I am incredibly proud to share that Wingaru Education’s book, Mii Marri Gaban?: A Dharug Dhalang Counting Book, has been selected for the IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages.
This is a significant international honour, but for me, it is also deeply personal.
Mii Marri Gaban? was created to put Dharug dhalang into the hands of children. It introduces the numbers one to ten through animals found on Dharug Ngurra, bringing together language, counting, culture and connection to Country.
To see it included in an international collection celebrating Indigenous and endangered languages is recognition not only of the book, but of Dharug dhalang and the many people who have worked to protect, recover and strengthen our language.
My family’s language story
When I first sat down with Aunty Julie Jones (Webb) to develop language resources for Wingaru Kids, she told me that she had been taught language by my grandfather.
I had suspected that my Poppy spoke dhalang. I would sometimes hear him muttering words to himself, but he did not teach Dharug to his children or grandchildren.
To learn that he had shared language with some of the Elders who are now teaching me was incredibly special. There is something powerful about language travelling through community and finding its way back to his granddaughter.
But this story also reflects the loss experienced by Aboriginal families across Australia.
In my grandfathers time, Aboriginal people were not free to openly speak and celebrate our languages. Language was discouraged, suppressed and sometimes punished. For many people of his generation, not teaching language to their children was not because they did not value it. It was shaped by fear, protection and survival.
Language revitalisation is therefore about much more than learning words. It is about repairing connections between generations and creating a future in which our children can speak language with pride rather than fear.
Why this collection matters
The IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages brings together remarkable children’s books from around the world that support Indigenous and endangered languages.
Its importance lies in showing children that their languages belong in books, libraries, classrooms and international collections. It also recognises the role that children’s literature can play in keeping language strong.
A counting book may seem simple, but language revival happens through everyday moments. It happens when a child hears a word read aloud, when a family counts together or when an educator brings language into the classroom.
Every time language is spoken, heard and shared, it grows stronger.
Mii Marri Gaban? is not the only Australian First Nations title included in the collection and I encourage you to go and check out the list. We should celebrate each of these books, as well as the many others that were submitted, and recognise the extraordinary work happening in communities to wake sleeping languages.
Revitalising language
Across Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are doing extraordinary work to awaken and strengthen their languages.
Elders and community language holders are sharing knowledge passed down through families. Language workers and linguists are examining recordings, notebooks, wordlists and historical documents. Communities are creating books, dictionaries, songs, lessons and digital resources that bring language back into homes, classrooms and community spaces.
This work must remain community-led. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are the custodians of their languages and must guide how language is interpreted, taught and shared.
At Wingaru Education, our approach to Dharug dhalang draws on different but connected sources of knowledge.
We use familiar language - the words, expressions and pronunciations that have been used within community for decades and passed down through families. This language is so important because it carries living community memory. It remains an important part of our story and reflects the knowledge protected and shared by those who came before us.
We also draw on language being recovered through the work of Dharug Elders, community members, language workers and linguists. This research helps us better understand words, grammar, pronunciation and language structures that may no longer be in everyday use.
Both sources are important and should be valued by anyone looking to connect with language.
As more language is recovered, our understanding will continue to grow. Spellings may be refined, words may be reintroduced and new words may be developed for contemporary concepts.
That is what it means to be a living language.
Our responsibility is to approach this work with humility, care and openness - honouring what has been passed down while continuing to listen and learn as more language awakens.
I extend my deepest gratitude to those who have supported our work, including Aunty Leanne King, Aunty Julie Jones Webb, Aunty Tricia Wallace Webb, Uncle Richard Green and the team at Bayala Dharug Language Corporation.
The role of teachers
Teachers have an important role in helping Aboriginal languages become visible, valued and part of everyday life.
When children regularly hear language in their classroom, it helps all students understand that Aboriginal languages are living, diverse and deeply connected to Country.
Teachers do not need to be fluent, but they do need to approach language with respect and a willingness to learn. Begin with the language of the Country your school is on and seek guidance from local community and language custodians. Use resources created by First Nations community, practise pronunciation and be open with students about learning alongside them.
Small, consistent actions can make a big difference. Use greetings, counting, songs, place names and simple classroom instructions throughout the year - not only during NAIDOC Week or other significant dates.
Teachers looking for support can explore:
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Wingaru Education’s Dharug language collection
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The free Dharug Ngurra teacher resource, developed by Wingaru in partnership with SBS Learn
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The Indigenous Literacy Foundation’s collection of books in First Languages
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The Indigenous Literacy Foundation’s Busking for Change song, movement and language program
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The Aboriginal Languages Trust resource library, including its Our Languages, Our Way guidelines for the respectful use of Aboriginal languages
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Local community language programs and resources - these will vary from one community to the next but it is worth checking to see what your local community has available.
The role of teachers is not to take ownership of language, but to support the community-led work already taking place and help children understand its value.
Language in the hands of children
Children’s books make language part of everyday life. They can be read at bedtime, shared between grandparents and grandchildren, explored in early learning services or used in classrooms.
When children see Dharug dhalang in books, they learn that our language is not only something from the past.
It is a living language that belongs in our homes, schools, communities and future.
The selection of Mii Marri Gaban? honours the ancestors who carried Dharug dhalang, the community members who protected it and the Elders, language workers and linguists who are strengthening it today.
It also honours people like my grandfather. Although he was not able to pass language directly to his children and grandchildren, the knowledge he shared continued its journey and eventually found its way back to us.
I think he would love knowing that, through Mii Marri Gaban? and other Dharug language resources, language is once again being placed into the hands of children.
Every word spoken helps keep Dharug dhalang strong.
That is what makes this recognition so special.