People

Many Dhanggati people live in the Macleay Valley, but many have also moved to other parts of NSW such as Sydney or Newcastle. Several Dhanggati people have been teaching their language and culture in community groups and schools for many years. Years ago, Dhanggati people would have been multi-lingual, also speaking the languages of their neighbours. There are significant social relationships amongst Dhanggati, Gumbaynggirr and Birrbay peoples, including a shared set of marriage sections. Several Dhanggati speakers were recorded in the1960s and 1970s; these recordings are the bedrock for the current revival of Dhanggati.

Language Details

Dhanggati belongs to the Pama-Nyungan family of Australian languages. It is one of the thirty five languages once spoken in the area now known as NSW. During the nineteenth century Aboriginal peoples across NSW bore the brunt of European invasion, and their languages were an early casualty, with the active suppression of languages and the emergence of English as a common language between the different language groups. However, compared with many NSW languages, Dhanggati has a rich collection of historical sources, including recordings that were made by Elders in the 1960s and 1970s. On linguistic criteria alone, it seems that Dhanggati is related to the Tablelands languages Anaiwan (Nganyawana) and Yugambal. A related dialect mentioned in historical sources is Burrgati and it is associated with the western end of the Macleay Valley.

Alternative spellings include: Dangati, Thangatti, Dainggati, Djaingadi, Dang-getti, Danghetti, Danggadi, Tangetti, Tang-getti, Djangadi, Dhan-gadi, Dyangadi, Dunggudi, Dainggatti, Thungatti, Dunghutti and Thunghutti.

Language Resources and Recordings

Several people recorded the language in the 1900s. In 1929, Gerhardt Laves spoke with many Dhanggati people and left field notes. William Hoddinott made recordings of Doug Scott and Frank Archibald in 1964. Janet Bolt recorded Doug Scott, Leeton Smith, Paddy Callaghan, Mrs Holten, Bessie Quinlan and Len Duckett in 1966. Nils Holmer made recordings in 1966, 1967 and 1969 with Len Duckett, Bertie Holten, May Holten, John Quinlan, Doug Scott, Victor Sheppard and Locky Vale. Steve Widders recorded John Quinlan, Ellen Davis and Jane Brown in 1979, and Steve Johnson and Amanda Lissarrague recorded Leeton Smith in 1990.

The main published texts are:

Holmer, N 1966. An attempt towards a comparative grammar of two Australian languages, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra.

Holmer, N. 1967. An attempt towards a comparative grammar of two Australian languages, Part 2 Indices and vocabularies of Kattang and Thangatti, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra.

Holmer, NM & Holmer, V, 1969. Stories from two native tribes of eastern Australia, Carl Bloms Boktryckeri, Lund.

Many Rivers Aboriginal Language Centre worked closely with many Dhanggati people, including the Dhanggati Language Group to publish:

Lissarrague, A 2007. A Dhanggati grammar and dictionary with Dhanggati stories. Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Cooperative, Nambucca Heads.

Traditional Country

The Macleay Valley forms the heartland of Dhanggati country. While it is impossible to put precise boundaries on language groups, we can speak generally of Dhanggati country and its neighbours. Dhanggati country extends from the coast as far as the Tablelands in the west where it shares a border with Anaiwan (Nganyawana) country. To the north in the Macksville area, Dhanggati shares a border with Gumbaynggirr country. To the south the linguistic border with Birrbay language is rather unclear, but seems to be in the Wilson River area. Dhanggati country includes the main towns of Bellbrook, Kempsey and South West Rocks.

Written examples of the language

Waa nyinda nyinatiyn?
Where are you staying?

Bulgundu 'ang garaal dhaman.
The wallaby ate some grass.

Nubulaabu 'ang watagan.
Those two are tired.

Nuu wayikarr ngurragu dhanggutu.
He came to my camp.

Ngaya wambuyn bunyun.
I killed the kangaroo.

Bulgun nyiyanang buthikarrung maan nhukarakayi.
We took the little wallaby away from the mother wallaby.

Nuu baayatikayi bimayi nuu mutung wuunggaliyn ngundakang.
If he dances he will not be able to work tomorrow.

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Please click here to listen to the ABC NSW Statewide radio interview with Ray Kelly Jnr and Amanda Lissarague and click here to read the Macleay Argus Newspaper article about the launch of A Dhanggati grammar and dictionary with Dhanggati people.