Before you play or buy
Ngandhi Bala-dhu? follows a fact-based timeline of real events in Australia's history, from 1788 to today.
Each card describes what happened at the time shown on that card. The language on the cards reflects that time, so some cards use words and describe attitudes that are offensive and harmful today. They are kept to show how Aboriginal people were spoken about and treated.
Cards describe racism, the removal of children, deaths in custody and violence, including massacres. They refer to real people, including people who have passed away. The game may be confronting and may bring up traumatic memories, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The most confronting cards appear only in sessions run by an SWYC or accredited facilitator, who frames them and makes sure support is in place.
Support is available 24 hours a day: 13YARN 13 92 76 · Lifeline 13 11 14 · Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
Ngandhi Bala-dhu? Truth-telling, one card at a time.
A truth-telling game built on a fact-based timeline of real events, from 1788 to today. Players read what happened, talk it through together, and leave knowing more than when they arrived.
Ngandhi Bala-dhu means ‘who be I’ in Yiradyuri/Wiradyuri/Wiradjuri language.
The game complements cultural awareness training and in-Country immersion, such as SWYC's With-Country camps.
Yiradyuri designed and ownedDelivered by a Supply Nation certified corporation
The history many of us were never taught
Truth-telling is about facing what happened on this continent, and how it still shapes lives today. Ngandhi Bala-dhu? gives your people a guided way to do that together.
Real events, real dates
Every card is a real, dated event from Australia's national history, from the proclamation at Sydney Cove in 1788 to the 2020s, including national laws and policies and events from across the country. The words on each card reflect the time it describes.
Local truth
Alongside the national story, some cards tell Wiradyuri history, from Martial law at Bathurst in 1824 to Massacre Island on the Murrumbidgee. For organisations on Southern West Yiradyuri Country, this is the history of the place you work.
A safe way in
Every card is talked through before moving on. The most confronting cards are kept for sessions with an SWYC or accredited facilitator, who frames them and makes sure support is in place.
Ngandhi Bala-dhu? supports truth-telling in your workplace. It does not replace truth-telling led by Aboriginal communities.
One part of a bigger journey
Ngandhi Bala-dhu? sits within SWYC's cultural education program. Use it on its own, or alongside our facilitated training and With-Country camps so your people move from awareness, to understanding, to time on Country.
Ngandhi Bala-dhu?
The truth-telling timeline game, played online or in person, to open honest conversations about history and lived experience.
Cultural awareness and cultural safety training
Facilitated, presentation-style training delivered by SWYC for your workplace.
With-Country camps
Elder-led, place-based learning on Southern West Yiradyuri Country at the Corporation's 96 Gap Road property, The Rock.
About With-Country campsPlay Ngandhi Bala-dhu? online
The board goes on one shared screen and everyone plays on their own phone. Nothing to install. Choose how you want to play.
- Play on my own: one person, with three guest players.
- Run it yourselves and annual licence: the same code type, for whoever hosts your organisation's sessions. A licence just holds more player places, for a year.
Organisations with an SWYC portal login can plan sessions, record participants and send tracked invites: sign in to the organisation portal.
Play on your own or join a group
Learn the game, or take part in a session with people from other organisations.
Play on my own
Play on your own device with three guest players, who read their cards aloud and talk through their moves. Good for learning the game or a refresher.
- One game, about 1 hour
- Certificate of attendance
Join a public truth-telling session
Book a place in a facilitated online session with people from other organisations.
- SWYC facilitator, with the full card set
- Up to 8 places per session
- Certificate of attendance
Bring it to your workplace
Have SWYC run it for you, run it yourselves, or license it for the year. Building a Reconciliation Action Plan? A facilitated truth-telling session is a practical action your people take part in, with a certificate for every player.
SWYC runs it for you
An SWYC facilitator runs a private online truth-telling session on your Teams, Zoom or Google Meet. You get a booking page to invite your people, and the facilitator hosts the game.
- The full card set, framed by the facilitator
- Up to 8 players, playing in 4 pairs
- About 1.5 hours
- Certificates for every player
Run it yourselves
Your own facilitator hosts on a meeting room screen or video call, and players join on their phones with a room code or QR code.
- Plan ahead and email the invite
- Guest players fill empty seats
- Certificates for every player
Annual licence
For organisations running regular sessions with their own facilitators.
- Small, up to 50 staff: $1,950 (50 places)
- Medium, 51 to 250 staff: $4,950 (150 places)
- Large, more than 250 staff: $9,950 (400 places)
- Extra places $35 each
"Play on my own", "Run it yourselves" and licence games leave out the most confronting cards, which are kept for sessions with an SWYC or accredited facilitator. Prices are in AUD and exclude GST, which is added at checkout. Every paid place includes a certificate of attendance issued by SWYC, a Supply Nation certified Aboriginal corporation.
How a session works
The Ngandhi Bala-dhu? box set
The original board game, for groups who want to play around a table together.
The box set held in the national collection at Old Parliament House: game board, all four card decks, cocoon cards, playing guides, note pads, pencils, pieces and dice.
SWYC can also run in-person facilitated sessions with the board game at your workplace. Ask using the form below.
Sold through My Dilly Bag. App access is sold separately.
Ask us anything
Tell us what you need and SWYC will be in touch.
This game may be confronting for some people and may trigger traumatic memories. 13YARN, 24/7 crisis support by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: 13 92 76. Lifeline: 13 11 14. In an emergency call 000.
Ngandhi Bala-dhu?™ Australian Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Board Game, created by William Carter. Delivered by SWYC, ICN 9989, under licence from Clay Plains Projects Pty Ltd. Yiradyuri designed and owned.