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May 15, 2013 By Bulanj Nakardbam Leave a Comment

An-ngale makka kah-ngeyyo? part 2

What's this plant called? part 2

Here is the transcript for the plant identification video in the previous post.

 

[00:00:00] Ma!
OK

[00:00:02] An-bunbarr ngurrurdu kabarri-kerribun.
They use the Corynotheca lateriflora herb to cook emu in ground ovens.

[00:00:05] Burdah
Golden Eye-grass (Curculigo orchioides)

[00:00:06] Mani an-karnbirr.
This is Acacia oncinocarpa.

[00:00:09] Mani njale...
This is whatsisname.

[00:00:10] Terrah: An-djalh kun-yarl.
The bark is for making string.

[00:00:11] An-djoh
Acacia difficilis

[00:00:12] Terrah: Kunj barri-biddukkani, ngurrurdu.
They used it to tie up the arms of kangaroos and emu (legs).

[00:00:13] Woh, namekke.
Yes, that's right.

[00:00:14] Mani njamed, an-ngunngun.
This is whatsit, an-ngunngun.

[00:00:16] Nguyungu.

?

[00:00:18] Mani njamed, an-marnanj.
This is whatsisname, red-flowered kurrajong.

[00:00:23] An-kawalh.
?

[00:00:23] An-dudjmi.
Green plum (Buchanania obovata).

[00:00:26] An-djedj.
Kapok bush (Cochlospermum fraseri).

[00:00:27] An-korlh.
Cocky apple (Planchonia careya).

[00:00:29] Mani...
This plant...

[00:00:31] Terrah: An-bunbarr.
Corynotheca lateriflora.

[00:00:32] Speaker 3: eh ee!
No!

[00:00:33] Njamed, an-djungkurrk.
Whatsit, Gardenia fucata.

[00:00:35] Terrah:

[00:00:36] Mani njamed, ... an-lerrelerre
This is whatsit... Bossiaea bosseaeoides.

[00:00:40] An-bulu.
Xanthostemon paradoxus.

[00:00:41] Djarduk.
Bush apple (Syzygium suborbiculare).

[00:00:43] karrbirlk, karrbirlk
Merremia.

[00:00:44] bunbarr
Corynotheca lateriflora

[00:00:46] Mani njamed...
This is whatsit...

[00:00:47] speaker 3: (inaudible) yerre dja mani njamed...
already, so what's this one...

[00:00:50] speaker 3: mani yi-ngeybom man-yungki
You already said this one.

[00:00:51] Terrah: Mani yi-ngeybom mula!
Mum, you said the name of this one!

[00:00:53] speaker 3: yoh, mani yi-ngeybom,
yes, you said this one,

[00:00:55] Terrah: An-ngale mak yi-ngeybom bu bolkkime?
What was that name you said just now?

[00:00:57] speaker 3: bu korroko yi-ngeybom
you already said it

[00:00:58] Mahni, manu?
This one here?

[00:00:59] Terrah: yo
yes

[00:00:59] Manu nuk man-ngamed (> manu-uk)...
This is whatsisname...

[00:01:01] someone: man-bulngbulng
Acacia gonocarpa

[00:01:02] bulngbulng
Acacia gonocarpa

[00:01:03] Yo, an-bulng... an-bulngbulng
Yes, Acacia gonocarpa

[00:01:05] bulngbulng
Acacia gonocarpa

[00:01:06] Terrah: yo
yes

[00:01:06] Lillian: Dja baleh nga-ngeywarrewong.
So I made a mistake with the name.

[00:01:07] Terrah: (ka-djekme 'laughs')

 

Bonj.

That is all.

March 30, 2013 By Bulanj Nakardbam Leave a Comment

An-ngale makka kah-ngeyyo?

What's the name of that plant?

Ma, ngurri-wokbimbu! A transcription exercise.

Note that the Kundedjnjenghmi dialect of Bininj Kunwok is used in this video (spoken on the Arnhem Land plateau around Manmoyi).

In this video made by Warddeken Land Management Ltd (and used with their permission here) you can hear Ngal-wakadj Lillian Guymala from Manmoyi teaching younger family the names of plants that grow in the rock country. If you want to know the English or scientific names of these plants, you can contact us (on the main menu contact tab). The transcript is for you to complete. All of the words are given below in the list after the transcript template, you have to pick them out of the list and fit them into the blanks after the time code. We have started the first few lines and the outline of some words. Now watch the video and see how you go. We'll post our version of the transcript (with English translation) in a later post.

 

[00:00:00] Someone: Ma!

[00:00:02] Lillian: An-bunbarr, ngurrurdu kabarri-kerribun.

[00:00:05] Lillian: B_ _ _ _ _

[00:00:06] Lillian: M _ _ _  an-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:09] Lillian: M_ _ _  _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:10] Terrah: An-_ _ _ _  kun-_ _ _ _

[00:00:11] Lillian: An- _ _ _ _

[00:00:12] Terrah: K_ _ _   barri-_ _ _ _ _ _ _  ng_ _ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:13] Lillian: Woh, namekke.

