Dirrangun

Some people say Dirrangun is a witch,
that she's mean and sunning and
brings you all the mischief in the world.

Others say she is very friendly.
But she's an old woman and
she has long hair down to her knees.

Dirrangun is well-known near Grafton and along the north coast of New South Wales. Both the Bunjalung and Githavul people speak of her and of her connection with local landmarks. She is a powerful woman.

Dirrangun contains two stories – one told by Eustan Williams and one by Lucy Daley. It forms part of the oral storytelling tradition and is faithful to each storyteller's voice. These narratives originally appeared in The Nearest the White Man Gets, a group of stories and poems collected by Roland Robinson. Now illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft, the woman, Dirrangun, takes on pictorial form.

Powerful and emotional, Bronwyn's insight into the past draws the reader into a better understanding of these Bunjalung and Githavul stories.