Sutherland Shire Reconciliation initiative to increase local knowledge and understanding of Dharawal culture and language

The initiative is the work of Sutherland Shire Reconciliation (SSR), a member organisation of Reconciliation NSW, made up of both First Nations and non-Indigenous people working together to advance reconciliation in the community.

The Dharawal Picture Dictionary is a colouring book, with Dharawal words and the corresponding English words and drawings based on local cave drawings and rock carvings found in the shire.

The book was created and compiled by First Nations people on the SSR committee with the guidance and editing of local Aboriginal Knowledge holder Bruce Howell and with help with the drawings from local Knowledge holder Rick O'Brien and the Strong Sister group.

Shalah Johnson, Anaiwan Woman Chair of SRR, said, in 2021-22, with the support of generous donors, a school gift pack was given to Indigenous families in primary schools in the shire.

"Feedback from schools and families was very positive and principals began asking if SSR if they could photocopy the Dharawal Picture Dictionary [which was part of the pack] so that all children could have one," she said.

"SSR saw this as an opportunity to raise cultural awareness and introduce the Dharawal language to all primary-aged children and their families in the shire.

"We consulted the Aboriginal knowledge holders involved in the development and editing of the Dictionary, and they were not supportive or random photocopying but keen for SSR to find a way to print and freely distribute the Dictionary more widely.

"Because of the limited number available, we have confined the numbers to one book per family in a school.

"The simplicity of this project is that it creates a renewed sense of shire identity, building community by the simple act of gift giving and book reading.

"We believe our children and their families will find a fascination and connection with their local history that will ripple out into the wider community."