The idea of storytelling around a fire is so popular, we even think of our imaginations as being ‘sparked’ by ideas. But in the Illawarra there is no more spectacular location to hear the cultural stories of the Dharawal people than on the water.

And no better storyteller than children’s book author Dr Jodi Edwards, a Yuin woman with Dharawal kinship.

Jodi was a 2023 finalist for NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year and, in addition to writing books and researching Whale Songlines connecting First Nations people on the east coast, she also leads Indigenous SUP Tours.

Organised by Stand Up Paddle Boarding Shellharbour, these tours take place on the Minnamurra River and at Lake Illawarra. On the lakeshore at Reddall Reserve, where the sand bubbles and the odd fish darts through clear, shallow water, it’s easy to picture Dharawal women as Jodi describes them – paddling bark canoes, their babies tucked snugly in the front of the boat while Mum fished for mullet.

And, just as we know that when Gymea lilies are in bloom to look out for humpback whales, for every food gatherer, there is a season.

“We’ve prawned here,” Jodi told a tour at Lake Illawarra in October. “When the white flowers were on the Coastal Tea Tree, that told us when the shellfish were ready to be caught to be eaten.”

Jodi begins each tour with the meditative earth connection practice of Wayapa Wuurrk and is generous in sharing her local knowledge.

The highlight of her lake tour was the story of how the Dharawal people came to be here, a tale from a time when people could shift from animal to human form. To this day, the ancient Dreaming story of the whale migration foretells when the whales are coming, making their way south, looking for their canoe.

“That Dreaming story is embedded not only in our stories, but it’s also in the rock art hidden inside the caves,” Jodi said. “There’s many whale drawings to talk about that whale migration period inside of the Illawarra Escarpment – Whale Cave is probably the most famous one in the Illawarra.

“But also it’s embedded in our stars.

“Our stories – they’re in our songs, they’re in our dances, they’re in our rock art, they’re in our sky stories. They’re all connected and they teach us many things. They teach us about values, they teach us about morals, but most of they teach us about our connection to Country.”

Jodi will be leading another Indigenous SUP Tour at Minnamurra this Saturday. The weekend’s forecast may be sunny, but we can’t promise you won’t have shivers up your spine.

Learn Dharawal via SUP and True Story

This Saturday, November 18, we have two chances to delve into Dharawal language and culture with Dr Jodi Edwards.

Jodi will start her Saturday with an Indigenous SUP Tour at 7am on the Minnamurra River. These tours are suitable for everyone, including beginners, with friendly SUP Shellharbour instructors on hand to teach paddleboarding basics.

Jodi will then head north to Coledale to deliver the 2.30pm Welcome to Country at True Story festival, ahead of 2023's keynote address by Bronwyn Adcock, Walkley award-winning author of Currowan.

At 4pm, Jodi will be back on stage, discussing her latest books, including an illustrated collection of recipes, Dharawal Bush Tucker: Bawa Dhanjma, with Clifton School of Arts president David Roach.

Book early for this unmissable event. Jodi’s talk at last year’s festival was so popular that afterwards her book signing queue stretched across Coledale hall. Collins Booksellers Thirroul will have a stand all weekend at the festival, selling Jodi’s books including the runaway bestseller Dharawal Words, Phrases and Activities, which has sold more than 5000 copies.

Dharawal Publishing – which acts as a perpetual fund for Indigenous authors and is run entirely on volunteer power – produces both Jodi’s books and a website, Dharawal Words, where videos teach pronunciation. This includes words you may learn on an Indigenous SUP tour, such as canoe (mudjari nuwi), brolga (guradhawak) and humpback whale (burri burri).

Book a spot at Saturday's Indigenous SUP Tour here and at True Story Festival here