Oh, oh no, the thing is, no way (conveys that the speaker is shocked or wants to contradict something that has been said).

• "Aba, yaw kinga nganang. Marndi wurdyaw kayawbaye kadberre warreh," yimeng ngalbu Ngalwakadj bedberre.

  “Oh, I saw a young crocodile. It might bite our kids” Ngalwakadj told them.

• "Kandadju kundad dja ngamarrwedoweng." "Aba, minj won, ngaye mak ngamarrwedoweng."

  "Give me a [turtle] leg, because I'm hungry” “No way. I can't give you any. I'm hungry too."

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, ‘Bu Ngurriborlhme Kunwinjku: Learning Kunwinjku’, Kunwinjku Language Centre, Gunbalanya, 1994)

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Beach, sand.

• Kore manyunkurr, adjbud kayo.

  On the island, there is a beach.

  (Wildflower Band, ‘Galiwin’ku’)

• Nabangardi yimeng "Ngare kore wadjbud kurrula kahyo, ba djenj ngayawan".

  Nabangardi said "I'm going to the beach, the saltwater, to look for fish".

  (Jeanette Burrunali)

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

1Is it?; maybe; I don't know!

• Ngaye ngadjawayhme nuye bu ngayime "Adju baleh wam nawu Nabangardi?"

  I ask him, I say “I don’t know, where did Nabangardi go?”.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

2Said after a joke which provides mild embarrassment to the hearer.

EtymologyIwaidja aju 'it-lies', 'it is', 'it exists'.

See alsokunubewu

Name of a male ancestral dog being, who travelled with the female Ancestral dog Omwarl through the area around Gunbalanya. The name is from the Mengerr language but Kunwinjku speaking residents of Gunbalanya are familiar with the story of these two dogs. The name has been also spelt Adjumarllarl but there is no linguistic basis for a rl+l sequence in either pronunciation or syllable structure. However, the Adjumarllarl spelling is now largely an accepted convention.

• Bu korroko duruk bokenh Adjumarlarl dja Omwarl benemwam karrikadbeh kukku benehboyawani.

  The two Ancestral Dogs Adjumarlarl and Omwarl came [to the Gunbalanya area] from the west, looking for water.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation, Adjumarllarl and Omwarl Story)

Etymologyfrom the Mengerr language

See alsoDuruk Benengadbom

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

1Kind of shrub.

Scientific nameGrewia xanthopetala, Grewia multiflora

2Kind of hibiscus. As for the Grewia species, the bark of this hibiscus is used to make string and the young stems are good firesticks.

Scientific nameHibiscus tiliaceaus

The Amurdak language.

SynonymsWurradjbak

• Nawu korroko bininj birriyuhyungki birrimulewarreni bu bedda kunwok bedberre kore birriwokdi. Yika manbu kunwok mankang kuberrkbeh dja yika kore kurrulabeh. Wanjh bolkkime bininj birriwern kabirribebbehwokdi manbu kunwok bedberre. Yiman Amurdak dja Wardadjbak makka kuberrkbeh birriwokdi. Dja manbu Yibadjdja dja Marrkku makka wanjh kumekke ngalengman kore kabirrihni bolkkime bininj manbu kunwok kumekke kabirridjalwokdi.

  In the old days, our ancestors all spoke to each other in their own languages. Some languages came from inland areas, and others from saltwater areas. Still today, people each talk their own languages. Amurdak and Wardadjbak for example were spoken in inland areas. Iwaidja and Marrku are still spoken where the speakers of those languages live.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

LanguageKunwinjku, Kundedjnjenghmi, Kundjeyhmi

Short specimen of billy goat plum which are no more than a metre high. The tall version is called anmorlak in Kundedjnjenghmi, mandjiribidj in Kuninjku and manmorlak in Kunwinjku.

Scientific nameTerminalia ferdinandiana

• Anbuningkid, anmarlak kanjdji kayo.

  The an-buningkid is a low growing billy goat plum.

LanguageKundedjnjenghmi

Sandpaper figs.

Synonymsanyarrngeyarrnge

Scientific nameFicus scobina, Ficus opposita

LanguageKundedjnjenghmi, Kundjeyhmi, Kune, Kuninjku

Evergreen scrambling shrub or vigorous woody climber to 10 m high, with creamy coloured fruit in kunumeleng. The fruit can be peeled and leached and applied to sore eyes and other inflammations. Also used to treat skin infections such as scabies.

Scientific nameOpelia amentacea

• Anleklek anbang dorrengh.

  The Opelia amentacea tree has poison.

LanguageKundedjnjenghmi

Kind of shrub or small tree (1-3m) found in sandstone country with black or dark purple or black edible berries. A synonym for the plant ankurlbayi literally means ‘having blood’ which is a reference to the dark red juice.

Synonymsankurlbayi

Scientific nameAntidesma parvifolium

• Analinjdja manme ngarringuni, barnemno ngarringuni djorlengno, yiman kayime yibengkan andjurlukkurn,

  Vitex acuminata has an edible fruit which we eat when ripe and its like the Antidesma ghaesembila fruit but it grows in the rock country. We call the rock version of Antidesma ghaesembila an-yuku fi:(Antidesma_parvifolium). When it's ripe it's black. It's a well known traditional food, Antidesma parvifolium.

LanguageKundedjnjenghmi, Kundjeyhmi

The 'small billabong' in Gunbalanya, in the middle of town.

• Arramunbu nakka kunbolkngey kore kunred kabolkngeyyo bu birribolkngeybuni nawu bininj bedberre kunred dja mak birriwokdi Erre.

  Arrmunbu is the name of a place, which was used by the traditional owners of the area who spoke the Erre language.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Etymologyfrom Erre

1Name of the hill on the southern side of Gunbalanya township in Mengerrdji language country.

• Nawu manimunak wirlarrk djang kahdjangdi kore kaddum kuwardde Arrkuluk.

  There is a sacred site for Magpie Goose eggs on the top of Arrkuluk rock.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

2Hill on the western side of the entrance to Birraduk [Birrirddak] Creek valley, directly south of the Gunbalanya-Nabarlek road. This site has the same name as the hill at Gunbalanya and is therefore sometimes called ‘Arrkuluk number two’.

An interjection used to express emotional attachment, dearness.

Synonymsworro

• Awurd, mayh namekke ngan­kodjborledke Kawk Kabim Djang

  So dear to me is that bird, its call reminds me of the sacred night heron dreaming.

  (Nabarlek Band song (Terrah Guymala))

• Yika mak ngarriyime "awurd" bu nangale nawu kare djarre wanjh ngarrikongibun, dja mak bininj nawu karrowen, wanjh ngarriyime "awurd warre mankang mandengeyi".

  We might say “Awurd” (“Oh that dear man/woman”) if someone goes far away and we feel sorry for them, or for example if someone dies we might say "Awurd (oh that poor man/woman) it’s a terrible thing, they had a car crash".

  (Jill Nganjmirra )

LanguageKunwinjku

1So that.

• Yirrolkka ba karrire.

  Get up so we can go.

2But.

• Ba minj birrinayinj nganabbarru yoy, wanjh manwurrk biwayhkeng.

  But they didn't see a buffalo sleeping there until a bush fire woke him up.

Sore, be in pain.

• Baleh yihbabang?

  Where does it hurt?

• Ngabardbabang.

  I have a sore knee.

• Baleh yimi bu yimimbabangni?

  How long has your eye been sore?

LanguageKuninjku, Kundedjnjenghmi, Kunwinjku

Kunbalakngarrkme

Grammara kind of adjective which can take predicate prefixes (pronominal and nominal)

Carry a load attached to a stick over the shoulder, especially fish.

• Yidjirribiwo ba ngababbulibun djenj.

  Tie the fish up (passing vine or string through the gills) so I can carry them on a stick.

• Karrimadjbabbulibun.

  Let's carry our swag on a stick over our shoulder.

1Catch an object which has been thrown, launched etc.

• Bu ngurridirri ngaleng kaburriwe wanjh ngudda yibabma.

  If you're going to play, she'll throw it (the ball) and you've got to catch it.

• Mongerrk-Mongerrk birriyameng nawu bininj birriyuhyungki, wanjh birrikukkinjeng kore kunak. Kunmurrwirn nuye bu dolkani wanjh birribabmangi, birriyawoyhkinjeyi kore kunak ba bu minj yawoyhmarnburrimeninj.

  The Ancestors speared Mongerrk-Mongerrk, and burned his body on a fire. As scraps of his charred skin floated up into the air from the fire, they caught them and burned them again, so he couldn't re-form himself.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

2Reel in, pull in (e.g. a fishing line or rope).

• Yiyarlbabbabmang werrk!

  Quick, pull in the line!

Kunbalakbabmimodme

Verb prefix indicating that one action follows another, possibly as a consequence. So, then, afterwards, as a result, in that case, with good reason, etc.

• Birribadbom nabuyika benuk.

  Then they speared another bush turkey.

  (Garlngarr, Victor, ‘Mamik dja Nakodjok benekang’, in “Kunwinjku Stories”, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, 1982)

• Dja kunubewu bolkkime wanjh nganang bu yiman kayime kurrung darnkih wanjh kabindibadkan kabirriwarlbun.

  Well I notice at the moment, probably because it’s coming up for build-up season, they’re taking them hunting a lot.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006)

See alsobadbu

Short eared rock wallaby.

Scientific namePetrogale brachyotis

• Korroko bininj birrirey djalakkiradj dorrengh kore kuwardde birriyawani birrinani birridanjbuni nawu badbong.

  In the old days, people would take spears into the escarpment looking for short-eared rock wallabies, and when they saw them they would spear them.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Kunbalakdolhwarr

1Exactly right!, absolutely! That's what I mean!

• Badbu djalkurrmerrinj ngayi ngabengkan... I know!

  Yes, that's right, I know it put itself there, I know that.

2When, if.

• Badbu djal ngaleng werrk ngunnang, wanjh ngunkukbawon.

  When she [an emu] spots you first [before you see her], well she'll run away from you.

• Badbu kondabu ngarrinankah arribukkayi manekke.

  If we see some here, we should show it to him.

Grammarsubordinate conjuction

Mirror, glass.

• Baddumang ngarrikebnarren.

  We are looking at our faces in the mirror.

• Warlirr kundung karrirung, kunekke kadberre karrirung, dja baddumang kabirrikarrme, baddumang kabirrikarrme kune kayime kakolhdebebme, kakolhdebebme, soon kabirrikarrme, glass, mirror, soon kabirrikarrme kadberre yiman muddikang rerri. Bokenh kabenekarrme, glass baddumang kukak kabirribebme.

  When the sun is hot, when we get really hot, then they have pieces of glass and when plants start sending out new growth [just before rain comes] then they [spirit beings] have pieces of glass and they take us away in something like a motor vehicle. They are in pairs with their pieces of glass and they appear at night.

  (Jimmy Bungurru (first language was Ndjébbana).)

EtymologyFrom Makassarese patomang ‘compass’. Note also Ndjébbana baddúmang ‘swimming goggles, glass, mirror’. Also Iwaidja badumang (or bathumang) and Mawng patumang ‘glass, mirror’

1External entrance tube to a native bee hive.

Synonymskunkeb

• Nawu mankung kabebbengeyyo yiman nabiwo, manyalk, bobbidj, kubbulak, birringolo, kaluk nawu badj nakka kakebbuyika bu kabirrikebmarnbun. Yiman yika kakebkuyeng dja yika kakebdjumbung bu kakebyirriyo ngarrinan nawu nabiwo, manyalk, bobbidj dja birringolo nakka kakebyirriyo, dja kubbulak nakka ngarrikebnan kadjalkebrurrk, minj kabadjname bu kakebyirriyo.

  Different types of wild honey have different names, for example nabiwo, manyalk, bobbidj, kubbulak, and birringolo, and the hives all have different entrance tubes that the bees make. Some are long, and some are short, for example we see that the entrance tubes of nabiwo, manyalk, bobbidj and birringolo all extend out, whereas for kubbulak hives there is just an entrance hole, they don't make a tube that protrudes.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

2European style smoking pipe.

Synonymsdjikka

• Bu korroko wanjh larrwa dja badj birriwungmi dja bolkkime larrk.

  In the old days people used to smoke long Macassan pipes and European style pipes too, but not any more.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKunwinjku

EtymologyPossibly an English loan but note Makassarese patti 'chest, case' and kalling 'tin, can' and cf Iwaidja patjukaling 'large container, drum' and Burarra bajikala 'long smoking pipe'.

Kunbalakkunmuluru.

Big one, large, main part. When two things are conceived of as existing in a greater-lesser, main-subordinate or parent-child relation, 'badjan' describes the greater or parent part. The lesser or child part is referred to with 'yaw'.

• Kundulk mandubang birrilawkmangi birridjedmi birrimarnbuni manberlnginj, manbadjan dja manyaw wanjh birribekkani manmak wanjh bonj.

  They would peel the bark off ironwood branches and carve them into clapsticks, a large one and a small one, hear that they sounded good and that was it.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

• Manbu manbadjan makka rungkal. Manu manyaw makka rarrk.

  The large external lines are the outlines, the small lines are the hatching (within the painted figure).

  (Joey Nganjmirra)

Bash, hit to injure.

• Kunwardde ngakodjbadjdji.

  I bashed it on the head with a rock.

• Yidjare kodjbadjdjeng kundulk?

  You want me to bash your head with a stick or what?

  (Jeanette Burrunali )

Kunbalakbonghme

Bicycle, bike.

Synonymsmandengebokenh

• Wurdyaw karlobme badjdjingkurl.

  The child is riding a bicycle.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Mani mandengebokenh kangeyyo badjdjingkurl.

  That two-wheeled vehicle is called a bicycle.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Etymologyfrom English 'bicycle'.

Small herbaceous plant which has an edible radish-like tuber.

Scientific nameBrachystelma glabriflorum

• Ngad bininj ngarringun manbu badjdjo ngarrire ngarrinan manrakel wanjh ngarrikarung ngarrimang kaluk mankuk ngarringun minj ngarrikinje mandjoleng ngarringun.

  We Aboriginal people eat bush radishes, we go and we see its leaves then we dig it up and eat it raw. We don't roast it and eat it cooked.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKuninjku, Kundedjnjenghmi, Kune, Kunwinjku

Etymologypossibly from Makassarese pacco 'Arum colocasia R., a plant with roots which are edible after cooking'. Cf Bajau pacco 'taro, Colocasia esculenta'. Also Mawng badjdjung 'yam type'.

Drum (metal container).

• Manbu mannjam makka mankuyeng birridjirridjbuni kore kurrula birridjobdjobkeyi birrikinjeyi kore banikkin nakimuk badjdjukkali.