[00:00:14] Lillian: Mani njamed, an-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:16] Lillian: Ng_ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:18] Lillian: M_ _ _ nj_ _ _ _ an-_ _ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:23] Lillian: An-_ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:23] Lillian: An-_ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:26] Lillian: An-_ _ _ _ _

[00:00:27] Lillian: An-_ _ _ _ _

[00:00:29] Lillian: Mani...

[00:00:31] Terrah: An- _ _ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:32] Speaker 3: eh ee

[00:00:33] Lillian: njamed an-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:35] Terrah: an-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:36] Lillian: M_ _ _ nj_ _ _ _, an-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:40] Lillian: an-_ _ _ _

[00:00:41] Lillian: Dj_ _ _ _ _

[00:00:43] Lillian: k_ _ _ _ _ _ _, k_ _ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:44] Lillian: b_ _ _ _ _ _

[00:00:46] Mani njamed...

[00:00:47] speaker 3: (inaudible) yerre dja mani njamed...

[00:00:50] speaker 3: mani yi-ngeybom man-yungki

[00:00:51] Terrah: Mani yi-_ _ _ _ _ _ _  M_ _ _!

[00:00:53] speaker 3: yoh, mani yi-ngeybom,

[00:00:55] Terrah: An-ngale mak yi-ngeybom bu bolkkime.

[00:00:57] speaker 3: bu korroko yi-ngeybom

[00:00:58] Mahni, manu?

[00:00:59] Terrah: yo

[00:00:59] Lillian: Man-nuk man-_ _ _ _ _ _

[00:01:01] someone: man-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

[00:01:02] Lillian: b_ _ _ _ b _ _ _ _

[00:01:03] Terrah: Yo, an-bulng... an-b_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

[00:01:05] Lillian: b_ _ _ _ b _ _ _ _

[00:01:06] Terrah: _ _

[00:01:06] Lillian: _ _ _  b_ _ _ nga-_ _ _ _w _ _ _ _w_ _ _

[00:01:07] Terrah: (ka-djekme 'laughs')

 

Here is the word list of all words used in the transcript.

an-bulngbulng

An-bulu

An-bunbarr

An-bunbarr

An-djoh

An-djedj

An-djoh

an-djungkurrk

An-dudjmi

an-karnbirr

An-kawalh

An-korlh

an-lerrelerre

an-marnanj

An-ngale

an-ngunngun

baleh

barri-biddukkani

bu bolkkime

bu korroko

bulngbulng

bulngbulng

bunbarr

Burdah

dja

Dja

Djarduk

eh ee

kabarri-kerribun

karrbirlk

karrbirlk

Kunj

kun-yarl.

Ma!

Mahni

mak

man-bulngbulng

man-bunbarrmani

Mani

Mani

Mani

Mani

Mani

Mani

mani

mani

Mani

mani

Mani...

man-ngamed

manu

Manu

man-yungki

mula

namekke

nga-ngeywarrewong.

ngurrurdu

ngurrurdu

Nguyungu

njale...

njamed

njamed

njamed

njamed

njamed...

njamed...

nuk

Woh

yerre

yerre

yi-ngeybom

yi-ngeybom

yi-ngeybom

yi-ngeybom

yi-ngeybom

yo

Yo

yo

yoh

 

Bonj. That is all.

 

 

December 22, 2012 By Bulanj Nakardbam Leave a Comment

 

It's Kunumeleng season (first rains, spelt Gunumeleng in Gundjeihmi). It's also the summer holiday season.. Here is a festive season greeting card from our friends at Warddeken Land Management Ltd.

The card features two bush foods which are abundant in kunumeleng.

Man-dudjmi (Kunwinjku), An-dudjmi (Gundjeihmi and Kundedjnjenghmi dialects), man-moyi (Kune dialect). Scientific name Buchanania obovata. A short variety of the tree is known as an-wodberr. The photo below is an example of an-wodberr, a favourite food for both bininj dja ngurrurdu (people and emus, or in Gundjeihmi bininj dja alwanjdjuk).


As for the bush red apple, man-djarduk (or an-djarduk in Gundjeihmi and Kundedjnjenghmi), you can hear a song about this fruit here. The scientific name is Syzygium suborbiculare.

Bonj, that is all.

 

September 13, 2012 By Bulanj Nakardbam Leave a Comment

Ngalwalngurru

chameleon dragon Chelosania brunnea

photo ©: Australian Wildlife Conservancy/Andrew Morton

Nawu Warddeken kabirridurrkmirri, birringalkeng mayh nawu karringeybun ngalwalngurru. Yika mak kabirringeybun mak alwalngurru (Kundedjnjenghmi) dja walwalngurru (Kune). Konda kayolyolme Nabangardi Nabordoh ngalekke mayh alwalngurru.

The Warddeken rangers found a chameleon dragon which is called alwalngurru in Bininj Gunwok. This is its name in Kundedjnjenghmi but it is also called walwalngurru in Kune. In this post you can hear Nabangardi Terrah Guymala talking about this lizard which is culturally important for bininj.

But first how to say the name:

Bale karriyime karringeybun? al-wal-ngurru

Nabangardi Terrah kayolyolme alwalngurru-ken:

Nabangardi Terrah talks about the chameleon dragon. Follow the transcript below.

