Protocols
Protocols for the Use of the Dharawal Language
Resources: Ezy Books and Videos
Statement of Intent
These protocols are written to guide the respectful, ethical, and culturally grounded use of the Ezy books and accompanying videos for the purpose of introducing some Dharawal language into early learning, schools, tertiary education, vocational education, & community contexts.
They are designed to deepen understanding of Dharawal language revitalisation as a living, relational, and place-based practice rather than as a curriculum product, teaching package, or standardised language program.
These protocols do not replace cultural authority, Elder governance, or community-led language processes. They exist to support the correct attitude, responsibility and relational accountability when engaging with Dharawal language through Ezy .
Protocols for the use of the Dharawal resources ‘Ezy’
These books have been composed as resources to assist in the development of an initial understanding of Dharawal words and phrases, their use in certain contexts and as a familiarisation with how these terms may look written and sound (remember Dharawal is not a written language and therefore our words may be spelt in many different ways).
These resources are by no means meant to be comprehensive or outline an absolute language protocol for the situations and circumstances that Ezy finds himself in. These books are an introduction to our words/phrases and how they may be used, both formally and informally, & colloquially.
Dharawal is a language that was outlawed by the Australian government, resulting in more recent years with only a handful of people speaking several words, mostly in creole or pidgin type conversation. The language has not been spoken fluently between people for several generations. This is the beginning of reviving our language with a spoken relationship to place and people. These videos and books are not resources for teaching Dharawal language. They are not resources for non-Aboriginal or non Dharawal speaking peoples to use in classrooms for ‘teaching language’ or cultural contexts.
These resources are opportunities to explore with Ezy the places he goes and learn some words/phrases. These resources are a way of familiarising some Dharawal words and phrases with students, parents, teachers & school community.
The developed videos are an extension of the Ezy books so that people can hear the language, bearing in mind that this language is spoken as a second language learner and there encompasses accent and familiarisation within the person's first language (English in this circumstance).
We ask you to keep this respect when reading these books and speaking our words.
We ask you to sit with Country and listen to the words you will be speaking and know that as you practice them… you will learn them…
Dharawal Language, Country, Cultural Foundations and Authority
Dharawal language belongs to the Dharawal Country and Dharawal people. It is not a neutral communication system. It is inseparable from land, water, sky, and the relationships that bind people to place. Dharawal is not simply a tool for communication; it is a carrier of Law/lore, kinship, seasonal knowledge, ecological observation, and moral responsibility.
The Ezy resources sit within a broader movement of language resurgence. They do not claim linguistic purity, fluency, or finality. Instead, they acknowledge disruption of Dharawal language through colonisation, government prohibition, and assimilation policies has resulted in significant interruption to intergenerational transmission.
What remains today is fragmentary, precious, and held with great care by families, Elders, and Knowledge Holders. The Ezy resources sit within this reality. They do not claim fluency or completeness. They acknowledge loss, interruption while actively participating in resurgence. Users must understand that variation in spelling, pronunciation, rhythm, and emphasis is expected and culturally valid.
All Engagement with Dharawal language must therefore be grounded in respect for cultural authority and community governance. Teaching of the Dharawal language should therefore use Dharawal speakers, who have Cultural Kinship, Heritage and Connection with community permissions. Always include Dharawal Community voices in your work. Language use must never be positioned as extraction, performance, or symbolic inclusion. It must always remain relational.
All engagement with these resources must therefore be grounded in humility, patience, and respect for living cultural authority.
Guiding Principles for All Use
All use of the Ezy books and films must be guided by the following principles:
1. Respect – Dharawal language is living cultural heritage, not content.
2. Responsibility – Hearing and speaking words carries obligation to Country and community.
3. Reciprocity – Engagement must benefit Dharawal people and Country, not extract from them.
4. Relational Learning – Language emerges through relationship, not instruction.
5. Humility – Partial knowledge & ongoing learning is acknowledged and honoured.
6. Care – Language must be protected from misuse, correction-based assessment, and commodification.
What These Resources Are and Are Not
What They Are
• A relational introduction to Dharawal words and sounds
• A story-led familiarisation pathway
• A bridge between listening-based engagement with language and place
• An invitation to learn alongside Ezy and community
What They Are Not
• Formal language teaching programs
• Assessment or accreditation tools
• Authority to teach Dharawal language independently
• A complete or standardised language system
• Curriculum-aligned language instruction
• Certification of pronunciation or fluency
Consent and Permission
Consent is foundational to Dharawal cultural practice. The use of Dharawal language is never automatic, assumed, or open-ended. Permission is relational and contextual.