  The intestines (of the sea turtle) are very long, people used to wash them in the salt water, then chop them up and cook them in a large drum.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation. )

Basket. This word usually refers to a non-traditional basket, such as coiled baskets. The coiling technique was introduced to Arnhem Land by missionary Greta Matthews in the 1920s, but was traditionally used by southern Aboriginal people along the Murray River.

• Ngaye ngamarnbom badjkid mankimukken.

  I made a big basket.

  (Jeanette Burrunali)

• Ngaye ngahni Mamardawerre kaluk ngarrurrkmirri kunngobarn bu ngamarnbun, dja mak ngarriwern nawu ngarrimarnbun manbu badjkid nawu ngaye ngarridanginj.

  I live at Mamardawerre and I work making things out of pandanus, there are lots of us here making baskets, me and my sisters.

  (Jill Nganjmirra, quoted in Hamby, Louise (ed.), Twined Together: Kunmadj Njalehnjaleken, Injalak Arts and Crafts, Gunbalanya, 2005, p. xiii)

Etymologyfrom English ‘basket’

Shirt.

• Nawu kunmadj ngarringeybun badjubadju nawu kaddumkah kabirridjongburren.

  The piece of clothing that we call 'badjubadju' (a shirt) is something people wear on their upper body.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

LanguageKuninjku

Etymologyfrom Makassarese bajubaju, 'men's short-sleeved shirt, jacket.'

Name of a yirridjdja moiety patriclan.

• Weyakweyak bakurlbakani kurlba barey. Bayimi 'yuy yuy' bakayhmi bayuyhmirey, that kurlba bakadjungi line up anekke kunwardde line kadjale bayibmeng konda, kalkberd, nakkan Nawarray-beh barrolkang dabborrabbolk nuye bu Nangukwirridj nakohbanj na-Badmardi, ya Bangardi nawu. Na-Badmardini, nangamed nuye Nayombolmi nuye kornkumo barroweng makka nungka beywurd Nayombolmi.

  Black-faced cuckoo shrike fi:(Coracina_novaehollandiae) followed the trail of blood. He groaned 'yuy yuy', and went along calling out 'yuy' and he followed the blood and these rocks are all lined up [indicating the route the kangaroo took] and he keeps going and sank here, that male euro who came from Nawarray. It belonged (the dreaming) to that old Badmardi clansman Nangukwirridj, yeah Bangardi. He was Bangardi, Nayombolmi's father, and his son was Nayombolmi.

  (LBN, Badmardi/Worrkorl site survey)

1Break something.

• Bu kunboy karribakke wanjh karrinan nawu djak kabebmerren kore kuboybeh.

  If we break a termite mound, we see the white ants coming out from inside the mound.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

2Break (a law), transgress.

• Yimarnebakke mankarre ngundukkan, nawu Balanda.

  If you break their law they'll put you in handcuffs, the white people.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006. Kunkarre changed to mankarre. )

3Compose a song about a person or incident, be able to perform (orally) or recite something.

• Djimarr benbakkeng yawurrinj mandule bedberre.

  Djimarr created a song for/about the young men.

Kunbalak-murridjke, (variant > murridjdje)

GrammarThis construction is of the form SUBJ/OBJ-break.

Tobacco.

• Bu yibawon bakki kamak wanjh.

  It would be good if you gave up smoking.

Kunbalakkundjule

Break.

• Yuwn yikilekme wardi kabakme.

  Don't touch it or it might break.

Kunbalak-murridjme, redup.= -murrimurridjme

1Trajectory in space away from a static speaker and/or hearer or, in third-person-based narrative, on the protagonist's current position.

• Yibalderrehmen!

  Move over! [so there’s room for me to squeeze in].

• Nungka balwam kore mankabo bu dungyibmiyibmi darnki.

  He went out to the river when it was almost sunset.

2Recurring or continuing movement along.

• Yibalre / Yibale!

  Keep going!

• Kundulk makkah kabalhdulkdarlkan.

  That stick is floating along down the river.

• Ngabirlidombom ngarohrokmeng dja baldjalwurlhmeng.

  I tried to put the fire out, but it kept starting up again.

Sleeping platform, table, bed.

• Balabbala kanjdji.

  Under the table.

Etymologyfrom Makassarese balla?-balla? 'cottage, small house; couch'.

See alsokukbalabbala

Flat, smooth.

Synonymskukbalabala

• Wirndilk kaworrbalabala.

  The Haemodorum coccineum plant has flat leaves.

  (Nadjamerrek, Lofty Bardayal, Russel, Jeremy & Garde, Murray, ‘A Preliminary List of Kundedjnjenghmi Plant Names’, NLC, Kabulwarnamyo, 2003 )

• Mandulkbalabala.

  A flat piece of wood.

  (Jeanette Burrunali)

GrammarNormally appears in noun or verb constructs, e.g. 'mandulkbalabala', 'a flat piece of wood'.

Leech.

• Baladj ngakele, wardi ngankurlbayakwon.

  I'm frightened of leeches, they might finish up my blood.

  (Jeanette Burrunali)

Bag, string bag or cloth bag.

• Kunkare Ngalngarridj wam kunngobarn mangihmangi, kani baladjdji dja manmarli.

  One day Ngalngarridj went gathering pandanus, carrying a bag and a hooked stick.

  (Maralngurra, Dolly, ‘Ngalngarridj Marebu Marnbom’, Oenpelli School and Oenpelli Literacy Centre, Gunbalanya, 1975)

Etymologyfrom Makassarese balase 'sack, bag'

Give daughter in marriage.

Synonymsberrebbun

• Ngalkurrng nganbalakbun. 'Ngayi won daluk,' kayime.

  (My) cousin (MMBDD) will give me her daughter in marriage. She'll say, 'I'll give the girl to you.'

Chequered rainbow fish; totem in the lorrkkon ceremony performed by Kuninjku people.

Scientific nameMelanotaenia splendida inornata

• Balakirrkirr nakka kare kore kubowinjku, korroko dabborrabbolk birrimangi walabi, wanjh birrikinjeyi bu birringuni, dja mak birribonguni djubdjub.

  Rainbow fish live in fresh water, in the old days our ancestors used to catch them in traditional nets, then roast them for eating or make them into soup.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

LanguageKunwinjku

Person of non-Aboriginal descent.

Synonymskukbele

• Barrk ngarringeybun nawu ngad bininj ngarriwinjku ngarrikukburlerri dja birrikukbele balanda kabirringeybun 'black wallaroo'.

  Us Kunwinjku Aboriginal people say 'barrk', but non-indigenous people, white people, call it a 'black wallaroo'.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation )

LanguageKuninjku, Kunwinjku, Kune

Etymologyfrom Macassarese, Hollander

Male subsection or 'skin' name of duwa patri-moiety and ngarradjku matri-moiety.

• Barrk djukerre. Nakka duwa Balang. Balang Belinj.

  The black wallaroos are of the duwa moiety and the male is Balang subsection and the female is Belinj.

LanguageKuninjku, Kune, Kundedjnjenghmi

Far, a long way.

Synonymsdjarre

• Ngalburlanj wam kore kubolkbalay.

  Ngalburlanj went to a place very far away.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• La name nawaran yingeybun wardi kangeybekkan bonj ngunbawon kare kelekele. Namekke. Kukkelekele namekke. Nawaran. Ngunbekkan. Kunwok kabekkan. Yiman bininj nakka, kunwok kakarrme. Kangeybekkan nawu balay kangimen nawu kururrk cave munguyhmunguyh marrek mak ngarrngalke.

  If you utter the name of the Oenpelli python [when hunting it] then it will be too late and it will leave you behind and go off in fear. That's it. It is a very timid animal the Oenpelli python. It can hear your speech. It is like a human and has its own language. It can hear its name and will take off a long way and go inside a cave and you'll never find it.

  (Jimmy Kalarriya, in file ‘Kalarriya Nawaran’ recorded by Murray Garde.)

LanguageKune, Kundedjnjenghmi, Kunwinjku

1Where.

• Ngudda baleh yihdi?

  Where have you been?

• Baleh yihbabang?

  Where does it hurt?

2What.

• Maladj, baleh ngundihmarneyimeng? Oh ngandihkaybom ngamarrewedowen ngarrowen .

  Maladj, what did they say to you? Oh, they refused to give me any [food]. Now I'm really starving.

• Bale kayime?

  What's (s)he saying?

• Minj baleh karriyime.

  There's nothing we can do. [or] What can we possibly do/say?

3How.

• Bale ngayimiwon?

  How do I do this?

LanguageKunwinjku, Kuninjku, Kune

When.

• Bu balekeno yimdurndeng?

  When are you coming back?

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Fat, oil, butter.

• Balemno yidjobdjobke yikurrmehkurrme bedberre.

  You cut up the fat and place it out for people [to share].

  (George Djandjomer, quoted in Murray Garde (ed.), Something about emus: Indigenous knowledge of emus from western Arnhem Land, Canberra, A.C.T. Aboriginal Studies Press, 2017, p. 86)

LanguageKuninjku,Kune

Close or block off.

• Kunngol mimbalhmeng dird.

  The clouds have blocked the moon.

Kunbalak-balhbonghme

Keep going, continue moving, go (in a direction away from the speaker).

• Yibalay djarreh.

  Keep on going for a long way.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Kare kaddum wanjh Duleburreni Ngaldaddubbe Djabidj Bakoluy kare konda kabalhdurndeng kaddum kabale mani anbolh kadumeyoken ngaleng bono.

  It goes upstream to the places Duleburreni Ngaldaddubbe and Djabidj Bakoluy and here it keeps going back up to where the river meanders into a wide outer bank.

  (Lofty Bardayal Nadjamerrek (Kundedjnjenghmi))

• Yibaldjalay munguyh.

  Just go away for good.

  (Jill Nganjmirra )

GrammarComposed of bal + re, but usually shortened to 'bale' in casual speech.

Type of black termite mound, usually found on the side of trees and favoured for use in ground ovens.

• Bambam ngalengman kore kundulk kabelebelbme, manboykerlk.

  'Bambam', black termite mounds, can be found stuck against the base of trees. They are a relatively soft type of termite mound.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Birriboymangi manbu kunboy manboyburlerri kangeyyo bambam wanjh birriwilkdengi.

  They would gather bits of black termite mound, called 'bambam', and use it to cook them (the olive pythons).

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation. )

See alsodjibdjib

Dead end valley or narrow gully which are the sites chosen for fire drives to trap kangaroos which become trapped and injured by fire and can then be easily speared.

• Makka ngarridi manekke kunj yiman ba kahre manbambarr kabidbun, yah ngarriyame.

  We stand there in them (the gullies) and if the kangaroos go up the narrow gully then we spear them.

GrammarThe prefix fv:(m)an- is optional

Shine, glisten, be bright or brilliant in colour (either in terms of lightness or in hue), be vivid.

• Djadberlhberl nawu kakarlangbarme.

  That red-shouldered parrot, the one with the brightly coloured shoulder.

• Ngudda yingurlme yire, ngayi ngabarme ngare, ngayi yiman mankalarr.

  You move as a dark form, I go with a bright shining body, I am like the ghost gum (a Kuninjku kunborrk genre song text).

A duwa moiety Jawoyn clan (or in Bininj Kunwok spelling Djawonj) in the South Alligator River valley and surrounding parallel valleys, ridges and hills. A synonym for this clan is Marrkarala and the clan is sometimes referred to both both names 'Bamkiya-Marrkarala'.

• Bamkiya duwa, kunred kuhri walem nawu bedberreni dabborrabbolk kunred wanjh birriyakminj dja nahni nawu birrikerrnge kabirrihdi.

  Bamkiya is a Duwa moiety clan. The country of their ancestors is down there in the south, but the old people have passed away and it is just the new generation now.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Fishing net, kind of drag net.

• Korroko nawu dabborrabbolk birrimarnbuni banambi, djenjken dja wakihkenh, bu birrimangi kore kukkubeh. Kaluk birrimangi kunyarl manbudbudbeh, dja mak manborndebeh. Wanjh birriborolhmi, birriyarlkimukwoni, yerre wanjh birrimarnbuni mankimukken bu birriwayebbuni nawu djenj dja wakih bu birrimangi.

  In the old days, our ancestors would make drag nets for fish and river prawns, to get them from the water. They would get string from the bark of the kurrajong tree, or the banyan tree. They would rub the bark on their thigh and make the string longer, then make a really big net. They would spread and then close the net in the water, catching fish and prawns.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Etymologyfrom Makassarese panambe 'sort of fishing net’. Yolngu Matha= ‘banambi’ [Zorc]

1Dangerous, wild, violent.

• Birrihbang.

  Wild people (violent or quick to anger).

• Kundjikurdubuk djang kundjak nabang.

  The sickness dreaming site at Kundjikurdubuk is dangerous.

2Food that is either poisonous or 'cheeky', i.e. leaves a burning sensation in the mouth or is very strong in taste (salty, bitter, too sweet, too much chilli etc).

• Manu kari yikurrmeng manbang ngandjenbom.

  This curry powder you put [in the food] is so powerful it has burnt my tongue.

Male subsection or 'skin' name of yirridjdja patri-moiety and ngarradjku matri-moiety.

• Aa Bangardi bimbom bu ngabbard nganbimbukkang Bangardi ngayiken nadjorrorlam

  There are paintings by a man of Bangardi subsection which my father showed me, Bangardi, a man related to me of Djorrorlom clan.

  (JK)

LanguageKuninjku, Kune, Kundedjnjenghmi

Female subsection or 'skin' name of yirridjdja patri-moiety and ngarradjku matri-moiety.

• Manbulu Karri ngalengarre Bangardidjan ngal-Marrirn.

  Manbulu Karri (a place) belongs to her, Bangardidjan of the Marrirn clan.

  (Kevin Buluwana)

LanguageKuninjku

Late wet season, the last rains of the wet season (April-May), 'knockemdowns' (late storms which 'knock down' the tall spear grass.

• Daluhdaluk kabirrire kabirrimang mankodjbang bu bangkerreng kayimerran.

  Women go and get water peanuts in the late wet season.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Person of mixed Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal descent.

EtymologyFrom: from Makassarese kayo bangko 'mangrove sp., whose bark is used to boil trepang to give a red colour'.

Not yet.

• Yuwn yibangmeyarlkilekme.

  Don't touch the (fishing) line yet.

• Ngadjadj, bu ngarrbalre kore kakkak, yuwn kanbangmemulewan, yidjalbawo kaluk ngalengman kadjawayhme.

  Uncle, when we go to see grandma, don't introduce me to her straight away, leave it and let her ask.