 

[00:00:05.08] yoh, njamed ngalwalngurru

yes, whatsit, the chameleon dragon

 

[00:00:09.10] kangeyyo namenge mayh

that's what this animal is called

 

[00:00:11.08] ngalwangurru, name kukbameng

the chameleon dragon has a light coloured body

 

[00:00:15.17] yika njamed ka-kurlah...bikahmen bu ngamed kore

and sometimes it can change its skin colour when its on

 

[00:00:22.21] bale karriyime nameke kurrulk o kuwardde

what is it, when its on a tree or a rock (changes to the colour of the background)

 

[00:00:25.00] sometime change kayime

sometimes it can change itself

 

[00:00:25.24] bad nameke ngalwangurru nakka bedberre djang

but the chameleon dragon is a totemic emblem for them

 

[00:00:29.00] Djordi-ken, kadjangdi kaddum Kodwalewale

the people from the Djordi clan and the sacred site for it is upstream in the Kodwalewale estate

 

[00:00:33.05] dja Nabelan kunred kayimarnedjangdi

an estate also referred to as Nabelan, that is the place where the sacred site is located

 

[00:00:38.20] alwalngurru ngalekke

she is the chameleon dragon

 

[00:00:41.07] djang

a totemic emblem/sacred site

 

[00:00:41.19] en korrokoni konda ngarridi ngarrinani bu ngarrimwam

long ago when we came here we used to see them all around wherever we went

 

[00:00:45.24] konda kaberrkdi kore redwakbuni bad bolkkime ngarriyawam

here they were everywhere running around the place but today we had to look hard for one

 

[00:00:49.12] bad ngarringalkeng wanjh boyen ngarriwam manekke ngamed

but we did find one and recently when we went to what's that place, um

 

[00:00:54.02] Ngangkan ngarrihyoy Ngurlken ngarridurrkmirri warridj kume ngarringalkeng

we went to Ngangkan, camping out for a few days, and we were working there also and we found one

 

[00:00:59.23] wanjh kahdi wanjh ngarrinjilngmakminj mane mak nawu birri-bih...

when we found it we felt glad because they

 

[00:01:02.05] nawu, nawu djang birridjangweleng birrinjilngmakminj bu birrinang

those people who are the owners of this totem, they felt very happy to see it

 

[00:01:05.12] karra-, karrarrkiddi

still alive and well

 

[00:01:07.15] bu name kayakmen wanjh njale wurdurd nawu birri-, birri-, birri-bika nawu kabirrimre nanih nawu

but if it was ever to disappear, then the next generation of children who grow up

 

[00:01:12.03] wurdurd nawu yiman kayime Bulanjngong

those children of the Bulanj subsection

 

[00:01:14.20] nawu kabindiyawbornan o Ngarridjngong yerre minj

whose fathers are of this clan or maybe all the Ngarridj subsection people, then they would not

 

[00:01:16.23] kabindimarnemulewan korre nani djang kadberre (ngunkurrmi?) njale djang ngarrkukwakwan

be able to tell those children about that sacred site and that totem, "what totem, we know nothing about it" (they would have to say)

 

[00:01:20.07] bad manek important to keep them alive, so we can tell story

so that's why it's important to keep them alive, so we can tell its story

 

Credits: All recordings by Alys Stevens, Biodiversity Conservation Unit, Northern Territory Government.

Bonj

That is all.

Beware: the following video contains an image of a recently deceased old lady from Kamarrkawarn and should not be shown to Bininj from that community and nearby outstations.

 

September 9, 2012 By Bulanj Nakardbam Leave a Comment

Konda Kabard

Here it stands (literally 'here it-knee/node')

(W) = Kunwinjku (Gdj) = Gundjeihmi

For those who have been learning their body part vocabulary and playing the Kunwinjku body part game you will have learnt the word for knee kunbard (W) gunbard (Gdj). The word also refers to nodes on the stem of plants such as bamboo mankole (W) an.gole (Gdj) and sorghum spear grass manbedje (W) anbedje (Gdj). In this sense (plants), the word will take a vegetal noun class prefix man-bard (W) an-bard (Gdj).

You might also come across another kind of construction where the noun stem -bard has a pronoun prefix ka- (W) ga- (Gdj) on it:  kabard (W) gabard (Gdj). This means 'it [the plant] is standing [by virtue of its 'knees/nodes']. An illustration of this 'predicate noun' usage is in a couple of songs of the Wurrurrumi song set of the kunborrk musical genre sung by Kevin Djimarr. In these songs Djimarr sings about wayarra 'spirit beings' from whom he receives his music. Djimarr talks about seeing wayarra holding the stems of manbedje 'Sorghum spear grass' in the wet season and they point out each of the nodes towards the seed head at the top. They say "here is a node, here is a node, here further up it is coming into seed'.

Konda kabard manbedje, kudjewk. Here the spear grass is standing, in the wet season.

