Darug
Many members of the Darug community live in and around Sydney. A few
people retain knowledge of the language, despite our people having
suffered the longest history of colonisation, dispossession and
displacement in Australia.
When coming to the mountains. Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson were
confronted by the protuding rock formation internationaly recognised as
the Three Sisters. The Lore surrounding their transformation into
stone is kept sacred, except for, those times of womens Byalawa nura
(talking on country) The Yellamundie of our clan keeps hidden the names
of the Seven Brothers who were related Mudjin mulla from the Warmuli
clan of the Boorooberongal, they had all been promised to seven of the
most beautiful sisters known to the mob and tribes.
Today men sing for the seven sisters of Katoomba, unable to
understand the song, incantations or the complexities of the magic used
to turn each of the sacred women to stone. Unfortuntley, the Darug have
no initiated men or women of our clan, therefore we have no traditional
dance to go with the storyline and cannot enter that sacred place and
time where their spirits live. Nevertheless we can sing and hold
ceremony in their honour and appease our Bururaralyung.
The Darug mudjin have recently been presented with special gifts
from many communities across the entire nation of our continent. Yoglnu
Djarlu and song of the Yidaki, Walpuri bumerang's and song from a
child/grandfather from the Kimberly's in the north. Gifts that have
arrived with feather, stone, ocher and wood to assist in the reclamation
of Gumberri Dalang, our Grand peoples tongues.
2011-2012 we bring the songs from the rehearsal stage of
Yibunlibyila to the actual time of Garriberri, where we will present a
specific song and tune related to the flora and fauna of each National
Park and Reserve.