia and America or England and France for example.
In distinguishing our language we also distinguish our Country and Ancestors and in doing so confirm our rights and interests.
One par in the dictionaries' forward, which is particularly relevant to the project being undertaken by a number of passionate individuals, states Our language has been 'sleeping' and been awoken by People who assert the rights of traditional Owners. The dictionary is linguistic evidence of our connection to Country.
What many of us don't realise (or appreciate) as the Dhudhuroa and Way Wurru People are recognising is over 500 Australian Indigenous Nations have their own unique and divers language, authority, law, traditions and customs, cultures boundaries, art, crafts, music, landscape and waterscape.
This joint Way Wurru and Dhudhuroa Language Dictionary symbolises who we are and where we have come from in NE Victoria and southern NSW.
Participants in the inaugural Big Fella Festival at Falls Creek will be privileged to be part of the unveiling of this mammoth project which has resulted in a significant body of work. Members of the Way Wurru and Dhudhuroa People will be at the alpine resort to tell their story who they are and where they came from.
Gary Murray the Co-Chair of the Dhudhuroa Native Title Group said:"Elders of the Way Wurru and Dhudhuroa People will be at the alpine resort to tell their story, who they are and where they came from.
"The joint project has endeavoured to create consistency between the two groups which have an oral language which pre dates the bible.
"The Way Wurru and Dhudhuroa Language Dictionary is the sixth produced in Victoria and it has taken about a decade of research to reach the draft stage
of the project.
"It has been an amazing journey so far and it will provide our young people with some exposure to their cultural heritage, and defines our country.”
|
|