  (Mangiru, Hannah, ‘Nawakadj dja Nakodjok Benewam Djenj’, in Nabulanj Namandjulngunj et. al. ‘Kabirrihwarlbun’, Oenpelli Literary Project, 1974)

Grammaran aspectual prefix on verbs with the sense of 'before time in topic frame'

Become wild, aggressive, violent.

• Kunbang birribonguneng birribangminj wanjh.

  They drank alcohol and then they become violent.

Kunbalak-marimen

Enamel metal cup or mug, pannikin.

• Djakku kakan banikin bele, kabiwon Nabulanj.

  Lefty [nickname] is carrying a white pannikin, he’s going to give it to Nabulanj.

  (‘Lesson 13: Djurra ‘L’’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre)

Etymologyfrom English ‘pannikin’

Smelly, smelling of something, odorous (pleasant or malodorous).

• Kanudbanj.

  It smells rotten.

Cross cousin who is considered an affine e.g. brother-in-law, sister-in-law, MBD, MBS, MMBDS, MMBDD. Borrowed from Kriol, which in turn is likely borrowed from another Top End language. Used as term of reference and address.

Synonymskanjok

Name of a duwa moiety Kune and Dangbon speaking patriclan from central Arnhem Land.

• Konda bedman na-Barabba, Kurrkdjurle, kunred nuye Wamud na-Barabba, nawernwarre ngarduk Kurrkdjurle. Kunred nuye Mimburrng.

  This [land] here belongs to the Barabba clan, this place Kurrkdjurle was for Wamud of the Barabba clan who was my eldest brother, Kurrkdjurle [was his place]. His country was Mimburrng [an estate name].

Fail in an effort to achieve something, try until tired, give up after an unsuccessful attempt.

• "Nawu bininj kabarabun manbu kundulk bu kahwayhke, dja ngurriray, ngurribidyikarrme ba ngurridjarrkdulkwayhke".

  "That man is trying to lift up a big log, but it's too heavy for him, go and help him and lift the log together".

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Ngalbu daluk ngalburrkkimuk wanjh kabaraburren bu kahre, minj kadokodokme dja yeledj kahdjalre.

  The woman is very fat and it means she gets tired out when she walks, she can't go fast but instead just walks slowly.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Birriyerrkarrinj rowk wanjh dokmeng djadberlhberlh, korrkkeng, kayakki, korrkkeng, kayakki, barabom.

  They all sat themselves down and red-shouldered parrot got up and tried to lance it [the boil on black-faced cuckoo shrike's leg], but after a number of attempts he gave up.

A duwa moiety Jawoyn speaking patriclan on the southern Arnhem Land plateau in the upper Mann River region.

Egg white, albumen.

• Bu darnkih bangkerreng kahyimerran, wanjh manimunak kawirlarrkkurrme. Nawu wirlarrk kakarrme bard dja koyhbe, bu kahkerlk wanjh ngarringun. Kaluk yerrikah bu bard karayekmen, wanjh kunukka minj ngarringun dja koyhbewi ngarridjalngun.

  When the late wet season approaches, the magpie geese lay their eggs. The eggs have a white and a yolk, which we eat as long as they're still liquid. Later when the egg white hardens, we don't eat it, only the yolk.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

See alsokoyhbe

Kneel down.

• Yiman kayime bulikki bu kabirrihdi kore yad kurrurrk, nakka birribardmak bu kabirribarddurruhkulhdan, dja kabirriboddan bu kabirriwake kore kabirringarrnghmang kabirrire.

  When cattle are inside a yard, they’re good [at crawling] with their knees, they kneel down, get flat onto their stomachs and crawl through gaps [under fences].

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

See alsobarddurruhkulhdi

Stem of a plant, e.g. the edible stems of waterlilies.

• Wayuk kandimarnema ngabardmongun.

  Give me some waterlily stems, I'll eat them.

LanguageKuninjku,Kune,Kundedjnjenghmi

Grammarincorporable noun

Kneecap.

LanguageKuninjku,Kune,Kundedjnjenghmi

Grammarincorporable noun

Slide track of crawling animals, mostly reptiles, especially crocodiles and goannas.

LanguageKuninjku,Kune,Kundedjnjenghmi

See alsobarlahyo

GrammarThe nominal barlah is incorporable

‘Almost’, ‘nearly happened but didn’t’, ‘be about to’. When prefixed to the verb to get barlanhmang the meaning is ‘let go of, lose control of, fail to take hold of’. In Kune it can appear as a free form.

• Ngalkudji bikebbadjdji mandjad la ngalbuyika ngalbu bibarlanbom, wanjh djalwohmankang.

  He hit one woman hard, straight in the face. He hit the other woman, but he didn't manage to hit her hard, and she just fainted.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997, p. 132)

• Ngad ngarrikarrme mankare mankarre kerrngekenh wanjh ngarribarlanhmang.

  We have the old law from the very beginning but we are letting it go [losing it].

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997, p. 260)

• Nganbarlankebdoy.

  He nearly punched me.

Crooked, twisted, skewed, bent, bandy (legged).

• Kukbarli.

  Crooked body/crippled/object out of shape.

• Mimbarli.

  Cross-eyed/having an off-centred iris.

• Wanjh kumwam, ngandjawam ngadberre nawu ngarridanjbik ngarrihdi: Ngalngarridj June, ngaye, Ngaldengebarli Ngalkodjok.

  Then he came and asked the three of us who were there, June, myself, and that Ngalkodjok with the bandy legs.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006 )

Become crooked or twisted.

• Yibiwkeng, bonj barlidanj.

  You've bent it, it's crooked now.

Kunbalakbarlibonghme

Fill up a container to capacity.

• Benebokenh kohbakohbanj benewam benehmangi mandem. Benemey benebarlkeng, ngalkudji yimeng, "yimray ngarrdokme ngabarlkeng ngayembu".

  Two old women were gathering waterlily roots. They filled up their bags, and one of them said "Come here, let's go, mine is full already".

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj ‘Kuhni bu Kunkare Birrihwarlbuni’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, 1974)

Sacred boomerangs used in pairs as musical instruments in various ceremonial contexts.

Synonymsbirrkala

• Malalam yiman kayime yibengkan mandjoh yiman kayime manu, kabirrimarnbun njamed, barlkkan.

  In dry hill country where you can find Acacia difficilis, they use that timber to make boomerangs.

Be filled to capacity.

• Karriborrahkendong rowk wanjh barlmeng karriyirrurndeng.

  Let's fill up all the containers with water and then take them back full.

Kunbalakbarlbonghme

Do an action quickly or urgently.

• Yibarlokwo werrk yimray!

  Hurry up, come over here!

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Yibarlokwo werrk yimarnbu!

  Hurry up and finish it!

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Turn (a vehicle etc) and go in another direction.

• Manbu manwelyi aeroplane bu karrolkan kore kungol wanjh kadjerrkname bu kakebbarlungke ba mandjad kare.

  Once an aeroplane takes off into the air, it rolls to one side and turns [lit. 'points its nose'] in another direction, straight towards its destination.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Change course, turn and travel in another direction, turn off a track.

• Kabolhbarlungme.

  The track curves around.

• Kukbarlungmeng.

  It has twisted around [e.g. a crocodile swerving to catch a fish].

• Mahni karribarlungmen!

  We turn off here!

A tree hideout, from which people wait to spear animals such as emus.

• Bu korroko dabborrabbolk birribarndi kore kurrulk birriyimi barnambalh bu birrikokkokkirri mayh nuye. Bu birrinani kumrey nawu mayh, wanjh birriyami.

  In the old days, our ancestors would sit up in trees, which they called 'barnambalh', keeping a lookout for animals. When they saw one coming, they would spear it.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Dja ankurndalh barribidbuni, ankurndalh birribidbuni birribarurreni birrimadbuni, barnambalh birrimadbuni birridjalmadbuni marrek djarre birriyami yiman mani kaddum, karlangno, kumekke babarndi delek dorrengh malano malakarrmi bamalabakbakkeyi bonj.

  People also used to climb up black plum trees and cover themselves in white clay and stay and wait. When the emu came in to eat the fruit, from not far away, they would spear them from above, from a fork in the tree they would stand up there covered in white clay holding a branch of camouflage they had broken off. That’s what they did.

  (George Djandjomer, quoted in Murray Garde (ed.), Something about emus: Indigenous knowledge of emus from western Arnhem Land, Canberra, A.C.T. Aboriginal Studies Press, 2017, p. 85 (Kundedjnjenghmi))

In the daytime.

• Barnangarra kakeyo kaluk kukak kayawan nawu djenj dja kordbolbok dja nawern nawu mayh kilekilelh.

  It sleeps in the daytime, then in the nighttime it looks for fish and frogs and many other small animals.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation, Bokorn (spangled grunter) story.)

Stone axe with wooden haft.

Synonymskarramalk

• Dja nawu waliman yak burrkyak, djal barndadken nakudji birrikani.

  They didn't have a metal axe, no, they just carried one stone axe with them.

  (Narndal, Julie et. al. ‘Manme: Stories about food - Kunwinjku’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, 1982, p. 17)

Be high up, be situated in a high place.

• Ngurribarndin!

  Stay up there!

• Ngadedjbarndi manih.

  I'll sit up on this [chair].

Kunbalakkalawhmiken

GrammarNominal subjects can be incorporated.

Carpet python.

Scientific nameMorelia spilota variegata

• Barndol kukdahdadjmiken.

  The carpet python has striped blocks of colour.

• Ngalbu barndol ngalkka kabirringun kore kubolkbubuyika.

  In other places, the people eat carpet pythons.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKuninjku, Kunwinjku

In poor physical condition, worn out, decrepit, unwell, not functional.

Synonymskukwarrehwarre

• Nawu wurdyaw yimeng "Ah warre, ngurrinan nawu duruk barnehbarne, mudyakminj, minj kakarrme kunmud".

  The child said "Oh dear, look at that poor scraggy dog, it's lost its hair, it doesn't have any hair left".

  (Jill Nganjmirra )

• Ngalbu daluk yimeng bedberre nawu yawuhyawurrinj "Mahni manu muddikka ngurrimrey, makka nuk mankukbarnehbarne, minj mankukmak".

  The woman told the young men "That car you came in is an old piece of junk, it's no good".

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Ngalkohbanj bimarneyimeng ngalbu ngalyawkyawk "Ah, ngudda nuk yidjalbidbarnehbarne bu yiwarrawarrhke manbu manme minj yiwernhkarrme".

  The old woman told the young girl "Oh you're so clumsy, you're dropping all the food, you can't keep a hold of it".

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Fall into poor physical condition in some way (e.g. wear out, become saggy, become sore and swollen), deteriorate.

Synonymskukwarrehwarremen

• Mimbarnehbarneminj.

  His eyes became saggy and wrinkled.

Support, guide, help someone to walk.

• Nahni nakohbanj mimbunje minj kawernhbolknan dja kabirridjalbarnkan.

  That old man is blind, he can’t see properly so people guide him around.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Place in a high position, hang up.

• Yibarnnamen wardi duruk kangun.

  Put it up high otherwise the dogs might eat it.

Kunbalakkalawhke

Wet season wind, north-west monsoons.

• Bu Kurnumeleng kayimerran mandjewk kadjakdung, wanjh barra kankarrme kadberre. Kunmayorrk kaworlhme kakbibeh dja walembeh. Wanjh ngarriyime barra dedjdjingmey.

  In the early wet season, the rains start falling and the monsoon winds start. The wind blows from the north and the south, and we say that the 'barra' winds have begun.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Etymologyfrom Makassarese ba:ra? 'west wind, rainwind'

Name of a yirridjdja moiety patriclan on the Arnhem Land plateau.

• Duwa, bedberre Worrkorl Warddjak. Kaddum wam wanjh bebmeng bu Barradj, kubuldjdjarn. Kadjale kaddum Kayerrngwe kaddum badjalwam duwa.

  That's the duwa moiety area for the Worrkorl and Warddjak clans. It goes upstream and becomes Barradj in the middle [of the East Alligator river]. It goes all the way to Kayerrngwe and belongs to duwa moiety upstream [from there].

Long wooden-headed 'shovel-spear', with bamboo shaft and head having an exceptionally long (>320mm) broad, leaf-shaped blade of ironwood (Erythrophleum chlorostachys) although today the points are typically fashioned from hammered steel.

Kunbalakdjerrkudmiken

Name of a yirridjdja moiety patriclan in the lower Liverpool River region.

• Mani kunwardde Marrirn ... Barrbinj kure kakbi, Marrirn koyek.

  This rock is Marrirn [clan country] ... and Barrbinj is to the north, Marrirn clan is east of that.

• Yirridjdja rowk nanu wanjh Kumarrirnbang-beh kare bolk kunengkunu bolk-Barrbinj kadjale kanjdji kabolkbuyika kure nabuyika Marrirn.

  It's all yirridjdja moiety country from here at Kumarrirnbang to that Barrbinj country there and it goes right downstream to another [discontiguous] Marrirn estate.

The sprouting seeds of the waterlily, edible raw or cooked.

• Bu benebebmeng kured wanjh beneworrhmeng benewilkdi nawu kalawan dja mandem dja manu barrdjungka benekinjeng kore kuyirrke dja nawu mankung benedelengbarnnameng kore balabbala.

  When they got back to camp they made a fire and cooked the goanna in the ashes and the water lily seeds on the coals and put the honey they had gathered up in the roof of the shelter.

Hit, clap, swat.

• Mandubang kunmalaworr kabirrimalaworrhkinje wanjh kabindikukbarrhbarrhmang nawu bininj kundolng dorrengh.

  They burn ironwood branches and swat people with the smoking branches.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Kabirribobarrhbarrhmang.

  They hit the water (so it splashes up).

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Yibarrhbarrhma.

  Hit it [ritually hit the sacred site with the branch].

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Sunrise, the appearance of the sun at dawn.

• Ngurridolkka barrhbom!

  Get up you mob, the sun's up!

Kunbalak-barrhbonghme

Crack or split open an OBJ, burst.

• Mibbarr nungkah kabun nawu dabuno kangun karrowkke, kabarrhke 'dek' kukebyih.

  The white bellied sea eagle breaks the [emu] egg to eat it, 'crack' it smashes it open with its beak.

Shatter, crack or split, burst open.

• Milhbarrhmeng namekke murrika.

  That car has a smashed windscreen.

• Ngardbakan nakka karohrok yiman karnubirr. Bu ngarridjare kuk ngarringun wanjh kunwardde ngarridong kabarrhme wanjh ngarringun

  Saltwater mussels are similar to freshwater mussels. If we want to just eat them raw, we hit them with a rock, they split open and we can eat them like that.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Kunbalak-barrhyamidokan

Place name in the upper Tomkinson River district, yirridjdja moiety, also site of an outstation and a nearby yawkyawk 'mermaid' totemic centre. Literally means ‘they crossed over', which refers to the journey of totemic female water spirits who travelled through this site.