You can hear Kevin Djimarr singing about wayarra spirits and their obsession with spear grass nodes here:

The song text is:

Konda kabard konda kabard here it stands here it stands [the spear grass]

konda kabard konda kabard here it stands here it stands [the spear grass]

kumekke kumekke kabard there and there it stands

kumekke kumekke kabard there and there it stands

konda kabard konda kabard here it stands here it stands

 

In the next audio file, you can hear Djimarr chanting the final coda sequence when he performs the last song of the evening at Mamurrng ceremonies. Here he imitates the wayarra spirit beings chanting the spear grass nodes or 'knees'. The text is below the audio.

konda kabard konda kabard konda kabard here it stands here it stands [the spear grass]

konda kabard konda kabard konda kaba... here it stands here it stands [the spear grass]

konda yungki kanganjboke here further up it is coming into seed

 

Bonj

That is all.

 

 

September 8, 2012 By Bulanj Nakardbam Leave a Comment

Yirlinkirrkkirr / Djirnidjirnirrinjken

White-throated Grass Wren

(Amytornis woodwardi)

This post is about a bird endemic to the rock country of Bininj Gunwok speaking people— the white-throated grass wren or yirlinkirrkkirr (in most dialects). In Kune dialect it is called djirnidjirnirrinjken.

Nahni ngurriwokbekkan kobohbanj banibokenh kabarriyolyolme bu yirlinkirrkkirrk-ken.

    photo © Warddeken Land Management Ltd and Peter Cooke.

Click on the audio to hear how to pronounce yirlinkirrkkirr or the Kune version djirnidjirnirrinjken.

Yirlin-kirrk-kirr

yirlinkirrkkirr MaryK < yibiddjuyme ba yiwokbekkan yirlinkirrkkirr (click to listen)

Djirni-djirnirrinj-ken

3_IvanN_WTGW_Kune_11_04_2012_djirnidjirnirrinjken < yibiddjuyme ba yiwokbekkan djirnidjirnirrinjken

Nakangila Ivan Namarnyilk: Nane namekke kikkik name kangeyyo, njamed namekke, ngarringeybun nanih, djirnidjirnirrinjken, djirnidjirnirrinjken.

Nakangila Ivan Namarnyilk: This bird has a name and this is how we say its name— (repeated)
djirnidjirnirrinjken, djirnidjirnirrinjken

 

In the following 4 audio files and transcript, you can hear two senior knowledgeable women Kodjdjan Mary Naborlhborlh and Kodjdjan Mary Kolkkiwarra talking to their grandson and Warddeken land management ranger Nakamarrang Gavin Namarnyilk as he seeks to learn something about this special little bird only found in the rock country of Western Arnhem Land and Kakadu National Park.

Yirlinkirrkkirr audio 1of 4 yibiddjuyme ba yiwokbekkan (clear here to listen, file 1 of 4)

 

[00:00:00.00] Yirlinkirrkkirr

[00:00:01.22] GN: Bale kore karri bale kabolkyime laik yimulewa.

Where does it live, can you say something about it.

[00:00:05.00] MK: Kuwarddewardde karri.

It lives in the rock country.

[00:00:08.01] MK: Yiman kayime Kamarrkawarn karri kore kanjdjikanjdji, ankebkakebkali.

You can find them at Kamarrkawarn down on the river by the edge of the rocks where they meet the savanna.

[00:00:13.10] MK: Yiman kayime anywhere yiman kayime mani any side kore malayi wanjh start moving ngurrimang ngurrire.

Anywhere there, such as any side (near the rocks) so tomorrow when you start moving around there, that's where you go.

[00:00:20.21] MN: Yo

[00:00:21.12] MK: Kare kumeke kuwarddewardde ngurribekkan kayime "yirlinkirrk-kirrk-kirrk-kirrk" kawokdi.

In that rock country there, listen out for the call "yirlinkirrk-kirrk-kirrk-kirrk".

[00:00:24.00] MN: "yirlinkirrk-kirrk-kirrk-kirrk" kayime kawokdi...nungka.

It goes like that, "yirlinkirrk-kirrk-kirrk-kirrk", that's him.

[00:00:26.18] MK: Kamulewarren nakka woybuk namekke ngaleng ngurrimang name yirlinkirrkkir.

He is saying who he is; for sure you'll be able to find one, the white-throated grass wren.

[00:00:30.11] MN: Yo


Yirlinkirrkkirr audio 2 of 4 yibiddjuyme ba yiwokbekkan (clear here to listen, file 2 of 4)

 

[00:00:31.00] GN: mm

[00:00:32.00] MN: kamulewarren.

He's saying who he is (talking about himself).

[00:00:32.19] MK: Nanih (?) namekke kabimdihbimdi yirlinkirrkkirr nakka.

These pictures here (computer) are the white-throated grass wren.

[00:00:35.05] MN: Dja kune nawu dedjmudkuyengkuyeng.

And it has very long tail feathers.

[00:00:38.19] MK: Nahni.

This one.

[00:00:40.16] MN: Nane (something) njalenjale

and various other features

[00:00:42.01] MK: Namekkengong wanjh name yirlinkirrkkirr.

These birds (in the photos) are all the white-throated grass wren.

[00:00:42.22] MN: namekke nahni, ngoyo?? nani nawu

that one there, that's him

[00:00:45.15] GN: So Kamarrkawarn karri konda karri?

