Published: 8 September 2023

This regular column introduces dhurga words and meanings, with help from our Aboriginal Advisory Committee.

dhurga is the language traditionally spoken by the Yuin people – including local walbanja and brindja Yuin – from south of Nowra to Narooma and west to Braidwood.

Nouns are words that stand for people, places, things and ideas; mother (minga), friend (mudjingaal), Montague Island (barunguba), home (munggura), bandicoot (birdhuulay), honey (gawanggal), east (ngarawan) sky (mirriwarr).

The dhurga word njiinj means ‘this’ or ‘here’. And the word djiinj means ‘that’ or ‘there’.

So mirriwar njiinj means ‘This is the sky’ or ‘Here is the sky’.

And mirriwarr djiinj means ‘That is the sky’ or ‘There is the sky’.

And here’s the trick to remembering which is which:

• njiinj starts with n, so does the English word near (close by – this, here)
• djiinj starts with d, so does the English word distant (further away – that, there)

You can view previous editions of dhurga corner on our website and get your hands on a copy of The Dhurga Dictionary and Learner’s Grammar, authored by locals Trish Ellis, Kerry Boyenga and Waine Donovan and available at Eurobodalla Libraries and local bookshops.

• This story was first published in Council’s quarterly newsletter for residents, Living in Eurobodalla. A printed edition is delivered to the shire’s 26,000 households.
• Download a copy of Living in Eurobodalla:  June - August 2023 (1.0 MB)

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