LANGUAGE AND STORIES

For Bangerang people, our language has always lived here. It has been carried in the rivers, the red gums, the plains, and the old pathways of our ancestors. Even through periods of silence, the language remained present — held in the land, waiting to be revisited, spoken, and strengthened again.

Baimiya gave his people, the Bangerang, their language to communicate and identify themselves within the neighbouring nations and their own woka (Country).

Today, Bangerang people endeavour to share, revive, and keep our language alive by educating our people and the broader public about Bangerang language. We also provide guidance and protocol for language use to the broader community, which includes clarity and uniformity in delivery.

Bangerang Language Revitalisation

Language is more than words — it is our connection to Country, to our ancestors, and to the stories held in the land itself.
For Bangerang people, our language has always lived here. It has been carried in the rivers, the red gums, the plains, and the old pathways of our ancestors. Even through periods of silence, our language remained present — held in the land, waiting to be revisited, spoken, and strengthened again.
Our Bangerang language reclamation work is about honouring that connection. Each word we bring forward is a reminder that language and land are inseparable. When we speak Bangerang, we speak to Country. We acknowledge the knowledge systems embedded in place. We reconnect with the voices that have guided our people for thousands of generations.
This work ensures that our children and grandchildren will grow up not only knowing their language, but knowing that it comes from the land beneath their feet. The revitalisation we’re doing today is building a future where Bangerang language thrives, lives, and continues to shape identity for generations to come.

We are currently working on a number of projects to continue the growth of our language revitalisation work, the major one being our Bangerang dictionary. We will continue to update the community on its progress through our social media channels, and look forward to being able to offer this valuable resource to others once published.

Bangerang Language Request

At BAC, through our Bangerang Nation Language Circle unit, we offer a Bangerang Language Request service to organisations and individuals looking to include Bangerang language into their project names or spaces. We believe that incorporating Aboriginal languages enriches projects and spaces, and is a vital step towards cultural appreciation and understanding.

It's essential to approach this process with respect, following proper cultural protocol to ensure that the language is used accurately and appropriately. By fostering a respectful request process we support the authentic representation of Bangerang language and its cultural significance, helping to create inclusive environments honor the regions First Nations heritage.

For further information on our Language Request service, please contact us via our "Contact Us" page, or email us at admin@bacch.org.au.

Our Stories and Living History

For thousands of generations, we have passed down the sacred stories of Baimiya’s creation of Dunggula (the Murray River) and the enduring role of Dunatban (the Rainbow Serpent). Our oral histories carry the memory and knowledge of our old people, and over the years we have created a number of resources to help share these.

Uncle Sandy Tells the Cadell Fault Story

Known today as the Caddell Fault, this event occurred across the north-western reaches of Bangerang country thousands of years ago, altering the landscape and forming the great lake we knew as Ganyabala (Kanyapella). This shift created the largest Biyala (river red gum) forest in the world at Barmah, the remnants of which form Moira Lake. Our history tells of how our ancestors dug a trench on the banks of Ganyabala, releasing the Wala (water) and shaping the current course of Dunggula.

Uncle Sandy Atkinson tells the story of the Cadell Fault.

Dunggala: The Murray River Creation

Dunggula tells the Bangerang creation story of the Murray River. The story takes place in the Goulburn Valley region of modern-day Northern Victoria. ‘Dunggula: The Murray River’ tells of how the landscapes we know today were transformed and created through a journey of magical events covering 2500kms of ground and passing through many traditional boundaries. A long time ago, a wise old lady named Gunyuk consulted with the powerful creator being Biami, and upon his advice travelled a great distance to bring water to the land and her people.

The creation story was originally shared with the Sharing Stories Foundation by Senior Cultural Custodian, Uncle Sandy Atkinson, who sadly passed before the completion of the story’s production. The extended family and the Bangerang Community continued the work he began and throughout 2015-16, completed digital storytelling programs with St Georges Rd Primary School. In 2018-19, the community translated the story into language and for the first time in generations,’Dunggula: The Murray River’creation story can be heard in Bangerang.