Protocols for Consent
• Always acknowledge Dharawal Country before using the resources
• Ensure organisational leaders understand the cultural limits of the materials
• Do not extend use beyond the intended context without consultation
• Do not invite others to use the language without explaining protocol
Consent is not a one-time event. It is ongoing, situational, and responsive.
Intergenerational Responsibility
These resources exist for future generations. How they are used now shapes what is possible.
Responsibilities
• Model respectful listening for children and young people
• Avoid correcting Elders, community members, or learners
• Do not prioritise speed, performance, or confidence over care
• Understand that mistakes are part of learning, but disrespect is not
Language revitalisation is slow by design. Rushing it causes harm.
Place-Based Protocols: Dharawal Country
Dharawal Country spans coastal, riverine, bush, and escarpment systems. Language arises from these places. Ezy’s journeys and learnings are based within these places.
Place-Based Guidance
• Where possible, connect language use to local landmarks, waterways, and seasons
• Encourage learners to notice wind, tide, birds, and plants before speaking
• Understand that words may shift meaning depending on place
• Never remove language from Country without acknowledging its source
Sitting with Country is a prerequisite to speaking language.
Protocols by Educational and Community Context
Early Childhood Education (Preschools and Early Learning Centres)
In early childhood settings, the Ezy resources may be used as listening and relational experiences, not language lessons.
Protocols: Use language sparingly and repeatedly without correction. Focus on sound, rhythm, and story rather than meaning accuracy. Embed language within play, movement, and sensory exploration. Avoid translation-heavy explanations - Acknowledge Country daily in age-appropriate ways. Ensure families understand the cultural purpose of the resources
Children should never be tested, corrected, or required to repeat words on demand.
Primary Schools
In primary settings, the Ezy resources function as cultural familiarisation tools.
Protocols: Use language alongside story, geography, and local place learning - Avoid worksheets or written spelling tests of Dharawal words. Emphasise listening before speaking. Encourage curiosity rather than mastery. Always contextualise language within Dharawal history and survival
Teachers must not position themselves as language authorities.
Secondary Schools
At secondary level, students may engage with deeper contextual discussion.
Protocols: Frame language within colonisation, prohibition, and resilience. Discuss why language revival matters. Avoid performative or tokenistic use. Ensure language use is reflective, not extractive. Where possible, involve Dharawal community voices
Students should understand why permission and protocol matter.
Higher Education and TAFE
In tertiary and vocational contexts, the Ezy resources should be used to model ethical engagement with Indigenous knowledge systems.
Protocols: Use as case studies in language revival, not language competency. Acknowledge limitations and incompleteness. Prohibit recording, reproducing, or repackaging language without permission. Embed Indigenous research ethics frameworks. Language must not be cited as data without consent.
Community Organisations
Community use must prioritise relationships over output.
Protocols: Seek guidance before public use. Avoid branding, marketing, or merchandise applications. Use resources to build listening circles, not performances - Respect cultural fatigue and boundaries
Digital and Online Use
Digital environments require heightened care.
Digital Protocols
• Do not upload audio or text without permission
• Do not remix, subtitle, or meme language
• Avoid AI-generated reproduction of Dharawal words
• Ensure context accompanies any approved sharing Digital misuse causes lasting harm.
Use of Videos
The videos extend the books by allowing learners to hear Dharawal language.
Protocols:
• Do not mimic accents for entertainment
• Understanding pronunciation reflects second-language learning
• Avoid remixing or excerpting audio
• Always credit Dharawal custodianship
• Listening is the primary act; speaking is secondary.
Prohibited Uses and Ethical Boundaries
The following uses are not permitted:
• Teaching Dharawal language independently of community
• Assessing pronunciation or fluency
• Commercial use without agreement
• Altering language for aesthetic purposes
• Claiming expertise through limited exposure
Closing Responsibility
We ask you to keep this respect when reading these books and speaking our words. We ask you to sit with Country and listen for the words you will be speaking and know that as you practice them… you will learn them.
Engaging with Dharawal language through the Ezy resources is an invitation into a relationship. When you speak these words, you are carrying history, survival, and future. That responsibility must be carried carefully, slowly, and with care.