• Barrihdjowkkeng yirridjdja bedberre, nawu Darnkolo kunnguya.

  Barrihdjowkkeng is a yirridjdja moiety place belonging to the Darnkolo clan.

  (John Mawurndjul)

Male black rock wallaroo. In Kuninjku the default name for the male black rock wallaroo is nadjinem but in Kunwinjku nadjinem refers to a very large male whilst smaller individuals are called barrk.

Scientific nameOsphranter bernardus

• Anbongka barrk kangun mimno bu kabamobarrbarrhme.

  The black wallaroo eats the seeds of Acacia latescens when the seed pods crack open.

• Nuye djabulhdjabulh barrk djukerre kamimburdme dja kangun.

  That Solanum echinatum (wild tomato), is the food of the black wallaroo, which it eats with its eyes closed [because of the spikes].

• Nungan kakarrme barrk morrdjdjanjno. Korroko bu barrimorrodjdjanjkadjungi dabborrabbolk.

  The male black wallaroo has special morrdjdjanjno hunting songs. A long time ago, the old people used to sing those songs.

LanguageKune, Kunwinjku, Kundedjnjenghmi

Cover.

• Wanjh barrkbom kunkod rowk.

  Then he covered it all up with paper bark.

• Bu yekke dja wurrkeng kayimerran wanjh kunkarndum kayongen. Kukak yerrih. Wanjh bu malamalaywi ngarridolkkan ngarrinan kabolkbarrkbun kunkarndum.

  In the seasons of Yekke and Wurrkeng, fog lies [over the ground]. Also at night. And when we get up in the morning, we see the land covered in fog.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• 'Kanwo', bimarneyimeng ngalu ngalbadjan 'kanwo kunkod ba ngabarrkburren.' Barrkburrinj wanjh yonginj ngaleng.

  'Give me some', said the mother, 'give me paperbark so I can cover myself [to use as a blanket]. She covered herself over and she slept.

Smear, paint, cover a surface with a wet or viscous substance. This word can be contrasted with bimbun, which means to paint a picture, draw or write.

• Kunrodjbe kabirribarung wanjh delek kabirribimbun kore dolobbo nawu mayh njale nawu kunj djenj dja nawern.

  They prepare the surface of the bark with red ochre, then they paint an animal (silhouette) in white ochre, for example a kangaroo or fish or lots of different things.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Kunbalakbanjinhme

Paint or smear oneself with ochre, paint each other with ochre, 'paint up' for ceremony or performance.

• Karribarurren delek wanjh karrimelme.

  Let's paint ourselves with pipe clay and dance.

• Bu kunborrk kabirriborrkke manbu manyardi wanjh kabirribarurren delek, yiman mak bu kabirrikodyiyo kore kudjurle nawu nangale kayakmen, wanjh nawu namud nuye kabirribarurren delek ba bu kabindiburrbun nungka nuye namud.

  When people do dances, they paint themselves with white ochre. Or when people are gathered in a traditional shade for someone who has passed away, that person's family will paint themselves with white ochre so people know who they are.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Be quiet!, shush!

• Yoh yoh bonj bonj karrikaybun, karrikaybun baw!

  Yes, yes, that's it, that's what we shall do, let's not give any to her, we'll refuse to give any, quiet now [she's coming]!

• Wurdurd bawh, wokyak!

  Hey kids, shush, be quiet!

• Bawh, ngurringurdmen! Bulanj kabiwokmang Balang!

  Shush, be quiet all of you! Bulanj is making a voice recording of Balang!

1Leave alone, leave untouched.

• Yuwn ngurrikilekme, ngurribawo!

  Don't touch it, leave it alone!

2Abandon.

• Ngandibawong.

  They left me.

3Part contact with OBJ.

• Nakimuk nganbawon.

  They [the trousers] are too big, they're falling down off me.

4Give up a previous habitual activity, stop.

• Bakki ngabawong.

  I've given up smoking.

Kunbalak-warnmorrhme

Chicken, fowl.

• Nanikud ngarrikarrmi and bawurl ngarrikarrmi nawern.

  We had goats, and lots of chickens too.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006 )

Etymologyfrom English ‘fowl’

Purchase, buy.

• Manme nganebayahme karrewoneng.

  We'll buy some food for ourselves.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, ‘Bu Ngurriborlhme Kunwinjku: Learning Kunwinjku’, Kunwinjku Language Centre, Gunbalanya, 1994)

Etymologyfrom English 'buy'

Inside, within, deep down.

• Wanjh bikodjbayeng biyibkeng kanjdji wanjh bikani kanjdji bidjalngani [bidjalkani] kurorre baybay.

  Then it [the rainbow serpent] swallowed her head first and took her deep down into the earth.

  (The example phrase comes from some texts Peter Carroll has deposited with AIATSIS. )

• Daluk baybayken.

  Women’s internal reproductive organs.

• Ngalengman baybaywi djahdjalburrbuni.

  She knew within herself, was convinced of it.

  (Nawirridj, Grace & Rowe, Meryl (eds), 'Karriburlume God: Kunwinjku Song Book', Gunbalanya, 1985, p. 7.)

1Bite.

• Nganbidbaye.

  It's biting my finger.

• Birribayerrinj duruk.

  The dogs were fighting (biting each other).

2Cause an illness, cause pain, cause fright etc.

• Njale ngunbayeng?

  What's the matter? What’s happened? [lit. “What’s bitten you?”]

Kunbalak-lawme

Each, individually, separately.

• Birribebbehwam.

  They each went on their own.

• Ngarrbenbebbewon.

  Let's give to each of them.

• Mankung nawu yiman kayime kabebbengeybuyika nawu mankung kardderre lorlbban nabiwo njalenjale.

  The varieties of honey for example each have a different name, such as kardderre, lorlbban, nabiwo and so on.

GrammarThis verbal prefix has a distributive function which can include spatial separation. The 'distributive share' (see Evans 2003:497) can be focused on an intransitive or transitive subject but in some cases for the latter, also on the object and verb.

1Take out, bring out, reveal, cause to appear.

• Yibebkemen bakki nguddangke ngawungme!

  Take out your tobacco and I'll have a smoke!

2Produce children.

• Wamuddjan nganemarren ngarridj la ngarridjdjan ngabebke.

  I'll get married to a woman of wamuddjan subsection and I'll have (produce) children of ngarridj and ngarridjdjan subsection.

Kunbalak-worrbayhke

1Appear, arrive.

• Birrbebmeng.

  They're here (they have arrived).

• Dungbebmeng.

  The sun is up.

2Go/come out of an enclosure or dwelling.

• Yibebmen!

  Go outside!

Kunbalakworrbayhme

1Theirs, of theirs.

• Dabborrabbolk kunwok bedberre.

  The language of the ancestors.

2For them, to them.

• Ngadmanwali karrikan bedberre.

  It's our turn to take it for them.

• Wardi yiyolyolme bedberre Balanda.

  Explain it for those non-Aboriginal people.

Grammarcan express a benefactive function when there is no benefactive applicative [i.e.-marne-] in the verb complex. The first sense expresses basic possession of a noun

They, them

• Bedda Nakorrkko benekabokurrmeng.

  The Nakorrkko [ancestral father and son heroes] placed the creek there.

• Kunekke kabirriyime bedda.

  That's the kind of thing they [those people] do.

Apply paint to a surface, flick a liquid or viscous substance. Also used for the process of applying paint during screen printing (e.g. at Injalak Arts and Crafts in Gunbalanya).

• Karribedjekmerren delek karriborrkke.

  Let's flick ourselves with white ochre and dance.

Themselves, by themselves.

• Nawu Mimih nakka yiman ngad bininj djaying, dja bedman djal kuwarde kuwarderurrk kabirriyo.

  It's said that Mimih spirits are similar to us people, but they live by themselves in rocky country in caves.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation )

• Nakka bukka bedberre bedman na-Buyhmi.

  That [land] there belongs exclusively to the Buyhmi clan themselves.

GrammarThis is a pronoun of the emphatic series (there being three kinds of free-standing pronouns: direct, oblique and emphatic). Evans

1From.

• Birrimwam Manawukan beh.

  They came from Maningrida.

2Away a bit further.

• Beh karrire.

  Let's just go over there.

3Demonstrative with gender prefix indicating both referential and locational immediacy 'that one who has just been mentioned, just over there'.

• Nabeh kahdi.

  Him (the person just mentioned), he's just over there.

• A: Kamarrang kahdi? B: Nabeh.

  A: Is Kamarrang here? B: He's just over there.

LanguageKune, Kuninjku

See alsoSee also -bewh (W)

GrammarIn the sense of "him/her just over there", prefixed with na-, ngal-, man- etc.

1Ritually cleanse a place or person by swatting with smoking ironwood leaves, for example after witnessing a sacred ceremony.

• Minj kangun djenj, la birriberhkeng wanjh bonj nguneng.

  He wasn't allowed to eat fish and then they lifted the restriction (by smoking him) and it was OK for him to eat it then.

2Perform increase ritual which involves swatting a particular site with a branch of ironwood leaves, and asking for plentiful game, fish etc.

• Kunmalaworr mandubang kabirrimang wanjh kabirridjangberhke kabirribolkngeyhngeybun. Wanjh kadjangyalarrme.

  People get an ironwood branch and swat the sacred site with it, calling out the names of places (where they want to find plentiful game). Then the djang spreads out from there (and goes to those places, increasing the animals/fish etc).

• Delek birriburriwemeninj dja kunmalaworr birriberhberhkemeninj kuwukku, o kure djenj kabimdi djenjken.

  They would throw white clay (into the water) and thrash the place with leaves in the water or similarly at the fish increase site they would strike the paintings of fish with leaves.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

3Lift ceremonial restrictions on food.

• Minj kangun djenj, la birriberhkeng wanjh bonj nguneng.

  He wasn't allowed to eat fish and then they lifted the restriction and it was okay for him to eat it then.

Death adder.

Scientific nameAcanthiphis praelongus

LanguageKunwinjku, Kundjeyhmi

Kunbalakngalwirnyi

Arafura file snake.

Scientific nameAcrochordus arafurae

LanguageKuninjku

Kunbalak1. ngaldjangarabunebune 2. ngaldjangarakerlkkerlk

1Listen, hear.

• Bukbuk karribekkan kawokdi kayime bukbuk bukbuk bukbuk.

  We hear the pheasant coucal calling out “book-book, book-book, book-book”.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

• Yibekka wanjh.

  Listen to him/her.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006 )

2Feel, touch

• Bekkarrinj nungan kunkurlah nuye kahbuyikahmen wanjh yimerranj madj.

  He felt his skin becoming different and he became an octopus.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

See alsomanjbekkan

Kunbalakmarrngalahme

Consider, think about before making a decision.

Kunbalakmarrngalahmerren.

Stick together (as in one surface to another).

• Nganbelbme.

  It's sticking to me.

• Belbminj.

  Stuck together.

1White.

• Kukbele.

  White skinned person.

• Kunngolbele.

  White clouds.

2 Clean, clear.

• Manbobele.

  Clear water.

Numbness, pins and needles, cramp.

• Bele ngandengekarrme.

  I've got a cramp in my leg.

• Nawu bele nakka yiman kayime kandjurrudjudme bu kanmang kore kuburrk kadberre. Mak minj karridolkkan dja karrikerlkdan mak karribabang dja karridjalni kaluk nungan bele kangurdmen bu kayakmen.

  Having pins and needles gives us a prickly feeling when we get it in our body. We can’t get up, we get weak and sore and we just sit there until the pins and needles stop.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

1Lick.

• Duruk kumwam benmenebelenghmeng, dja yakminj.

  A dog came and licked them, then disappeared.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997)

2Drink leaking or dripping fluid, lick up.

Generic name for most geckos.

Scientific nameDiplodactylus spp.

LanguageKuninjku, Kunwinjku

1Make something white, whiten.

2Make something clean or clear, remove dirt from something.

• Mak bu kadjalbuleyo munguyh, wanjh kunmayorrk kamre mankimuk, kabuleworlhme rowk bu kabolkbelewon.

  When there's ash lying on the ground for a while, a big wind will come and blow it away and clean up the area.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Become numb, become stiff.

• Kabirriwunghme, everywhere kare manekke kundolng. Kabenkinjekinje wanjh rerrih kabirribekkan kabirribeleyerrkan yiman. Bele kabenmang.

  Yes, when they inhale [marijuana], that smoke goes everywhere inside. It makes them hot and then they feel like they are getting numb all over. It makes them numb.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006 )

Female subsection or 'skin' name of duwa patri-moiety and ngarradjku matri-moiety.

• Barrk djukerre. Nakka duwa Balang. Balang Belinj.

  The black wallaroos are of the duwa moiety and the male is Balang subsection and the female is Belinj.

LanguageKuninjku, Kune, Kundedjnjenghmi

1Subsiding of a swelling, go down.

• Ngamokbelngdanj.

  The swelling on my sore has gone down.

• Kandiddjawa yiwilkdeng karung kalurlme. Kaluk karriwilkmang kabuhme kabelngdan wanjh.

  You put a damper in the coals and it cooks and swells up. We get it out and it when it's cooled the swelling subsides.

2Deflate, go flat (tyre).

1Make distracting noise, annoy, disturb.

• Marrek bekkan, wurdurd kandibengbun.

  I can't hear you, those kids are making too much noise.

2Offend or say something improper to somebody, particularly to talk with a man about his sister or to a woman about her brother.

• Ey, kanbengbun!

  Hey, you're offending me (i.e. Don't talk to me about my sister).

Notify, let someone know, remind.

• Yimray kanbengdayhke.

  Come and let me know.

Remember something, be reminded of, realise.

• Ngudda ‘young people’ wanjh ngudda bu ngurribengdayhmen wanjh ngurribolknahnan. Ba bu ngarridowerren, ngarriyakmen, wanjh ngudda ngurribolknahnan.

  You young people, you should realise you can look after the place. So then when we die, when we’ve gone, you’ll be able to look after the place.”

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006 )

1Know, understand.

• Yibengkan konda Kurrurldul yibengkan kahyo Balang, la kaddum djang kahdi.

  You know here at Kurrurldul where Balang lives, well upstream from there is that sacred site.

• Nakohbanj Tommy yimeng kabibengkan namekke skipper kore kabbala, kangeyyo Burray.

  Old Tommy said he remembers the skipper of the boat, his name is Burray.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997)

2Know how to, be able to.

• Bolkkime minj nangale kabengkan bu kamarnbun manbu bokko larrk.

  These days nobody knows how to make barbed spears.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

3Think.

• Med kabengkan.

