Dharawal language

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Learning activityFirst Nations First Nations knowledge

Animation, showing an Aboriginal boy standing in a tree overlooking water and trees.

Learn words in Dharawal language using the animated video Barani, created by Studio Gilay for the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Barani is the Dharawal word meaning ‘yesterday’. Created as part of Vivid Sydney 2024, this film recounts events in Warrane (Sydney Harbour) 500 years ago, as a mother teaches her son how to fish, displaying the harmony between humans and nature. It's a story that stretches back thousands of years, exploring themes of humanity, compassion and connection.

Practice these ten Dharawal words

Namaraag (Sydney Golden Wattle)

Nawi (Bark canoe)

Ghundu (Tree)

Dhanj (Fish)

Badu (Waters)

Djaju (Moon)

Bura (Fish hook)

Ganbi (Fire)

Burri burri (humpback whale)

Budbuli (Possum skin)

Still from animation, an Aboriginal boy reaches out to touch the yellow wattle on the tree.

Still from animation, an Aboriginal boy looks up at a tree.

Still from animation, View over the harbour with fish swimming in the water.

Still from animation, fish swimming towards the viewer.

Still from animation, an Aboriginal boy and his mother paddle a Nawi (bark canoe) with a pink sky behind them.

Still from animation, an underwater shot showing fish swimming towards a Nawi (bark canoe)

Still from animation, an Aboriginal boy and his mother wear possum skin over their shoulder, she holds a large bag of fish.

Still from animation, an overhead shot showing an Aboriginal boy and his mother cooking 3 fish using a small fire in their Nawi (bark canoe)

Still from animation, many whales swim underwater, with 4 Nawi (canoes) silhouetted by the moon, floating on the water.

Still from animation, an Aboriginal boy is sleeping in a Nawi (bark canoe) covered by a possum skin cloak.

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Activities for the classroom

Dharawal word match

Draw a line to connect the Dharawal word with its matching English word.

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Dharawal drawing

Draw a picture of each Dharawal word. You can use the Barani film as inspiration.

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Dharawal language quiz

Select the Dharawal word that matches each picture in this interactive quiz.

Photo of a museum exhibition space with curved soft seating and a large projection screen

Marinco Kojdanovski for the Australian National Maritime Museum

Photo of students in a museum exhibition space with curved soft seating and a large projection screen

Lauren Trompp for the Australian National Maritime Museum

Photo of students in a museum exhibition space with curved soft seating and a large projection screen

Lauren Trompp for the Australian National Maritime Museum

Photo of a museum exhibition space with curved soft seating and a large projection screen

Lauren Trompp for the Australian National Maritime Museum

Photo of a museum exhibition space with curved soft seating and a large projection screen

Marinco Kojdanovski for the Australian National Maritime Museum

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Want to know more?

Book a school excursion to explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures or visit the museum to watch Barani in the exhibition galleries.

Group of students in a maroon and yellow school uniform looking a possim skin cloak.

excursions

First Nations knowledge

Barani

Photo of 2 female high school students and an adult woman, first nations educatior

excursions

First Nations knowledge

First Nations seafaring

First Nations stewardship

Bamal Badu

Photo of video work on a screen, showing an animation of an aborigional boy lighting a small fire

exhibitions

First Nations knowledge

First Nations seafaring

First Nations stewardship

Barani – a Sydney Harbour story

May 25, 2024