So it lives here at Kamarrkawarn?

[00:00:48.08] MK: Konda karri.

It lives around here.

[00:00:49.11] MN: Nganmoyi karri...konda karri.

It's also at Manmoyi... it lives here.

[00:00:50.24] MK: Wardi konda bu kare karri bad...

It must also be living around here...

[00:00:55.07] MK: wardi ngurridjalyawayawan dja ngaye mak ngadjalyime bu marrek kareh karri wardi o maitbi, karri, because kuwardde karri nakka.

Just try and have a look around. I'm only assuming you'll find there because it's the right kind of habitat in the rock country there.

[00:01:01.24] MN: mm karri ngurribekkan kawokdiwokdi.

It's there, just listen out for its call.

[00:01:03.07] MK: Mani Ankung Djang area kanjdji karri ankebkali yirlinkirrkkirr

It's also in the Ankung Djang (Honey Dreaming) area on the lowland areas by the edge of rocky escarpment lines, the white-throated grass wren.

[00:01:06.16] MN: Karri

It's there.


Yirlinkirrkkirr 3 of 4 < yibiddjuyme ba yiwokbekkan (clear here to listen, file 3 of 4)
[00:01:07.23] MK: Ngurrire ngurringalke.

Go there and you will find it.

[00:01:10.04] GN: Try namekke malayi ngarrire ngarriyawan ane ngaleh ngandibidyikarrme.

We'll try to go there tomorrow and look for it but we need your help (two elders).

[00:01:17.01] MN: Yo wanjh ngurriyawan ngurribekkan kawokdiwokdi.

Yes, go then and listen to its call when you are looking for it.

[00:01:20.21] MN: Bu karriwokbekkan. Kawokdi nungkakih.
(song)

Let's listen to it talking (on audio recording). It will speak, that's it now.

[00:01:29.01] MK: Yirlinkirrkkirr!

White-throated grass wren!

[00:01:29.19] MN: Nungkakih

That's it now.

[00:01:30.21] (kawokdi yirlinkirrkkirr)

(the white-throated grass wren calls)

[00:01:35.19] GN: (to ecologist Alys Stevens) Where did you record it?

[00:01:37.00] Alys: Kakadu

[00:01:40.01] MN: Nungkakih

That's it now.

 

Yirlinkirrkkirr 4 of 4 < yibiddjuyme ba yiwokbekkan (clear here to listen, file 4 of 4)

 

[00:01:43.02] GN: Yiwokbekkang?

Can you hear it speaking?

[00:01:44.19] (kawokdi Yirlinkirrkkirr yerre)

(the white-throated grass wren still singing)

[00:01:44.19] MN: Med yibekkan.

Hang on, listen.

[00:01:48.08] (bird)

[00:01:53.06] MN: Nungkakih ... yibekkan.

Listen... that's it now!

[00:01:56.12] MK: Kore kuwardde bawokmangi o bale kungarre?

Where did she (Alys) record it— in the rock country or where, in a thicket?

[00:01:59.03] GN: Kakadu.

[00:01:59.15] MK: Kungarre?

In thick bush?

[00:02:00.10] Alys: Gunlom

[00:02:01.17] All: Gunlom

[00:02:03.10] MN: Gunlom bawokmey.

She recorded it at Gunlom.

[00:02:04.16] GN: Gunlom bawokmey.

She recorded it at Gunlom.

[00:02:05.19] MK: Nungkakih

That's it now.

[00:02:06.10] Ngalbuyika: Nungkakih

That's it now.

[00:02:08.24] MN: mm nungkakih

mm, that's it now.

If you only want to hear the song of yirlinkirrkkirr, click below:

wtgrasswren < Konda yibiddjuyme bu yidjare yiwokbekkan namekke mayhmayh kawokdi.

Thanks to Alys Stevens from the Biodiversity Conservation Unit, Northern Territory Government for making these recordings and to the two Kodjdjan, Mary Kolkkiwarra (left) and Mary Naborlhborlh (right) for their knowledge about the birds. Thanks also to Peter Cooke for the excellent yirlinkirrkkirr photo and to Maningrida Djelk Ranger Ivan Namarnyilk for the Kune pronunciation.

 

Bonj

That is all.

September 6, 2012 By Bulanj Nakardbam Leave a Comment

Anbinik dja Kukodjdubbe Ankabo

(Allosyncarpia ternata trees and headwater wetlands)

The Bininj Gunwok Language Project has been working together with Warddeken Land Management Ltd, ecologist Jeremy Freeman from Charles Darwin University, and the Nature Conservancy to produce two new resources. One is a poster about anbinik trees and the other is about kukodjdubbe mankabo 'headwater wetlands' on the Arnhem Land Plateau. The anbinik poster is featured here in this post. Kunwinjku extracts from the poster are followed by the English translations. At the end of the images, there is a link to several files where you can download copies for your classrooms and offices. If you would like full size copies of these posters, use the contact tab on the main menu strip to get in touch with us.

Ngad nawu ngarridurrkmirri Bininj Kunwokken, ngarrbenbidyikarrmeng bedda nawu Warddeken kabirridurrkmirri kabirribolknahnan manbinik manngarre. Wanjh ngarridjarrkmarnbom bokenh djurra nawu manbinik dja kukodjdubbe mankabo.