  Wait, she'll think about it.

See alsowernhbengkan

Kunbalakmarrngalahme

Be confused, lose one's way, lose one's mind, be drunk.

• Nawamud benmarneyimeng nawu daluhdaluk "Yuwn wurdurd kabirrire kunih bu wardi kabirribengkokan dja kungarrewern".

  Nawamud told the women "The children shouldn't go there, they'll get lost, there's lots of thick jungle".

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Ngalbulanj bimarneyimeng Ngalkodjok "Nawu nakudji duruk bengkokang, wam nuk baleh".

  Ngalbulanj told Ngalkodjok "One of the dogs must have gotten lost, I don't know where it went".

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Yibengkokan bu kanhmarneyime!

  You must be out of your mind, talking to me like that!

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

See alsomayahme

Confuse someone.

• Dulkelorrkkelorrken benbengmayahkeng birribengwabom birrimayahmeng.

  Dulkelorrkkelorrken (the Tree Spirit) has made them confused and disoriented and they’ve gotten lost.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Be confused, unable to think clearly.

• Dja nawu yika ngad ngarriyime birrimayalidjad dja mak birrikodjkuludjad, dja yika mak nawu yiman birrimayaliwarre minj kabirriwernhburrbun, yiman kabirrihdjalbengmayahme.

  With some people we can say they think well, they are clever, and with others, its like they can’t think well, they don’t know much, it’s as if they get confused.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006 )

See alsomayahme

Forget something.

Synonymskodjmukmeng

• Dja ngabengmidjdanj, ngaye ngayahwurdni.

  But I've forgotten, I was very young at the time.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006)

1Deaf, hearing impaired.

2Heedless person, one who doesn’t pay attention or take sensible advice, stupid person, unable to learn.

• A: Nangale? B. Nawu nanih bengwarr.

  A: Who? B. This one here, the stupid one.

  (Quoted in Garde, Murray, ‘Culture, Interaction and Person Reference in an Australian Language’, John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 2013, p. 252)

Kunbalakkunmardorrhyambah

Send mad, distract, annoy (due to disturbance, noise, irritation etc).

• Kanhbengwarrewong, arribengwarreminj arridjalni arriburrbun Balandakenh.

  It has destroyed our well-being, we have gone crazy just sitting in one place only knowing non-Aboriginal culture.

Become annoyed or seriously irritated, develop dementia, become mad or insane, start to do stupid things.

• Kanhbengwarrewong, arribengwarreminj arridjalni arriburrbun Balandakenh.

  It has destroyed our well-being, we have gone crazy just sitting in one place only knowing non-Aboriginal culture.

Australian bustard or plains turkey, often referred to as a ‘bush turkey’.

Scientific nameArdeotis australis

• Korroko nawu dabborrabbolk minj ngandiwoyinj ngalbu benuk bu ngarringuyinj. Ngandimarneyimi ngahli mayh benuk minj ngurringun ngaldjamun. Benuk kakarrekan ceremony manbu Mardayin.

  In the past, the Old People didn't give us any bush turkey to eat though. They used to tell us we don't eat this bird, it's taboo because it's part of the Mardayin ceremony.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKunwinjku

Name of a patriclan with territory on the Arnhem Land plateau.

• Nayuhyungki nawu nungan bangehngeybuni bu bahdjangweyi. Ngabbard barridjangweyi, na-Mok na-Berdberd. Ngayi mak bolkki ngamidjbun. Bad marrek kandimidjbun ngandiburrknan nawu kunred ngare.

  The first ancestors called their names and performed increase rituals for them [nectar-bearing flowering trees]. My father [and his brothers] performed increase rituals, they were of Mok and Berdberd clans. Today I don't recognise some [of the places]. But they [the ancestors] still recognise me as I go about the country.

Circumcise. This is a less polite word than the synonym lakkayenwon.

Synonymsberddadjke, lakkayenwon

• Kabindihberddjobke bukka, dja konda larrk.

  They practice circumcision over there [in the east], but not here.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997, p. 123)

Flat.

• Nakka madjberelh yikan!

  You're not taking many clothes! [literally 'That bag of yours is flat!']

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

See alsokebberelh

Generic name for river stingrays.

LanguageKuninjku, Kune, Rembarrnga, Dalabon

1Take by the arm, lead someone along.

• Ngudda ngurriray ngayi kondanj ngayo ngurrinan kambarrhbubarrhbun ngurrimre kandiberlmang kandiberlkakan karrire.

  You all go away, I will sleep here. When you see the sun rise, come and get me take me by the arm. Take me by the arm and we’ll go off. [Wurrurrumi song text by Kevin Djimarr]

2Get someone, go and bring someone for the purpose of doing something, lead someone.

• Nabangardi bimarneyimeng Nakodjok, "Kab yiray yiberlmang nawu Naburlanj ba yimyirrurndeng kondah kunred". Nakodjok yimeng "Yoh, kaluk ngamyirrurndeng".

  Nabangardi told Nakodjok "Go and get Naburlanj and bring him back here to this country". Nakodjok said "Yes, I'll bring him back".

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• None alenge anberlmangi kanmarrkinjmangi wanjh ankung babengkani.

  That None wasp would come with a message for us because she knew about the honey [the

3Arrest.

• Wardi djamun kamre ngunberlmang.

  Otherwise the police will come and arrest you.

Aunty, FZ.

Carry by handle over the shoulder.

• Ngalkudji ngalkohbanj bernelkani baladjdji kore kukarlang.

  An old woman was carrying a bag over her shoulder.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Kunyirrk kabernalkan.

  She's carrying a dilly bag on her shoulder.

See alsoNakodjok Kayirrkberneldjerrkdi

Pick up a bag and put it over one's shoulder, sling the handle or string of a bag etc. over one's shoulder.

• Yirrkbernelmey dolkkang wam.

  He slung his string bag over his shoulder, got up and set off.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

See alsoNakodjok Kayirrkberneldjerrkdi

GrammarThe root 'bernel' refers to the handle of a bag, traditionally made from string, though normally this is incorporated into other words such as bernelkan, bernelmang, kunyarlbernel, etc.

Towards, to, from, in the direction of. Optional prefix added to direction nouns, especially cardinal directions.

• Benemalaydolkkang benewam berrekakbi.

  They got up in the morning and headed north.

  (Wildflower Band, 'Yawurrinj benedanginj "Two Brothers"', from the Album 'Manginburru Bininj', Skinnyfish Music, 2009 )

• Nahni bininj nungan nangarelwalem kore bornayindanj, dja kore ngalbadjanbeh wanjh berrekakbi.

  That man is a southerner on his father's side, but on his mother's side he's from the north.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Dukkang wayhkeng nawu wurlebmeng wayhkeng na dukkang wayhkeng na berrekaddum. Kure kuronjhkah kuberrk.

  The brother who was in the water tied it up [the crocodile] and lifted it up out of the water towards the bank.

• Manu kadjalburnbun Barrmobeh Kawelerreyme manu berrewalem kadjalyirriyo, manu Kudjaborrng wanjh kumekke bibayeng ngalyuhyungki doydoy ngaldurlmangkarr.

  The estate finishes over at Barrmo and Kewelerreyme and towards the south it keeps going along side [of other estates], but Kudjaborrng is the place where the ancestral woman my great grandmother, a Durlmangkarr woman was bitten [by a snake].

Masked lapwing, also known as the masked plover or spur-winged plover.

Scientific nameVanellus miles

• Name kanmulewan berrebberreb bu ngarriwarlbun.

  That masked plover sings out and lets animals know that we are approaching when we go hunting.

• Berrebberreb ngad duwa.

  The masked lapwing is for us duwa moiety people.

1Claim ownership over.

• Nakka duruk yaw ngardduk. Ngayi werrk ngaberrebburrinj.

  That puppy is mine. I was first to claim it.

• Kanyingkihberrebbom.

  He claimed us from the start.

2Promise (object to indirect object).

• Nganberrebbom manme.

  He promised to give me food.

3Promise to give a woman or girl in marriage.

• Kumekke nganemarrinj ngalbu ngandiberrebbom Mary Lilinjdji.

  That's where we got married, me and Mary Lilinjdji, who had been promised to me.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997)

Often, always.

• Nawu artist bimbom korlobbarr nawu berreboyen karrire karriwarlbun kore manberrk karrinan kahni.

  The artist has painted an antilopine kangaroo, which we often hunt in the open forest where we see it.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

• Yiman ngaldumanj, narrumanj, nawu school kabirrire nuk ngabenmarneyolyolme berreboyen. Nikka nawu, dja ngalka ngalbuyika Hanna? Nakka ngabenmarneyolyolme berreboyen.

  My grandchildren (your nieces and nephews) who I think are going to school a bit, I’m often explaining things to them. Nikka - her, and her sister Hannah, I’m always explaining things to them.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006 )

Rainbow bee-eater.

Scientific nameMerops ornatus

• Berrerdberrerd karrinan kabarndi kore kundulk manyende yika karrolkan kare kubuyika mayh kayawan.

  We see Rainbow Bee Eaters sitting on tree branches, or flying off somewhere else to look for insects.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentaton)

Them (2), theirs (2).

1Come out into the open, come out of the water, reach or cross an area of open forest.

• Nawu bininj ngamkani kore manbokimuk, djowkkeng kore bewbeh wanjh berrkmangi kore kukadjid.

  The man was swimming across a wide stretch of water, crossed to the other side and was climbing up the opposite bank.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

2Be born

• Korroko berrkmey nawu wurdyaw wanjh kahyo kurobbe.

  The child has already been born and is lying on the ground.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Further, further along.

• Kondah kore karrihni dja borledmikenh kore Nimbabbirr dja bewh kurredjdubbe kabbal kabolkngeyyo Wurrmarninj.

  On the other side of Nimbabbirr from where we are here, and further down to the very end of the floodplain, that place is called Wurrmarninj.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Ancestral being, said to be the progenitor of mako 'didjeridu'.

Baby

• Ngalbu ngalyawkyawk kayawkan wanjh ngarrimarneyime bibbidj minj ngarringeybun, warddi kabikebkadjung bu kabenekebrohrok. Dja bibbidj ngarrimarneyime ba kornkumo kabikebkadjung bu kabenekebrohrok.

  When a girl has a child, we call it 'bibbidj', we don't use it's name, otherwise it will end up looking like its mother. We call it 'bibbidj' so it will look like its father. (In Kunwinjku culture it is considered preferable that a child takes after its father in terms of looks).

  (Jill Nganjmirra )

Sew, stitch.

• Kabirrimadjbibun.

  They are sewing clothes.

• Kolng birriwayhkeyi kukkubeh wanjh kunyarl manbudbud birrimangi birribibuni, birriduhduhkeyi kunj kunmurrng wanjh kunyarl birrikurrmihkurrmi kore birriduhkeyi. Wanjh yerre birrimangi ngolin birribelebelbmi ba bu minj kukku bobebmeninj.

  They would take the Hydriastele ramsayi fronds out of the water, then use kurrajong string to sew the base of the frond (to make a kind of water carrier). They would pierce the frond with a kangaroo bone, then put the string through where they had made holes. Then they would get beeswax and fill in the holes, so water wouldn't get out.

• Yoh, bu ngamankang ngankarredadjkeng mandjewkbuyika, wanjh ngandiwong namekke-ken mirrh bu ngandikarrebibomkenh.

  Yeah, when I fell over and cut my leg a few years ago, they gave me one of those needles for the stitches, for them to stitch my leg.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

LanguageKunwinjku

1Climb, climb up.

• Nani yina bobbidj, la ngabidbun wanjh ngarradje.

  Look at that wild honey, alright I'll climb up and cut it out.

• Birribidbuni kundulk kore kurrula darnkih.

  They used to climb a tree close to the river.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006)

2 Get into or onto a raised object, e.g. a vehicle.

• Korroko muddikayakni… Dja bolkkime muddika kabirribidbun.

  There were no cars in the old days… Nowadays they can all get in vehicles.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006)

3Rise, rise up. Can refer to the action of many things that rise, such as blistering.

• Bu kurrula kabobidbun wanjh minj karrinan ngalbu karndjawarra.

  When the tide comes up, we don't see any mud crabs.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

• Nganbidbom, ngakurlahlurlmeng.

  It caused a blister on my hand, my skin was swollen.

  (Garde, Murray (ed.), ‘Bininj Gunwok talk about health : medical terms and vocabulary for health professionals’, Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation, Jabiru, 2010)

4Leave camp to enter a ceremonial place.

• Bu kunwok Kunwinjku ngarriyime mayh ngarriwarlbun. Dja bu ngarriyime mayh ngarrire ngarribidbun karrkad wanjh nakka kore ceremony yiman Kunabibi mandjamun manbu bininj ngadberre.

  In the Kunwinjku language, we say that we hunt mayh (animals). But when we say we’re going up to a mayh, in that case it means we’re going up to a ceremony, like Kunabibi or another sacred event of ours.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

1Lift something up.

Synonyms-wayhke

• Bu kinga birridulubom doweng wanjh birrikukbidbuyhweng kore kurlabbarlbeh.

  When they had shot the crocodiles, they lifted the dead animals out of the billabong.

  (Jill Nganjmirra )

2Give someone a lift (in a car etc).

• Muddika kabindibidbuyhwe kabirridjarrkre.

  They give them a lift in the car, and they all go together.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006)

2Send someone to ceremony.

• Ngarrbenbidbuyhwe kore mayh.

  We send them to ceremony.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006)

Push with finger, poke, press.

Synonymsdjuyme

• Bininj nawu biddjuyimeng wanjh wurlhmeng manbu kabolkwolkan.

  The man pressed the button and turned on the torch.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Generic term for two dolphin species; 1. Australian snubfin dolphin, 2. Australian humpback dolphin.

Scientific nameOrcaella heinsohni (Australian snubfin dolphin), Sousa chinensis (Australian humpback dolphin).

• Biddurangkan kabobuhme.

  Dolphins blow water [from their blow-holes].

Turn, spin, rotate etc. Manipulate with the hands in a circular motion eg. stir, mix (with an implement), fasten a bolt, screw on a lid. etc.

• Bidjurdu kabidjibbidjibme karrinan.

  We can see a whirlwind spinning around

Whirlwind.

Synonymsnawurlam

• Bidjurdu kabirringeybun nawu Kune dja Kundedjnjenghmi kabirriwokdi. Nawu winjkuhwinjku ngarringeybun nadjardawo, bu ngarrinan kabidjibbidjibmerren kundjulng kawayhke kaddum kakan. Dja mak nawu yawuhyawurrinj Kunabibi kabirrikarrekan mankudji, minj kabirringeybun, dja kabirriyime kidjdjan.

