Worimi!
I would firstly like to acknowledge the Darug people, the traditional custodians of the land in which I live and work. I would like to pay my respect to Elders both past and present and extend that respect to other Aboriginal people visiting my blog and reading this post.
This year the theme for NAIDOC week is 'Our Languages Matter'.
And they most definitely do!
What does our census say about Aboriginal languages?
In the 2011 Census, 83% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people reported speaking only English at home, similar to the proportion of non-Indigenous people (80%).
About one in 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (11%) reported speaking an Australian Indigenous language at home. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25 to 44 years were most likely to speak an Indigenous language at home (13%), followed closely by those aged 15 to 24 years and those aged 45 years and over (both 11%). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 14 years and under were least likely to speak an Indigenous language (10%) and most likely to speak only English at home (85%).
Of the Australian Indigenous languages spoken at home, languages in the Arnhem Land and Daly River Region Languages and Western Desert Languages groups were the most widely spoken (18% and 14% respectively). The next most prominent language groups spoken at home were Yolngu Matha and Torres Strait Island Languages (11% each).
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| Image from ABC Aboriginal Language Map |
Here are some helpful resources that can be used to help teach your students about the Dharug people and their language:
1. Campfire Stories
This is an interactive website with short videos of elders speaking in their language. The interviews are presented in sections and include questions to guide students thinking as their watching.
2. Learn Darug
I'm a little addicted to this blog! It contains so many wonderful teaching resources, including notebook files and PDF's. The resources cover topics such as language, sacred sites, "Survival Day", etc. This site was developed for teachers working on Darug country.
3. Splash
Jacinta Tobin… where have you been all my life??? Splash have put together a number of videos with Jacinta speaking language. She explains how to greet people and use manners in Dharug. It's absolutely stunning. Click on the 'What to view next' side bar on the right to view more of her videos (after clicking on the 'Splash' link that is).
4. ABC Aboriginal Language Map
A great interactive tool to help show the different language groups/ countries. Use the magnifying tool to zoom in and have a closer look at the countries and where they are.
5. Dharug Dalang
This website is virtually a dictionary of Dharug words and phrases. Click on the 'Word Lists' tab to search for English words and find the Dharug translation (and vice versa).
) pictured next to a content descriptor within an outcome. This symbol means that the content listed includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and or cultures. 