Anbinik

The 'old people' (dabbarrabbolk) on the Arnhem Land plateau in the rock country used to speak Kundedjnjenghmi, one of the dialects of Bininj Gunwok. It has some similarities with Gundjeihmi spoken to the west. One of these similarities is that it uses an- as the vegetal noun class prefix, as does Gundjeihmi. In Kunwinjku this prefix is man-, so in Gundjeihmi and Kundedjnjenghmi the name for the Allosyncarpia ternata tree is anbinik and in Kunwinjku it is manbinik. The poster includes words from both Kundedjnjenghmi and Kunwinjku.

 

Files of the posters (pdf) are available here:

anbinik poster Kunwinjku

wetland poster Kunwinjku

anbinik poster English

wetland poster English

Thanks to our translation team:

Alfred Nayinggul, Andrew Manakgu, Donna Nadjamerrek and to 'the old people' who taught us about the importance of these trees.

 

August 30, 2012 By Bulanj Nakardbam Leave a Comment

Jabiru Area School Print Workshops 2012

Stuart Whitby's Art Class

With guest printmakers and former Jabiru residents Diane and Andrew Blake

 

(place cursor over image and select the full screen icon to view portrait orientation images without clipping)

Bulanj Murray kabendjawan yawurrinj nawu birrihbimmarnbom.

Murray Garde talks with 3 Jabiru School students about their prints—Jimmy Marimowa, Cuisak Nango and Hezekiah Lane.

 

JAS Jimmy namarrkon edited

[00:00:00] Jimmy: Ngaye Jimmy Marimowa

I am Jimmy Marimowa.

[00:00:02] MG: Jimmy yingeyyo, en kunred ke baleh?

Your name is Jimmy, and where is your country?

[00:00:05] Jimmy: Minjilang

[00:00:06] MG: Minjilang. Ngudda Minjilang beh.

Minjilang, you're from Minjilang.

[00:00:09] MG: Nanih, njale yibimbom?

What have you painted?

[00:00:11] Jimmy: Namarrkon.

Lightning Spirit.

[00:00:12] MG: Namarrkon, and njale... njale kakarrme?

The Lightning Spirit, and what does he have?

[00:00:15] Njamed axe, dadken.

Whatsit, an axe, stone axe.

[00:00:18] MG: Yoh, kaburriwe ey?

Yes, he throws it ey?

[00:00:19] Jimmy: kaburriwe

He throws it.

[00:00:20] Nakodjok: karrong.

He strikes with it.

[00:00:21] MG: Karrong! Kamayhke!

He strikes with flashes of lightning.

[00:00:22] Jimmy: Yoh.

Yes

[00:00:23] MG: Balekeno karrinan bu kamayhke? Yiman kayime kurrung ey.

When do we see those flashes of lightning? Like in kurrung season ey?

[00:00:29] Jimmy: Yowey.

Yes.

[00:00:30] MG: Yoh, kunumeleng, kurrung.

Yes, in kunumeleng and kurrung seasons.

 

JAS Nakodjok mimih edited

[00:00:00.00] MG: Kunkurn bale yikurn ngudda?

Skin name, what is your skin name?

[00:00:01.14] Cuisak: Nakodjok

[00:00:02.06] MG: Nakodjok

[00:00:02.22] Cuisak: Wamud

(also known alternatively as) Wamud

[00:00:03.14] MG: Wamud, en njale yibimbom Wamud?

Wamud, so what have you painted/printed Wamud?

[00:00:05.17] Cuisak: Mimih

[00:00:06.14] MG: Mimih, wardi, wardi yiyolyolme, kalobme o bale?

Can you tell me about this mimih, is he running?

[00:00:10.11] Cuisak: yo

yes

[00:00:11.06] MG: Kalobme. Baleh karringalke mimih?

He's running. Where do we find mimih spirits?

[00:00:14.06] Cuisak: Kuwardde.

In the rock country.

[00:00:15.03] MG: Kuwardde yo. Yinang mimih ngudda?

In the rock country yes. Have you seen a mimih?

[00:00:18.07] Cuisak: Larrk, only nganang njamed, paint ngayime,

No, I've only seen... I've only painted them.

[00:00:22.12] MG: Yo. Yidjalbimbom.

Yes, you've just painted one.

[00:00:23.24] Cuisak: Yo birridjalbimbom kore kuwardde.

Yes, they just paint them in the rock shelters.

[00:00:26.14] MG: mm, ma bonj kamak.

mm OK then, that's great.

[00:00:27.16] Cuisak: Ma

OK then.

 

JAS nganabbarru malimali edited

[00:00:00.00] MG: Ngudda, ngudda njale yibimbom?

And what have you, what have you painted/printed?

[00:00:02.19] Hezekiah: Nganabbarru

A buffalo.

[00:00:04.08] MG: Nganabbarru o yoh. Ngannabbarru, ngudda nganabbarru yingun?

Oh yes, a buffalo. Do you eat buffalo (meat)?

