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Dhelk Djuwima | Our Services

The importance of our services

The laws, customs and stories that make up Dja Dja Wurrung Culture guide the way we behave and the decisions we make every day. We pass these on to our young ones through song dance, storytelling and walking Country so that they can carry on our Peoples’ connection to Country.

To share Culture, we give Welcomes to Country, Smoking Ceremonies, on Country talks, tours, and performances across Djandak.

These are important events we share to dhelk djuwima (show and share respect) of our cultural knowledge and practices daily.

We offer a broad range of activities held across Djandak.

Welcome to Country & Smoking Ceremonies

WELCOME TO COUNTRY
A Welcome to Country is a ceremony performed by Traditional Owners. When you are on Djandak this must be performed by a Djaara Traditional Owner to welcome you, and any visitors to Djandak.

A Welcome can include singing, dancing, a talk and a smoking ceremony.

Protocols for welcoming visitors to Djandak has been a part of Djaara and other Aboriginal Cultures for thousands of years. Despite the absence of fences or visible borders, Djaara and other Aboriginal tribes had clear boundaries separating their Djandak from that of other groups.

Crossing onto another group’s Djandak required a request for permission to enter—like gaining a visa—and when that permission had been granted the hosting group would welcome the visitors, offering them safe passage.

SMOKING CEREMONIES
In Dja Dja Wurrung Culture, participating in a Smoking Ceremony is a sign of good intentions and respect. The purpose of a Smoking Ceremony is to cleanse – we cleanse ourselves of the bad spirits and open up to good spirit, or murrup.

The smoke is a symbol of water; when you pass through the smoke, we ask that you imagine the smoke passing over you is like running water from head to toe. We use three plants to perform our Smoking Ceremony: Cherry Ballart, Wattle and Gum.

To fill in our booking form correctly, please download the form, save it to your computer, fill in all relevant fields, and then submit it to culture@djadjawurrung.com.au.

We are currently refining our booking system to ensure a more straightforward process when engaging our services.

Please direct any questions to our Cultural Bookings Team on 0438 210 709 or email culture@djadjawurrung.com.au

Prices are GST exclusive

Download booking form

Malamiya | Cultural Heritage

We recognise the importance of our Malamiya (Cultural Heritage) – our significant places and landscapes, our stories and language, our customs and practices and our responsibilities for looking after Country. We take our role as the Registered Aboriginal Party seriously.

We continue to share our understanding and promote awareness and respect of Dja Dja Wurrung Culture through managing and protecting Malamiya.

Through our management of Djandak we provide Malamiya assessments, inductions, management plans, compliance, and Land Use Activity Agreement (LUAA) site meetings. Booking forms are available below.

Should you have any questions, please direct them to our Malamiya Team on 0438 210 709 or email: culture@djadjawurrung.com.au

Booking form – Effective 1st July 2023 – New fee structure

Prices are GST exclusive

Download Cultural Heritage Booking form

Wurrung | Speaking / lip / tongue

Dja Dja Wurrung language connects us to water, land, animals, spirits, and People, calling our Martinga kuli to ceremony and strengthening our identity.

Our language and elements of it, were shared between clans and with our Eastern Kulin Nation neighbours and visiting mobs who travelled long distances to gather together.

Through the years, Dja Dja Wurrung language, words, and traditions have survived through our dynamic and determined connection to Culture and Djandak.

Contemporary renewal, reclaiming and rematriation of our language is an extension and continuation of our traditional practice of sharing knowledge.

We continue to share our language with those that reside in Central Victoria to ensure it remains in the landscape it belongs.

We are currently refining our booking system to ensure a more straightforward process when engaging our services.

Please direct any questions to our Language Team via email language@djadjawurrung.com.au

Download booking form

These words are used throughout our website. We share them to give an insight into Dja Dja Wurrung language. These words are an educational tool and not for use outside of our website unless prior consent is given.

Dja Dja WurrungEnglish interpretation
Balaki WukaGiving to community
Dhelk Djuwimashow, share = showing respect
Dhelkunya DjaHealing/make good, land/Country
Dja Dja WurrungYes, Yes speaking/lip/tongue
DjaaraDja Dja Wurrung People
DjandakDja Dja Wurrung Country
Djangi Dja Dja Wurrung BalakHome of Dja Dja Wurrung People
Galkato make, to build
Galkangubuild together, we make together, make things happen together, more connected to Country
GiyakikiStory, yarns
Gungato do, to work, to create, to make something
Malamiyalong ago, Dreamtime, before this time
Malamiya-yu Guranglong ago, Dreamtime, before this time
MurrupSpirit
Ngaldurrong YanaWalk together
Nyernato hear, listen, understand, know
Womin-dji-kaWelcome
Wurrekato yarn, to talk
Wurrungspeaking/lip/tongue

Acknowledgement Plaques

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SIGNAGE
These signs acknowledge the land where your house or business is as the traditional Country of the Dja Dja Wurrung People.

An Acknowledgement sign can be used internally or externally and is easily mountable with screws or nails.

Digitally printed on 3mm aluminium composite, lamintead with UV protection and available in two sizes:

Large – 450mm x 300mm
Small – 300mm x 200mm

Please direct any questions to 03 5444 2888 or email sales@djadjawurrung.com.au

Prices are GST inclusive

Download booking form