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."

  (Manakgu, Andrew, ‘Bu Ngurriborlhme Kunwinjku: Learning Kunwinjku’, Kunwinjku Language Centre, Gunbalanya, 1994)

Beach, sand.

• Kore manyunkurr, adjbud kayo.

  On the island, there is a beach.

  (Wildflower Band, ‘Galiwin’ku’)

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation, Adjumarllarl and Omwarl Story)

Etymologyfrom the Mengerr language

See alsoDuruk Benengadbom

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

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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 “fv: 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.

• 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)

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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’

European 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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Etymologymost likely 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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

• Manbu manbadjan makka rungkal. Manu manyaw makka rarrk.

  The large external lines are the outlines, the small lines

  (Joey Nganjmirra)

Bash, hit to injure.

• Kunwardde ngakodjbadjdji.

  I bashed it on the head with a rock.

Kunbalakbonghme

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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'.

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 ngahni Mamardawerre kaluk ngarrurrkmirri kunngobarn bu ngamarnbun, dja mak ngarriwen 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’

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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. )

4Compose 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 )

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

Leech.

• Baladj ngakengeme wardi ngankurlbayakwon.

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

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'

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'.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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?

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)

Close or block off.

• Kunngol mimbalhmeng dird.

  The clouds have blocked the moon.

Kunbalak-balhbonghme

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).

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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 Manakgu, Andrew 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's 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

‘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.

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".

  (Manakgu, Andrew ‘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.

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!

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation, Bokorn (spangled grunter) story.)

Stone axe with wooden haft.

Synonymskarramalk

Be high up, be situated in a high place.

• Ngurribarndin!

  Stay up there!

• Ngadedjbarndi manih.

  I'll sit up on this [chair].

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKuninjku, Kunwinjku

Place in a high position, hang up.

• Yibarnamen wardi duruk kangun.

  Put it up high otherwise the dogs might eat it.

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

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.

1Sunrise, the appearance of the sun at dawn.

• Ngurridolkka barrhbom!

  Get up you mob, the sun's up!

2Cover over, wrap up.

• 'Kanwo', bimarneyimeng ngalu ngalbadjan 'kanwo kunkod ba ngabarrhburren.' Barrhburrinj 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.

Kunbalakkumbehmerren.

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Kunbalak-barrhyamidokan

Male black rock wallaroo.

Scientific nameMacropus bernadus

• Nakidjkidj kakarrme barrk kelebuk nuye.

  Nakidjkidj spirits keep black wallaroos as pets.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKune, Kunwinjku, Kundedjnjenghmi

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.

  Let's paint ourselves with pipe clay and dance.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

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.

  (Manakgu, Andrew, ‘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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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

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”.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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.

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

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 )

1Understand, know.

• 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.

2Know how to, be able to.

• Bolkkime minj nangale kabengkan bu kamarnbun manbu bokko larrk.

  These days nobody knows how to make barbed spears.

  (Andrew Mankgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

3Think.

• Med kabengkan.

  Wait, she'll think about it.

See alsowernhbengkan

Kunbalakmarrngalahme

Confuse someone.

• Dulkelorrkkelorrken benbengmayahkeng birribengwabom birrimayahmeng.

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

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKunwinjku

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)

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

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)

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentaton)

Them (2), theirs (2).

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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 )

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Etymologyfrom English 'pig'

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

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

1Painting, drawing, image, picture.

• Birribimbuni bim kurdukadji kore kunburrk bedberre.

  They painted pictures of emus on their bodies.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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!

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

4Male.

See alsobinihbininj

Kunbalakyol

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

• Ngandibukkani how bu ngandiburdebmi - kunak ngarribirlumarnbuni, en 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 kambirlikadjung.

  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

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Kunbalakmernengel

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'

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

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

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

Scientific nameMelacorhynchus membranaceus

LanguageKunwinjku

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

1Tide come in.

• Bu kurrula kabobidbun wanjh minj karrinan ngalbu karndjawarra.

