The Merunga Blog

Forbidden History: The Censoring of the Djiringanj Djiringanj people were massacred, tortured and subjugated like any other Original peoples who have been the focus of racist European colonisation. Racism is a manifestation of fear, and is an integral part of European colonialism, slavery and western economics. But this short blog isn't about trying to retell the history of racism, its already been critiqued, studied, written about and documentaries produced, such as BBC's The History of Racism . I also recommend Tim Wise's take on racism and white privilege . This blog is about trying to understand why local Djiringanj history within the Bega Valley is censored. A history told within living memory and oral stories handed down from our Elders. A narrative from local Djiringanj voices who are at the receiving end of colonial charged fear and paranoia. The Djiringanj have intimate layers of history.There's a layer that tells the story of the confrontation wi

Why I'm a Ngarigo (male) and Djiringanj Mawa Words hold power. And that power varies depending on who's language is being used and how it is being being applied. Within the Oxford Dictionary there are over 170 thousand words/ definitions. But what many people don't know is that there are different "dictionaries" for different societies. There are also religious dictionaries that have their own definitions. Something I'm not that familiar with, but I have visited the local church and quickly viewed these very large books. The dictionary that I have looked over in great detail is a western law dictionary that has over 15 thousand word entries. I've specifically reviewed a recently published Blacks Law Dictionary. There are other versions of western law definitions, even an Australian version, but Blacks is a very prominent publication with over 200 legal practitioners and professors contributing to it's definitions. There w

(Brumbies in the Australian Alps: photo courtesy of Paul McIver  paulmciver flickr ) The Men from Snowy River 'The words been passed around about the Men from Snowy River ,  Their story wasn't forgotten and not allowed to wither,   For a wise and strong Bugeenj woman who listened to her Elders, Nurtured the seed of future story tellers' The connection between my family (Hoskin and Mundy) and the  Brumby   (Australian Wild Horse) isn't that well known.  My great great grandfather Jack Hoskins (born 1853- died 1900 Bega NSW), and great gran uncles via my Mundy family ancestry, were stockmen who drove Brumbies from the   Australian Alps   down to Tathra to be transported upon steamer ships  bound for Sydney  that departed from   Tathra wharf . (Me and Mum circa 1982 - Bega NSW) This is a local story told to me by my mother Margaret Rose Dixon (nee Mundy/ Hoskins). Whenever we would pass through Kalaru, on our way to Tathra, Mum would a