[00:00:08.17] Hezekiah: yoh

yes

[00:00:09.15] MG: En baleh kabirribun nganabbarru?

And where do they hunt buffalo?

[00:00:11.16] Hezekiah:  mm kore bush.

um in the bush

[00:00:13.03] MG: Kore bush. Kunred ke baleh?

In the bush. Where is your country?

[00:00:15.22] Hezekiah: Malimali.

[00:00:17.00] MG: Malimali, kunred? Kumekke nganabbarru nawern?

Malimali, that place ey? Are there many buffalo there?

[00:00:20.17] Hezekiah: mm nawern.

mm many

[00:00:21.13] MG: Yinang?

Have you seen them (there)?

[00:00:22.10] Hezekiah:  yoh

yes

[00:00:23.09] MG: Ma, bonj.

OK that's all.

 

Bonj

That is all.

 

August 20, 2012 By Bulanj Nakardbam Leave a Comment

Injalak Screenprinting

The famous Injalak screenprints at Gunbalanya are back in production. Isaiah Nagurrgurrba talks about how it all started.

yawkyawk 'mermaids'

Kabirriyingkibimmarnbun 'they draw a design first'

Nakangila kahkurrme screen 'Nakangila places the screen'

Isaiah screenprinting text <— Konda yibiddjuyme ba yiwokbekkan. (click the icon to hear the story).

[00:00:00.00]

First nawu ngarrbendjawam nawu...

At first we asked about

 

[00:00:02.13]

konda ngarridurrkmirri

here where we work

 

[00:00:03.17]

screen printing... aa nawu dabbarrabbolk ngarrbendjawam kamak ngundimarnemang design yiman Nawamud

and screen printing... we asked our old people if it was OK to use their designs— people such as Nawamud

 

[00:00:10.24]

Thomson, Kodjok, and Wamud... Wamud namekke ngarrbendjawam bu design bedberre

Thomson, a man of Kodjok subsection, and also Wamud... that Wamud we asked them about permission for designs

 

[00:00:18.18]

kamak ngundimarnemang (dreya???)

we asked if it was OK to use traditional designs

 

[00:00:20.12]

ngarrimyolyolmeng bu namekke print ngarriyime kunmadj

We came and explained how these would be printed on cloth

 

[00:00:23.22]

material... 8 metres table... wanjh Balanda kabirrimre kabirrinan name kunmadj

on material on a table 8 metres long... and then non-Aboriginal people would come and see these prints

 

[00:00:29.04]

kabirribayahme nameke mak artist

and that they would buy them and the artist

 

[00:00:31.17]

royalty yiman name kamang nuyeke

would receive a royalty for his design

 

[00:00:34.08]

mani,

money

 

[00:00:35.02]

nawu kunmadj ba karengere art centre kamarnbun more mani

and that as this continued it would make money for the art centre

 

[00:00:40.15]

ba ngarribayahmeken njamed ink use ngarriyimi

so that we could buy things such as the inks used in the printing

 

[00:00:43.07]

ngalengarre manu screenprinting-ken manekke mani ngarrimarnbun

and all the other things we need to do the screen printing and to make money

 

[00:00:46.20]

ngarrimarnbun T-shirt, fabric

(by selling) T-shirts we make and fabrics

 

[00:00:50.20]

en more birridjaremi nawu kabirridjare bedberre design kabirrimarnbun bad

and then more people wanted to use their designs but

 

[00:00:55.12]

make sure ngarrbenmarneyime minj mak djang ngurribimbun bu njamed wardi

we were told (other artists) not to paint sacred restricted designs, otherwise...

 

[00:00:59.22]

minj karridurren bad kandiyolyolme kadberre dabbarrabbolk.

well it wouldn't mean we would argue over it, but it's just what our elders explained to us.

 

Bonj, birriyakwong! The finished product.

Bonj

That is all.

 

 

July 28, 2012 By Bulanj Nakardbam Leave a Comment

Pronoun Prefixes on Verbs

Learning a new language involves committing many words to memory, regularly. But there are of course many points of grammar that you also need to know in order to construct sentences correctly. If you have already read the post on the polysynthetic nature of languages such as Kunwinjku and Gundjeihmi, you will know that it is necessary to learn parts of words as well as whole words. In this lesson you will learn the most common pronominal prefixes that are used on verbs. This means the word parts that go on the front of a verb that indicate who is the subject or participant relating to the verb. For those of you who subscribe to Karriborlbme Kunwok, a recent word we learnt was kun-bolk 'place' and an example of this noun being incorporated into a verb was this:

ngabolknan

This word consists of four word parts or morphemes:

  1. nga- the pronominal prefix that means 'I'
  2. -bolk an incorporated noun kun-bolk 'place' (after the noun prefix is stripped)
  3. -na the verb to see or look
  4. -n the tense marker on the verb indicating non-past (present or future)

In this post we are concerned with word parts as in part 1 above, the pronominal prefixes on verbs.