  Speakers of Kune and Kundedjnjenghmi call whirlwinds 'bidjurdu'. Us Kunwinjku speakers call it 'nadjardawo', when we see one spinning around and lifting dust up into the air. Young men who have seen only one Kunabibi ceremony don't use its name, they just call it 'kidjdjan' [the word for things that are taboo to ceremonial neophytes or initiates].

  (Jill Nganjmirra )

LanguageKunwinjku= nadjardawo

Manually skilled, dexterous or clever.

Help, assist.

• Kanbidyikarrme ngarrwayhke nanih.

  Help me lift this up.

• Karribidyikarrmerrimen.

  Let's help one another.

• Kabindibidyikarrme daluhdaluk bu kabirriyawmang.

  They are midwives.

Feral pig.

• Bik kabolkarung kabolkwarrehwarrewon.

  Pigs dig up the ground and damage the country.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Etymologyfrom English 'pig'

Thin, skinny (of things).

• Manmalaworrbik.

  Long thin leaves [as opposed to round shaped leaves].

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Manbu mandudjmi bu kawarrawarrhme, kaluk karung kundung, wanjh manbik kayimerran.

  When green plums fall to the ground, they cook in the sun and they become [dried and] skinny.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

See alsomobik

Ceremonially sing about someone, naming their clan, country, moiety, family and so on.

• Bolkkime bu kabirridowen nawu bininj dja daluk, wanjh mulil kabirrikarrme bu kabindikukdjuhke kukku. Kabirribikkarrhme kunngoninj kayerrkme, kare kore kudjorlok.

  Nowadays when men or women pass way, people have a ceremony for them, washing down the bodies of the deceased's family members, and calling out the deceased's clan, country and so on so their spirit can go free.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Nawu korroko dabborrabbolk Mardayin biridjurlenami, wanjh bindibukkani nawu yawuhyawurrinj birrinani. Kaluk bu birriburnbuni, birribebkeyi bu bindiyikolungi kore binihbininj, daluhdaluk dja wurduhwurdurd birrihni. Wanjh bindinani, bindiyiborrkkeyi, dja mak birribikkarrhmi nawu binihbininj dja nawu daluhdaluk birriborrkkeyi madjidji.

  In the old days, our ancestors held Mardayin ceremonies, to show the young men. Then when they finished, they would take the young men out and go back to where the other men, women and children were. The people would look upon them [the newly initiated men] and dance for them. The men would sing out their clans, moieties and so on, and the women would do a madjidji dance for them.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Spotted tree monitor.

Scientific nameVaranus scalaris

LanguageKuninjku, Kundjeyhmi

Eel-tailed Catfishes (black ones only).

Scientific nameNeosilurus spp., egs. Neosilurus ater, Neosilurus argenteus, Neosilurus hyrtlii, but also Cinetodus froggatti, Anodontiglanis dahli.

• Kondah djenj karrurndeng, kamre konda konda kamre kondah karrurndeng, minj kabidbun kurih, only dunbuhmanj kabidbun en ngardderrhwo modjarrkki kabidbun kaddum bad konda djenj karrurndeng namarnkol barrhmanj, njarlkan, karlerrh, bikkurr karrurndeng konda kumekke djal bonj karrurndeng.

  This is where the fish go back - they come up to here and then go back. They can't climb up [the bar of boulders at the waterfall], only sooty grunter can, short neck turtles, fresh water crocodiles can climb up to the higher area but here the fish go back: barramundi, saratoga, archer fish, long toms, black eel-tailed catfishes, there's nothing they can do, they just go back.

LanguageKundedjnjenghmi, Kuninjku

Kunbalaknakeryi

Take a splinter out.

• Ngabidbikmarren.

  I’m taking the splinter out of my hand.

• Djirndih dja Korlobok benemarnebikmangi kore kurrenge nuye Wirrihwirriyak.

  The Quail and the Dove were trying to get the splinter out of Wirrihwirriyak's foot.

  (Nganjmirra, Jill & Tildemann, Sonia, ‘Old Woman Emu and other Kunwinjku stories’, Batchelor Press, Batchelor, N.T., 2005, p. 10)

To dry out and shrivel, esp. fruit, to become thin (of things).

• Manbu mandudjmi bu kawarrawarrhme, kadjalbikmen.

  When the green plums fall to the ground, they [dry out and] become skinny and shrivelled.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Makkan bonj yibawo korroko bikminj.

  Leave that one [Terminalia ferdinandiana fruit], it's already shrivelled.

LanguageKunwinjku, Kundedjnjenghmi

Pillow, cushion.

• Kodjbila ngarrikodjdahkendi bu ngarrikeyo.

  We put our heads on a pillow when we sleep.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Etymologyfrom English ‘pillow’.

Bark canoe made from stitching together a folded piece of Eucalyptus tetrodonta bark.

• Djabayéna Kawarréya mankuken mani manbolh. Bilem ngarribidbuni.

  Here at Djabayéna Kawarréya it is an important place. We used to pull our bark canoes up [out of the river here].

LanguageKuninjku

Billy can, metal container.

Synonymsngalng

• Nawu bilikken nakka kunkukbeleken kunwok ngarringeybun, dja manbu kunkukburlerriken kunwok ngarringeybun makka djabbirlarna, yika ngarriyime ngalng, nawu ngarrikinjeken manme kore kunak karung, dja mak

  "Bilikken" [billycan] is an English word that we use, or in Indigenous language we say "djabbirlarna", or sometimes "ngalng", for that thing we use to cook food on a fire, or for getting water for drinking.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Bobbidj, bekkang kahbume wanjh birriyoy, birriyoy malamalayi kare benedolkkang benewam 'Ngarre', biliken benemey mak biliken, biliken, nani biliken wanjh bene-kang rowk, bene-wa:m kure wanjh.

  He heard a hive making a humming sound and so they slept and the next day the two of them got up and went off, 'Let’s go', they got a billycan here and another there and they took them all and went there.

Kunbalakmambard

GrammarThe kunkurrng register name mambard has become another synonym in normal unmarked language (particularly in eastern dialects of Bininj Kunwok) as well as its use in kunkurrng. This may be explained by the death naming taboos relating to men who had the non-Aboriginal name ‘Billy’.

1Painting, drawing, image, picture.

• Birribimbuni bim kurdukadji kore kunburrk bedberre.

  They painted pictures of emus on their bodies.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

2Written letter, word or character.

3Cat's cradle string game.

LanguageKunwinjku, Kundjeyhmi

See alsobimbun

1Draw, paint or otherwise use markings to create a picture.

• Kabirribimbun mayh mimih djenj dja nawern.

  They paint animals, Mimih spirits, fish and lots of different things.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

• Yibengkan Kodjok nawu bimbohbimbom?

  Do you know that man of Kodjok skin who used to be an artist ('used to paint')?

2Write.

Synonymswokbimbun

• Yingeybimburren!

  Write your name!

Kunbalakbimbonghme

Take photo with camera (still or moving film).

• Ngandihbimmangi munguyh, ngangudjwarreminj.

  They were always taking pictures of me, I got tired of it.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997)

1Look at a picture, see an image.

• Nahni nabarlek karribimnan kabimdi kore kuwardderurrk.

  We see paintings of rock wallabies in rock shelters.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

2Read, see written material.

• Ngarrbenbukkani Kunwinjku ngarrbimbuni djurra. Ngarrimarnbuni, ngarrbihbimbuni wurdwurd birribimnani.

  The two of us used to teach them Kunwinjku, we would write it. We used make books, we used to write them for the kids to read.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006)

• Minj djurra ngabimnayinj.

  I'd never seen writing on paper before.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006)

Read aloud, read out (a word, sentence etc).

• Yibimngeybu.

  Read the sentence out for me.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Minj birriwernhbimngeybuyinj. Birribimwakwani.

  They couldn't read out the words properly. They didn't know the letters.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006)

1Man.

• Bininj yameng kunj.

  The man speared a kangaroo.

  (Maralngurra, Dolly, 'Bininj Yameng Kunj', Oenpelli Literature Production Centre)

2Person/human being.

• Ngalkudji ngalkohbanj kuni ngalkangila wanjh ngaleng kangeyyo kurdukadji kaluk ngaleng wanjh bininjni korroko wanjh yerre mayh yimerranj.

  There was an old lady whose skin name was Ngalkangila and now we call her emu, a long time ago she was really an old lady. [Wildfire Band song text].

3Aboriginal person/people.

• Nawu bininj dja balanda kabirrimang nawu mayh wanjh kabirrikelebukwon kakelebukmen kabirrimarnbun kelebuk mayh bedberre.

  Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people get animals and tame them, and make them into pets.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

4Male.

See alsobinihbininj

Kunbalakyol

Narrow, thin, skinny.

• Kebbinjbinj nungkah.

  He has a long/narrow nose.

• Benbukkang bininj bu kabirrikurrme mandulkbinjbinj kore kukeb.

  He showed people how to put thin sticks into the centre of the fire [in order to make it easier to light the fire].

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997)

• Bu binjbinj ngarriyime, yiman nawu bininj kukbinjbinj. Mak mayh dja mayhmayh birrikukbinjbinj. Yiman kundalk dja kundulk manbinjbinj, kunmalaworr dja manrakel. Mak manme ngarriyime mankukbinjbinj.

  We can use the word 'binjbinj' for example to describe skinny people, or also animals and birds. Grass and trees can also be called skinny, or leaves or shoots. We can also say 'a skinny yam'.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

See alsokukbinjbinj

Quartz, stone tool or point made from quartz.

• Manbu birddurrk makka wurd manwarddeyahwurd dja manwarddebele.

  Quartz stones are small and white.

  (Jill Nganjmirra )

Beeswax.

• Birdikelk.

  Soft beeswax.

• Birdirayek.

  Hard beeswax.

LanguageKuninjku

1Flame, fire, torch. This term is always incorporated into verbs, e.g. birlikan, 'to carry a fire stick'.

• Birriwurlhkeyi kunak wanjh nawu djebuyh birlikengemi manbu kunak kumkolungi birribuni birrikani birrikinjeyi birringuni.

  They would light a fire, and the possum would be scared of the flames, so it would come down and they would hit it, then take it to cook and eat.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

• Ngandibukkani how bu ngarriburdebmi - kunak ngarribirlimarnbuni, ngarrimarnbuni kunrurrk kore ngarriyoy.

  They taught us how to rub sticks to make a flame and how to make shelters to camp in.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006 )

2Light of a fire, an electric light or of lightning.

• Wolbu kabirlikadjung.

  The bugs are attracted to the light.

• Mandjewk nganbom ngadberre, ngurdulmeng la birlibirliwern ngarrinang.

  The rain fell on us and there was thunder and we saw lots of lightning.

LanguageKunwinjku, Kundjeyhmi

Grammarincorporable

Carry fire or light, take a torch.

• Karribirlikan.

  Let's take torches.

• Yukkuyukku kabirlihbirlikan.

  The firefly carries light.

Generic term for Silver Barramundi, adult.

Scientific nameLates calcarifer

• Andy bimbom komrdaw, narin la birlmu.

  Andy drew a long-necked turtle, a snake and a barramundi.

  ('Nakimuk Djurra: a Big Book', Marrkolidjban School, 1993)

LanguageKuninjku

Grammarsee also mankumirli and wardurrkku

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

1Mosquito. There is a djang totemic site for the mosquito near Marrkolidjban.

• Bu Kudjewk wanjh birringimi kuwarderurrk birriyoy dja mandjewk dja birndu.

  In the wet season they moved into caves to stay, because of the rain and mosquitos.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

2March fly.

3Glossy ibis (which is black and has a beak like a mosquito proboscis thus the polysemy).

Scientific namePlegadis falcinellis

• Ngalbu birndu ngalkka mayhmayh karrinan kore kabbal bu kudjewk dja kurrung karrolkarren karrinan mirndewern.

  We see glossy ibis on the floodplain in the wet season, and we see lots of them flying in the build-up season.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Kunbalakmernengel

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Splash water, strike water with hands to frighten fish so that they move in a certain direction eg. towards a fish trap or net or to frighten crocodiles before getting into the water to swim.

• Korroko nawu dabborrabbolk birriyolyolmi nahni Nawunjawunja nawu namumuyak. Bu kudjewk dja bangkerreng wanjh nawu dabborrabbolk birriyimi "Kaluk karribekkan nawu Nawunjawunja kabirndulhme bu kaborrong kore kurrurla. Wanjh nawu djenj kayalarrme, kare kore kubowinjku dja yika kore kurrula."

  In the old days our ancestors used to tell the story of Nawunjawunja, one of the first people. In the monsoon and late wet seasons, they used to say "We can hear Nawunjawunja making spashing sounds, striking the ocean with his hands. Then the fish scatter in all directions, swimming up into the fresh water and throughout the ocean.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Rice.

• Birradjdja ngarringuni… ngarrikurrmi, ngarribuni wanjh yoy. Manwerrk manu rey warreka.

  We used to eat rice… we used to put it there and thresh it. The husks would fly off all over the place but the rice would stay where it was.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006)

Etymologyfrom Makassarese = berasa 'milled rice'

Sentence audio:

Machete.

• Nawu birrang nakka yiman mandjawak, kaluk nungan djurrkimuk dja djurrkuyeng bu kabirridjobke yiman kayime kundulk, dja njalehnjaleh nawu nakihkimuk.

  A machete is like a knife, but with a large and long blade, which people use to cut branches and other big things.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Nawu bininj koyekbeh nakka kabirriyiborrkke nawu birrang, bu kabirriwayini yiman bungkurl mandule.

  Nakka yingalkeng, ma birrang yilurlurlhmen.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• You've found some, OK dig it out with the machete.

Etymologyfrom Makassarese berang 'machete', cf Malay parang 'machete'.

1Clear the ground of vegetation, make a clear space to sit down or camp, sweep.

2(Of weather, clouds) clearing of clouds after rain or a storm.

• Konda kadjakdung, la kuni korroko birrhmeng.

  It's raining here but over there the clouds have already cleared.

LanguageKundedjnjenghmi, Kundjeyhmi, Kunwinjku

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Riverine savanna area to the east of where the Nabarlek road crosses Birraduk [Birrirddak] Creek and leading southeast to the valley entrance. A creek flows through the area, surrounded by sandstone outliers. It has significance as an Aboriginal walking route (Bininj manbolh) as well as being a camping and fishing area. The topographic map place name of ‘Birraduk Creek’ is derived from Birrirddak.

• …en Kabo Kaworrkdjubmirri, kahre ngamed kore Djimerre ya. Kuredkuken arriyongoyoy. Ngalengman kanjdji kadjale. Koreh bukka manberrk manekke kaberrkyirriyo makka Birrirddak, konda kakarri, kawukkarri nanu Birrirddak.

