After decades of hard work and dedication, a Dhurga Dictionary and Learners’ Grammar Book has been published. The book was compiled by teachers, Patricia Ellis, Kerry Boyenga and their brother Waine Donovan. Patricia currently teaches Dhurga at St Bernard’s Primary School, Batemans Bay and Carroll College, Broulee. Kerry teaches the language at St Mary’s Primary School, Moruya where she is also the Contact Teacher for Aboriginal Education.

The dictionary was officially launched at the Moruya Library by renowned author, historian and ecologist, Jackie French.

Dhurga is one of the languages of the Yuin Nation, spoken on the South Coast and Southern Tablelands of New South Wales; from the south of Nowra to Narooma and west to Braidwood and Araluen.

The dictionary is the first of its kind, containing over 730 words and was designed for all literacy levels and readers. The book will support the teaching and learning of the Dhurga language to all people of the south-east coast of NSW.

“One of the hardest things to do is teach language without a dictionary,’ said Patricia. “I extracted the Dhurga words, the South Coast Language words and the Yuin words from previous documentation. I then cross-referenced these with word lists that Kerry, Waine and our niece had compiled.”

“We know that this dictionary is an authentic recollection of our language.”

The publication of the dictionary was supported by linguists from ANU, local Yuin people and the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).