The pronoun prefixes in the table below will need to be committed to memory. You will also need to know the grammatical concepts of ‘tense’, ‘person’ and ‘number’. The concept of number in English is limited to singular and plural. In Kunwinjku and Gundjeihmi you can also have dual forms i.e. pronoun prefixes that indicate two referents such as 'you and me', 'me and another person (but not you)', 'they 2' and 'you 2'. Note the idea of inclusive and exclusive pronoun prefixes 'we all (but not you the addressee)' and 'we all (including you the addressee)'.

As far as tense is concerned, the only change in tense for pronominal verb prefixes is in the third person:

Kunwinjku:

ka- 'he/she/it' in the non-past tenses becomes ø (zero i.e. nothing) in the past tense.

Gundjeihmi:

ga- he/she/it' in the non-past tenses, but in the past tense it changes to ba-.

Kunwinjku: ka-re 'he/she/it is going, wam 'he/she/it went.

Gundjeihmi: ga-re 'he/she/it is going, ba-wam 'he/she/it went.

Kunwinjku: kabene- 'they 2' becomes bene- in past tense

Gundjeihmi: gabani- 'they 2' becomes bani- in past tense

 

If you are learning Gundjeihmi, here is the Gundjeihmi table. In Gundjeihmi many initial nasal sounds 'ng' are optional and so this is indicated by brackets e.g. (ng)ani-

Person Minimal 

[base form]

 Unit Augmented 

[base form plus one more]

 Augmented 

[more than unit augmented]
1 

First person exclusive

  

(ng)a-

I

 

(ng)ani-

me+him/her

  

arri-

we (but not you)
1+2 

First person

inclusive

  

arr-

me+you

  

gani-

me, you+him/her

  

garri-

we (you too)
2 

Second person

  

yi-

you (one person)

  

(ng)uni-

(variant) guni-

you two

  

gurri-

(variant) wurri-

you (3+)
3 

Third person:

Non-past

Past

  

 

ga-

ba-

he/she/it

  

 

gabani-

bani-

they two

  

 

gabarri-

barri-

they (3+)

 

If you are learning Kunwinjku, here is the Kunwinjku table:

Person Minimal 

[base form]

 Unit Augmented 

[base form plus one more]

 Augmented 

[more than unit augmented]
1 

First person exclusive

  

nga-

I

 

ngane-

me+him/her

  

ngarri-

we (but not you)
1+2 

First person

inclusive

  

ngarr-

me+you

  

kane-

me, you+him/her

  

karri-

we (you too)
2 

Second person

  

yi-

you (one person)

  

ngune-

you two

  

ngurri-

you (3+)
3 

Third person:

Non-past

Past

  

 

ka-

zero (nothing)

he/she/it

  

 

kabene-

bene-

they two

  

 

kabirri-

birri-

they (3+)

 

GUNDJEIHMI prefixes using the verb to go -re as an example:

Present Tense

(ng)a-re I go, I’m going, I will go

(ng)ani-re we two go, we two are going, we two will go

arri-re we (but not you) go, etc

arre you and me go (see [1] below)

gani-re you+me and he/she go (we 3)

garri-re we all go, let’s go (including the addressee)

yi-re you (singular) go, you are going, you will go

(ng)uni-re you two go, you two are going, you two will go

gurri-re (or wurri-re) you all go (more than 2 people)

ga-re he/she is goes, he/she is going, he/she will go

gabani-re they two go, they two are going, they two will go

gabarri-re they (more than 2) go

 

In the past tense, the verb 'to go' is irregular (or suppletive), just as it is in English go>went. In Bininj Gunwok it is –re > -wam (where the hyphen means that there must be a prefix).

Past Tense

nga-wam I went

ngani-wam we (2 of us) went

ngarri-wam we (3+ but not you) went

ngarr-wam you and I went

gani-wam you+me and him/her went

garri-wam we all went (including the addressee[s])

yi-wam you (singular) went

nguni-wam you two went

ngurri-wam you (3+) went

ba-wam he/she/it went

bani-wam they two went

barri-wam they all (3+) went

[1] Note that this form is underlyingly ngarr-re but this often gets reduced to ngarre.

 

KUNWINJKU prefixes using the verb to go -re as an example:

Present Tense

nga-re I go, I’m going, I will go

ngane-re we two go, we two are going, we two will go

ngarri-re we (but not you) go, etc

ngarr-re you and me go

kane-re you+me and he/she go (we 3), etc

karri-re we all go, let’s go (including the addressee)

yi-re you (singular) go, you are going, you will go

ngune-re you two go, you two are going, you two will go

ngurri-re you all go (more than 2 people), etc

ka-re he/she is goes, he/she is going, he/she will go

kabene-re they two go, they two are going, they two will go

kabirri-re they (more than 2) go, etc

 

Past Tense

nga-wam I went

ngane-wam we (2 of us) went

ngarri-wam we (3+ but not you) went

ngarr-wam you and I went

kane-wam you+me and him/her went

karri-wam we all went (including the addressee[s])

yi-wam you (singular) went

ngune-wam you two went

ngurri-wam you (3+) went

wam he/she/it went

bene-wam they two went

birri-wam they all (3+) went

 

A good way to learn these paradigms is to make up cards that you can post up on the wall where you will see them frequently or alternatively, make up pocket cards that you can carry with you and check when you have time.

 

Bonj

That is all.

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