  …and Kabo Kaworrkdjubmirri which goes on to Djimerre, yeah. We camped in these important camping places. Downstream the sites continue. But in the open savanna area, where all the savanna forest is located, that’s Birrirddak, to the west (of the previously mentioned sites). Birrirddak is to the west (of Kabo Kaworrkdjubmirri and Djimerre).

  (Kundedjnjenghmi)

Sentence audio:

Birriwilk, an Ancestral woman who became a landform in Manilakarr clan country near the East Alligator River.

• Birriwilk nakka kunngey ngeyyoy ngalbu daluk kurrmerrinj kore kunred Manilakarr bedberre bu djang yimerranj.

  Birriwilk is the name of a woman who placed herself in Manilakarr clan country and became a sacred site.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

A place in the East Alligator region with several occupation shelters

• Korrokoni ngalmumuyak kabirriyime, birryimi bu ngalmumuyak ngalkohbanj ngalkare. Yika birriyika nawu birribuyika nawu kore birrirey kakbi, birrirey koyek. Ngalkudji ngalu kumdjowkkeng kurebeh kumdjowkkeng ... kumwam kurrmerrinj kore ngaye kunred ... ngarduk. Wanjh ngalkka Birriwilk ngalekke kumdjowkkeng.

  Long ago, there was a spirit woman, they call her 'Ngalmumuyak'. She was an old lady, 'Ngalmumuyak' from long ago. There were others like her also, different beings who travelled in the north, or they travelled to the east. One of those old women, she came and crossed over (the East Alligator River), over to the other side. She crossed over the river and came this way... and she placed herself in my country. Then she crossed over to the site Birriwilk.

  (Alfred Nayinggul)

Sacred boomerangs used in pairs as musical instruments in various ceremonial contexts. Not used for hunting in West Arnhem Land.

Synonymsbarlkkan

• Birrkala kabirrimarnbun kore kundulk mandubang.

  Ceremonial boomerangs are made from ironwood.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Place finger or hand into something.

• Kakebbirrkarren.

  He's sticking his finger up his nose.

• Bu korroko dabborrabbolk birrirey birridjuhmi kore kuronj birribobirrkani birriyawani kedjebe.

  In the old days, people would go into the water, then poke around in the water with their hands looking for file snakes.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Sentence audio:

Throw something at someone, an animal etc. This word refers specifically to throwing blunt projectiles such as sticks, rocks or boomerangs.

• Kumekke kaddum benehdjalbarndi, benmenebirrkukuhmeng benmenedjalbirrkukuhmeng. Ngalkudji bikebbaddji mandjad la ngalbuyika ngalbu bibarlanhbom, wanjh djalwohmankang.

  The two of them were up in the tree, and he threw sticks at them. He hit one woman hard, straight in the face. He almost hit the other one, but she fainted with fright and fell down.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997, p. 132)

• Ngalkohbanj bimarneyimeng ngalbu wurdyaw "Yimka ngardduk manbu kundjabarrk wardi kundulk ngamang birrkukuhme."

  The old woman said to the child "Bring my bag here, or I'll get a stick and chuck it at you".

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Nawu Nakorrkko benebokenh benedjalbirrkukuhmeng manbu barlkkan bu benemarnbom manbolh kuri kore walem.

  The two Nakorrkko ancestors threw boomerangs to make a path, down there in the south.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Sentence audio:

1Green pygmy-goose.

Scientific nameNettapus pulchellus

• Biwudj namak bu ngarringun bu ngarrire ngarriwarlbun manimunak djilikuybi ngarriyawan.

  The green pygmy goose is good eating, when we go hunting magpie geese or whistle ducks we look for pygmy geese as well.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

2Some speakers also refer to the pink-eared duck as biwudj.

Scientific nameMelacorhynchus membranaceus

LanguageKunwinjku

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Water or other liquids. Incorporated form of the word water, which appears when it forms part of other words.

• Kaboyo.

  Water lies there / there is water.

• Manbomak.

  good drinking water.

• Minj kabirrire kabirribongun kunbang.

  They don't go and drink alcohol.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006 )

LanguageKuninjku,Kunwinjku

Grammarincorporable

Kind of wild honey or 'sugar bag' which is found in tree hollows and has a crumbling cerumen or brown resinous wax which is not favoured for tool and artifact production. The honey of this bee is much relished. The base of the hive, called ngeyhno is made from a harder cerumen which can be used for material culture production although other honey type hives are preferred.

Synonymskarderre

Scientific nameAustroplebeia magna

LanguageKune, Rembarrnga= yurduh

Kunbalaknamawul

Sentence audio:

1Tide come in.

• Bu kurrula kabobidbun wanjh minj karrinan ngalbu karndjawarra.

  At high tide, we don't see any mud crabs.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

2Water rise up (e.g. flood, start of wet season).

• Kabobidbun wanjh kankebngun.

  The water rises up and drowns us.

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Good-bye.

• Ma bonj bobo.

  OK, that’s all, bye.

• Yikah mak kabbal ngarrirey bu ngarribuni kalawan, ngarrimarmeyimi, "Bobo!". Kalawan, kunekke ngurriyimen "Bobo" wanjh kakurrmerren kalawan. Ngurrire ngurribun.

  Or, sometimes, we would be go out on the floodplains getting goanna, and we would say to the goannas “Goodbye!”. If you say goodbye, the goanna will just stay still for you, then you can go and kill it.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006 )

Sentence audio:

1Lie on one's stomach.

• Yiyun! Yiboboyo ngarryolyolme.

  Lie there (don't sleep)! Lie on your stomach and let's tell stories.

• Bu yiboboyun ngarriyime, nawu bininj kakeyo kore nuye kunnjambe.

  When we say 'yiboboyun', that means for someone to lie on his stomach.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

2Lie flat (of rocks etc).

• Bu ngarriwarddemang manbu manwarddebalabala, wanjh kunu ngarrikan kured wanjh ngarrikurlkmarnbun werrk. Yerre wanjh ngarriwarddekurrme bu yiman kawarddeboboyo ngarrimarnbun, yiman manme, mayh, kunmurrng bu ngarridong, ba bu mannjon kabirringun nawu wurdurd dja kobahkohbanj, bu kamak.

  When we get a flat stone and take it home, first we prepare the ground (by making it flat). Then we put down the stone so it lies flat, for when we pound vegetables, meat and bones to make pulp that's good for children and old people to eat.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Dabborrabbolk barriyonginj kure kawarddeboboyo.

  The old people/ancestors used to sleep in rock shelters with protruding overhanging ceilings.

  (Lofty Bardayal Nadjamerek)

Lay oneself on one's stomach with one's head up.

• Mak yiman kayime wurdyaw, nawu kahlambarryo, yerre wanjh kaborledme bu kaboboyongen bu kakomdjabdi.

  Also for example a kid who's lying on his back might then turn over and lie on his stomach with his head propped up.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

1Fly (insect).

• Mandudjmi karung wanjh bod kawernmen.

  When the green plums are ripe, it is the time when there are many flies.

2Native honey bees of the Tetragonula (previously Trigona) and Austroplebeia genera.

Scientific nameTetragonula mellipes, Austroplebeia magna, Austroplebeia essingtoni

• Korroko dabborrabbolk birrirey manberrk birriyawani birridulknani kaddum birrinani mankung bod kahboddolkan wanjh birridulkrderdmi birriwodjburriweyi birrimonbuhmi, wanjh birrimangi nawu yiwk dja mandabu birrirawoni birridahkendongi kore billycan.

  In the old days, people would go into the forest searching [for honey], looking up at the trees. When they saw honey bees flying around they would chop down the tree and open it up, then they would get the liquid honey and pollen sacs and put them all together in a billy can.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Kunbalakmuk

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Crouch down, hunch over, bend down.

• Munguyh benehdjalkarungi kaluk wanjh kukku kumbobebmeng benebiddjuhmeng kunbid berrewoneng kore benekaruy wanjh beneboddanj benebonguyinj.

  They just kept on digging, and when they reached water they washed their hands from all the digging, then they crouched down and drank the water.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Sentence audio:

Recede (of water in a water body), dry out.

• Karrinan bu kabukmen kabodowen kore kabbal bu Kurrung duninjh kayimerran.

  When the real build-up season starts, we see the floodplain drying up and the water receding.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation )

• Kabodowerren rowk manbu kukku kukudji kukku karribongun kore manlabbarlkimuk dja kore njilhmi kaboyo kore ngarribobengkan korroko dabborrabbolk ngandibolkbukkang.

  All the water dries up [in the dry season], we can only drink water from large billabongs and springs, places we know to find water that the old people showed us in the past.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Sentence audio:

Belonging to one’s mother, for example her country, sacred sites and totems. (Literally 'water-mother').

• Naburlanj wam kuhri kore kunred kayime kabokarrang kunred ngalengarre ngalbadjan.

  Naburlanj went to his mother’s country, the country belonging to his mother.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Nungka kabokarrang Namarden.

  His mother’s dreaming is Lightning.

  (Quoted in Garde, Murray, ‘Culture, Interaction and Person Reference in an Australian Language’, John Benjamins Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 2013, p. 198)

Hop. This verb is specifically used for the movement of rock country kangaroos and wallabies, which make a distinct sound as they hop.

• Kunj kabokbokme karrengewokdi.

  The kangaroo is hopping along making a noise with its feet.

• Nawu nadjinem dja djukerre nakka wanjh bedman kabirribokbokme bu kabirridoddolkan kore kuwarddehwarddeh. Yiman kabirrirohrok nawu badbong dja nabarlek nawu bedman kabirrihdi kore kuwardde.

  Male and female black rock wallaroos [we say] “kabirribokbokme” as they hop up in the stone country. It’s the same for the short-eared rock wallaby and the nabarlek, which live in the escarpment.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Erase tracks, wash away tracks.

• Mandjewk djakduy nakimuk wanjh bokbularrbom manbu muddikka.

  A big rain fell and washed away the tracks of the car.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Sentence audio:

Spin or plait string. This often involves rubbing fibres from the inner bark of trees on the upper thigh, then rolling two strands of string together to make two-ply twine.

Synonymsborolhme

• Manbu mandjabu korroko dabborrabbolk birrimangi kunyarl kore manbornde mandedjmad kunyarl dja kore kundulk manbudbud kunyarl. Wanjh birribokdengi kunyarl birrimarnbuni wanjh mandjabu birrimarnbuni.

  In the old days, our ancestors would make fish traps by getting fibre from banyan roots or kurrajong bark. They would roll the fibre into string, then make fish traps from it.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Sentence audio:

Two.

• Daluk bokenh wakkidj benehweyi.

  Two women were fishing.

  (Mangiru, Hannah, ‘Kuhni Kayolyolme Bu Kabirriwarlbunkenh’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, Gunbalanya, 1974 )

• Ngunebokenh.

  You two.

LanguageKunwinjku, Kundjeyhmi

Kunbalakburlalh

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Boil water, heat up water.

Kunbalakdjurlkkinj-bobekke

Sentence audio:

Follow tracks.

Synonymsbokkadjung

• Yika mak bu nganabarru karribokkan wanjh karribokkadjung karribekkan ngarradj kawokdi kabimulewan namekke nganabarru.

  Sometimes when we're tracking a buffalo, we follow its tracks and we hear a cockatoo calling out, which gives away the buffalo's position.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Spear type with many barbs running along the shaft.

• Bokko birrimarnbuni manbu kunyidkenh bu birridurreni.

  People used to make barbed spears for fighting.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKuninjku= bardangarr

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Dancing belt which has feathered tassles and traditionally made from human hair.

• Bokngarru kabirridjongburren kunborrkkenh.

  They dress in dancing belts for dances.

• Bokngarru birringardmodukarreni wanjh birriyiborrkkeyi bu mamurrng bindimarnekurrmi.

  They would tie dancing belts around their hips, and dance with them during the mamurrng ceremony.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Spangled grunter. These fish form schools and migrate to breed in the early wet season or after the first storms of kunumeleng.

Scientific nameLeiopotherapon unicolor

LanguageKuninjku= boddowk

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Black bittern.

Scientific nameIxobrychus flavicollis

• Kurlabakku kawk bokung nawu kabirrirohrok kabirriyawan djenj kabirrini kore kukadjid yika kabirribarndi kore kundulk kabirrimadbun djenj.

  The pied heron, the rufous night heron and the black bittern are all similar, in that they all hunt fish by standing on the bank or up in a tree, waiting for the fish to go past.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKuninjku, Kunwinjku, Kundjeyhmi

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Follow a path or road.

Sentence audio:

Follow after something, come after something.

• Bu njale karringun karribawon kore kunrurrk wanjh karrinan nawern djak bu kanome dja kabolkan.

  If we're eating something and we leave it in the house, then ants will smell it and lots of them will come after it.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Leave a place, with the connotation of staying away for a long time or for good. Abandon a place.

• Ngabolkbawong kunred ngardduk / Dja ngabenbawong bininj ngardduk / Ahwurd ngaye, ahwurd / Ngabolkbawong kunred Ngardayun

  I have been away from my homeland for so long / And away from my people for so long / I am feeling sad, so sad / I miss my home Ngardayun

  (Wildflower Band, ‘Galiwin’ku’, from the Album ‘Manginburru Bininj’, Skinnyfish Music, 2009 )

Sentence audio:

1Conduct earthworks, dig tunnels or mine, create environmental damage, destroy a place, create the landscape of a place.

• Nabangardi dja Nawamud beneyimeng konda kunred wanjh bolkdoweng ngad ngadberre, bu balanda birrimwam birribolkbom dja birribolkwarrewong.

  Nabangardi and Nawamud said “This place of ours has been destroyed, when white people came they dug the place up and ruined it”.

  (Jill Nganjmirra )

2Make a racket, make a noisy disturbance.

• Wurdwurd kabirribolkbun.

  The children are making a lot of noise.

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Sacred place, restricted place.

1Place become boring with nothing of interest happening.

• Bolkdoweng konda.

  This place is boring.

2Destruction of a place (and people).

• Nabangardi dja Nawamud beneyimeng konda kunred wanjh bolkdoweng ngad ngadberre, bu balanda birrimwam birribolkbom dja birribolkwarrewong.

  Nabangardi and Nawamud said “This place of ours has been destroyed, when white people came they dug the place up and ruined it”.

  (Jill Nganjmirra )

• Bu kabirribolkbun kunred karrowen, kunred bu karribolkdowen namekke story nuye ngadberre ngad, nawu kumekke tribe namekke tribe nawu Mirarr namekke.

  If they damage the place, the country there will die, the country and us with it and the story will die, that is the tribe called the Mirarr people.

Sentence audio:

1Now.

• Yoh bolkkime kamkan.

  Yes, he's bringing it now.

  (Maralngurra, Dolly, ‘Reader 34’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, 1981)

2Nowadays, these days, now.

• Dja bolkkime larrk minj nangale kadjuhme kinga nawern kahyo kore manlabbarlkimuk kahboyo wardi kanbaye kanbun.

  But nowadays no-one gets into the water at the big billabong, there are lots of crocodiles and they would bite and kill us.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

3Today.

LanguageKunwinjku

Kunbalakkolhkol

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Stay at home, stay at a place, refuse to come when called.

• A: Baleh kabirrini? B: Ngabenkayhmeng korroko, bonj birribolkmaddi.

  A: Where are they? B: I've already called them but they're staying where they are.

• Ngalkudji wurdyaw Ngaldjawonj / bolkbawong kunred ngalengarre / Bolkmaddi kore Manginburru bedberre

  There is a little girl from a Jawoyn clan / who left her country / And who has stayed for a long time on Manginburru land

  (Wildflower Band, ‘Ngaldjawonj ‘The Jawoyn Girl’’, from the Album ‘Maningburru Bininj’, Skinnyfish Music, 2009 )

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Reach a place, get to a place.

• Bu ngabolkmang kured ngambun ke.

  When I get home, I'll call you.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Bu benebolkmey kumekke kunred Nitmiluk beneyibmeng kanjdji kurorre dja benebawong manbu manlabbarl kahlabbarlyo kore kanjdji kabenehyo kumekke wanjh ngalbu Ngalyod bokenh kabenehyo munguyh kore manlabbarl.

  When they reached Nitmiluk, they sank down into the earth and left behind a waterhole there. They're still there underneath the water, those two Rainbow Serpents are still there in the waterhole.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

1Be on the watch for, look out for.

2Care for country, look after a place, caretake a place.

• Kaluk wurdurd ngadberre / kabirribolknahnan kondah kunred ngadberre.

  When we pass away our children / will carry on looking after this land for us.

  (Wildflower Band, ‘Manginburru’, from the Album ‘Manginburru Bininj’, Skinnyfish Music, 2009)

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Look at a place, survey surroundings.

• Minj kawernhbolknan djarre.

  He’s short-sighted (he can't see very far).

  (Garde, Murray (ed.), ‘Bininj Gunwok talk about health : medical terms and vocabulary for health professionals’, Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation, Jabiru, 2010)

• Ngaye ngawam ngabidbom kuwardde / Ngabolknang bu dungyibmeng / Wanjh ngabolkkongibom kunred ngadberre.

  I went to the top of the rock and looked around / When I saw the sun go down I felt sad / Because this is where the people lived a long time ago.

  (Wildflower Band, ‘Manginburru’, from the Album ‘Manginburru Bininj’, Skinnyfish Music, 2009 (Loose English translation from album cover). )

• Kondanjh kandimarnekorrkke warde ngurrikorrkke ngurrinan ba ngabolknan ba kamak ngare wanjh ngare ngayame.

  Look here and try and lance my sore so I can get up and go look at that place and spear it (a kangaroo).

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Be called (of a place), name of a place is.

• Kunred kabolkngeyyo Bobongki, manbowern dja mandjimdjimwern.

  The place called Bobongki has a lot of water and water pandanus.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997)

• Ngaye ngabolkngeyyo kunred Maburrinj / Ngadolkkang ngadanginj dja ngabolknang

  I am the country Maburrinj / I stood up and looked around at my many places

  (Wildflower Band, ’Maburrinj (The lonely place called Maburrinj)’, from the Album ‘Manginburru Bininj’, Skinnyfish Music, 2009)

See alsongeyyo

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Having close family or geographical ties, be joined in a kind of unit through traditional or historical connections.

Synonymsbolkdjindjinduluburren

• Yika ngarriyime kabolkyirrkarrmerren kore kunred kadarnhbolkrohrok. Yiman darnkih kunmokurrkurr dja kunred bedberre.

  We say that countries have close ties when they are next to each other, when their clans and lands are close.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Danek birribuyika bedberre kunred kore Kukalak. Kaddumkah kore Djalama kabolkrohrok. Mak darnkih kore Djok kunred bedberre nawu duwa, kabolkyirrkarrmerren.

  The other Danek group's estate is Kukalak, further up close to Djalama country. It's also close to Djok country, with whom they have close ties [a yaw-badjan relationship].

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Sentence audio:

Name of (at least) three duwa moiety patriclans- one on the central Arnhem Land plateau, one a Jawoyn speaking clan to the south and another on the upper East Alligator River.

• Kondanj wanjh Kayerrngwe wanjh Bolmo.

  Here the place is called Kayerrngwe and then it is Bolmo clan land [neighbouring].

• Mamamh nganmarnemurrngkang ngalyikbolmo nani Rarrkal nganeyaw weleng yakminj kumekke kuwardde ngarri-murrngkurrmeng. Namekke kukurlk.

  My mother's father's sister of the Bolmo clan put those [kangaroo] bones there, Rarrkal and I were her grandchildren but she died and so we put all these bones in the rock there. Those there on the ground.

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Make a drink, brew (tea, coffee, etc).

• Bu korroko nawu dabborrabbolk birrimangi manbunjdjak bu birribomarnbuni wanjh birribonguni. Manbu manbunjdjak makka manmanjmak duninj karohrok yiman mankung mankalkkid. Kaluk makka ngalengman kore kunmalaworr kabelebelbme. Mak kabele yiman kayime delek.

  In the old days, our ancestors used to collect lerps and make a drink [by steeping them in water], then drink it. Lerps are sweet, like honey, and live attached to leaves. They’re white like white ochre.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Little black cormorant.

Scientific namePhalacrocorax sulcirostris

• Bonbon kabirringun djenj nawu kilekilelh.

  Cormorants eat small fish.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Something which binds something, bonds, fetters, ropes, chain, knot, leash, etc.

• Bu duruk kabirrikomdukkan kunyarl, wanjh kabaye bu kayarldjobke, wanjh kunu kabongdorrorrke manbu kunyarl bu kakelerlobme kunyarl dorrengh.

  When people put a rope around a dog's neck, then it bites at it and breaks the rope, then it runs away pulling the rope behind it.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

GrammarUsed only in verb constructions, not as a stand-alone word.

1Bound up with string, be tied, be on a leash.

Synonymsdukkayindi

• Yiman kayime mayh nawu kabirrikomdukkan, wanjh kakombongdi.

  For example people tie a rope around an animal's neck, so it's on a leash.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

2Be 'locked up', incarcerated, imprisoned.

• Yika bininj kabirriyime bu kabirrimulewan nawu nabuyika bininj bu djamun kabimang wanjh kabirriyime "Nakka wam wanjh kabongdi".

  Sometimes when people are talking about someone who gets taken by the police, they say "He's gone, he's locked up".

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

3In bondage, in slavery. This sense is commonly used in Biblical translations.

• Ngudda minj mak ngurriyawoyhbongdi kore ngurrimarnedurrkmirri yiman slaves munguyh.

  So you are no longer in bondage, constantly working like slaves.

  (From Galatians 4:7, https://bible.com.au/gup2018/GAL/4/.)

4Live with trouble and tribulation.

• Korroko dabborrabbolk birrihbongdi, kunwarre birrihkarrmeng.

  A long time ago our ancestors lived difficult lives and they had bad problems.

Long-tailed rock monitor, also known as the black-palmed monitor.

Scientific nameVaranus glebopalma

• Nawu bongka ngarringeybun nawu yiman djanay kakukyime nungan kuwarde kaddum kukorlh kayo.

  Rock monitors look similar to yellow-spotted monitors, but they live up in rocky country.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKundedjnjenghmi, Kuninjku, Kunwinjku

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Tie to something, bind, hitch (a trailer to a car, etc).

• Mak yiman muddikka bu kabirridedjbongname, wanjh kadedjbongyirriyo bu kabirriyirlobme.

  When people hitch up [a trailer to] a car, they can drive with it attached.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Drink.

• Ngarre kab kukku ngarrbongun.

  Let's go and drink some water.

  (Mangiru, Hannah, ‘Kuhni Kayolyolme Bu Kabirriwarlbunkenh’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, Gunbalanya, 1974 )

• Birrimey kunbang bedberre wanjh birridjalbonguneng.

  They got their grog and just kept drinking.

Kunbalak-djurlkkinjyakwan

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Untie, unbind, unhitch, undo a knot, remove a leash etc.

• Nawu yiman mayh kabongdi, wanjh kabirribongyerrkke ba kamak bu kare.

  When an animal is tied up, people untie it when they want it to walk freely.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

1Finish, finished.

• Bonj yakminj.

  Finished, all gone!

2The end (used at the end of a story or narrative).

• Wanjh birridokmeng kured. Bonj.

  Then they went home. The End.

  (Mangiru, Hannah, ‘Kuhni Kayolyolme Bu Kabirriwarlbunkenh’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, Gunbalanya, 1974 )

3 That's all, just, just like that, it's OK just like that. Marker used to delineate or limit.

• A: Yidjare marnekan? B: Bonj, kamak, ngakan.

  A: Do you want me to take it for you? B: No, it's OK, I'll take it.

• Kabenengeyboken, bonj kangeyboken.

  They've got two names, just two names.

• "Yuwn yikan mankukyahwurd makka" "Bonj warribo ngadjalkan ngakinje ngangun. Bonj bu mankukyahwurd"

  "Don't take that yam, it's too small". "Whatever, I'll take it anyway and cook it up and eat it. Doesn't matter if it's small".

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

4Finally, in the end. Marker used to indicate the end of a process.

• Wanjh duhkeng, duhkeng. Bonj bohborrolkang.

  He lanced it and lanced it (an infected wound) and then the fluid burst out.

5Marker used to describe the size, shape, extent etc. of something.

• Djalmey kundulk yiman bonj kunekke kayime.

  He just went and got a stick which was about 'there' (demonstrates size), this big !

Old, former, previous.

• Ngabenyolyolme, ngayolyolme bedberre djal ngabenbengyolyolmi, nakka mandjalkare manbonjbonj yerrih, manekbe manu ngandiwong dabborrabbolk.

  I explain to them, I’ve told them about it, the old things (law, customs) that the old people told us.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006 )

• Bu ngarriyime kubonjbonj, wanjh karohrok bu ngarriyime kukare. Yiman ngarriyime kubolkbonjbonj kumekke kore kubolkkare. Mak nawu bininj ngarriyolyolme ngarriyime nabonjbonj namekke nakare.

  When we say ‘kubonjbonj’, that means the same as ‘kukare’ (in the past, previously). For example we could say ‘kubolkbonjbonj’ for ‘kubolkkare’ (the old or former place), or if we’re talking about a person, ‘nabonjbonj’ or ‘nakare’.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Cold.

• Ngabidbonjdjek.

  My fingers are cold.

Kunbalakkurrbele

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Sniff (a liquid, especially petrol).

• Nanih nawu wurdwurd might be kabirridjordmen minj kabirrire kabirribongun kunbang, or petrol kabirribonome or kundalk kabirriwunghme, larrk.

  So when those kids grow up they probably won't drink, or sniff petrol or smoke grass, no way.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006 )

Sentence audio:

Flow.

• Bu kudjewk mandjewk nawern kadjakdung wanjh kabore kore mankabo.

  When it rains a lot in the wet season, the water flows in the rivers.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation.)

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

1Learn, become familiar with something eg. language, a skill.

• Kandibukkan ba ngaborlbme.

  You show me so I will learn it.

2Get used to something or someone.

• Ngarriborlbmeng di.

  We've got used to drinking tea.

• Ngudda yiborlbmeng ngarduk.

  You've got used to me.

GrammarTakes possessive pronoun if the object is human.

Sentence audio:

Termite.

• Borlborl karrulkngun, kurrambalk kawarrewon.

  Termites eat wood and destroy houses.

Sentence audio:

Turn over to other side, change.

• Ngaborledkeng nawu djenj, wanjh ngayawoyhyerrkang ngamadbom korroko wanjh nganang ruy, wanjh ngawayhkeng.

  I turned over the fish and sat down again, waited a while, then when I saw that it was cooked I pulled it out (of the hot coals).

  (Peter Carroll AIATSIS collection)

• Birrikodjkurluborledkeng.

  They changed their minds.

See alsosee kodjborledke

Kunbalakdordedjke

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

1Turn around, rotate, turn over.

• Yimborledmen kanmirrkma!

  Turn facing me!

  (Garde, Murray (ed.), ‘Bininj Gunwok talk about health : medical terms and vocabulary for health professionals’, Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation, Jabiru, 2010)

2Change.

• Bolkkime wurdwurd nahni yiman birribuyikaminj, borledmeng kadberre.

  Nowadays the kids are different, they’ve changed on us.

  (Quoted in Etherington, Steve, ‘Learning to be Kunwinjku: Kunwinjku people discuss their pedagogy’, PhD Thesis, Charles Darwin University, 2006)

See alsokukborledke

Kunbalakdordedjme

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

On the other side, behind.

• Warde borledmiken yiyawan.

  Try searching on the other side.

Sentence audio:

Australian Magpie-lark. The word also describes the call of the Magpie-lark, which is said to ‘call its own name’.

Scientific nameGrallina cyanoleuca

• Borliblib karrinan Kudjewk Kurrung Bangkerreng Wurrkeng Kurnumeleng bu baleh karrire karribekkan kawokdi kangeyburren kayime borliblib borliblib borliblib.

  We see the Magpie Lark in the wet season, dry season, late wet season, late dry season and build-up season - wherever we go we hear its call, calling out its name “borliblib borliblib borliblib”.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation. )

Sentence audio:

Water python and possibly also the freshwater keelback.

Scientific nameBothrochilus fuscus (previously known as Liasis fuscus), Amphiesma mairii

• Bininj dja daluhdaluk kabirrire kabirriyawan kore kukku kabirribobirrkan kabirrimang borlokko kedjebe ngalmangiyi kore kuronj.

  Men and women go looking for water pythons in the water, they poke their hands into the water and pull out the pythons, file snakes and long-necked turtles.

  (Nabulanj Namandjulngunj, Injalak Arts painting documentation.)

Word audio:

Sentence audio:

Post or beam used in house or shade shelter construction. In shelter construction this is typically the horizontal crossbeam, in contrast to the forked sticks it rests between (karlang).

• Bu kabirrikodbarrename, wanjh mandulkdjarrkkarlang kabirridadjke, kabirridulkdjabname. Wanjh yerre borlorl kabirriwarnamkurrme. Wanjh kunkod dja dolobbo kabirribarrkbun.

  When people make a paperbark shelter, they cut forked trees and stick them upright into the ground. Then they place crossbeams across them, and then put bark over the structure.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

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