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

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

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

• Kabobidbun wanjh kankebngun.

  The water rises up and drowns us.

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 )

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Kunbalakmuk

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, 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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

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

Boil water, heat up water.

Kunbalakdjurlkkinj-bobekke

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Spear type with many barbs running along the shaft.

• Bokko birrimarnbuni manbu kunyidkenh bu birridurreni.

  People used to make barbed spears for fighting.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKuninjku= bardangarr

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

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKuninjku, Kunwinjku, Kundjeyhmi

Follow a path or road.

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

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 )

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.

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.

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

3Today.

LanguageKunwinjku

Kunbalakkolhkol

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 )

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)

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).

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

Little black cormorant.

Scientific namePhalacrocorax sulcirostris

• Bonbon kabirringun djenj nawu kilekilelh.

  Cormorants eat small fish.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKundedjnjenghmi, Kuninjku, Kunwinjku

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

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 !

Cold.

• Ngabidbonjdjek.

  My fingers are cold.

Kunbalakkurrbele

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 )

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation.)

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.

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

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

On the other side, behind.

• Warde borledmiken yiyawan.

  Try searching on the other side.

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”.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation. )

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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation.)

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)

Father a child.

• Nangale ngunbornang?

  Who is your father?

• Beywurd bornarrinj.

  He fathered a child (for himself).

Kunbalakwalebonghme.

Spear thrower, woomera.

• Bolkmelmeng mankole mey kolhmibom borndok kamak rowk.

  He placed his foot down, got his spear and tested it with his spear thrower; everything was fine.

Kunbalakkarndubbu

Wipe, rub.

• Balmey kunworr kurlba borndungi.

  Then he got some leaves and was wiping off the blood with them.

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

• Kano manburrba ngaborndurren.

  Give me the cloth, I'll wipe myself.

Play with, pat or stroke.

• Wurdurd yuwn ngurriborrkbun wardi ngunbaye.

  Kids, don't play with it, it might bite you.

Dance.

• Korroko birriwayini birriborrkkeyi kore mamurrng dja kore mulil.

  In the old days, people would sing and dance at Mamurrng ceremonies and public feasts.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation.)

• Yawkyawk dja yawurrinj kabirrire kabirriborrkke kore disco.

  Girls and boys go dancing at the disco.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation.)

Kunbalakborrkidjbonghme

Snore.

LanguageKunwinjku, Kuninjku, Kundedjnjenghmi, Kundjeyhmi

Lie flat, to lie on one’s stomach.

• Kawardeboyboyyo.

  There is a rock lying flat.

  (Evans, Nick, Mayali vocabulary gathered 1986-1988 from native speakers for Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Gagudju Association)

Recently, before, in the recent past, some time ago but with the sense of a more specific point in time and not a time in the very distant past.

• Nabulanj wam mankung kore nang boyen.

  I guess people assigned a skin name to buffalo in recent times, it's from a different place.

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

Northern knob-tailed gecko, prickly knob-tailed gecko.

Scientific nameNephrurus sheai, Nephurus asper

• Boywek karrinan kore kunrurrk kurrambalk karrihyo karrinan kahbarnbarndi.

  We see geckos in the houses where we live, sitting up on things.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

1When.

• Bu ngayahwurdni.

  When I was a child.

2About, concerning, in relation to.

• Ngayolyolme bu namarrkon djang.

  I'll tell a story about lightning dreaming.

• Bu ngudda.

  That's up to you.

3If (conditional sense).

• Bu yinan kelebuk yuwn yibun.

  If you see a tame animal, don't kill it.

Grammarsubordinating conjuction

Bottle.

• Budjdjulung kaburriwe, kabarrhme.

  He throws a bottle and it smashes.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Etymologyfrom Makassarese

Cat, feral cat.

Synonymsbiyawo

• Bolkkime nawu budjiked karrikarrme nawern karri kore kurehrered kadberre kore karrihyo.

  Nowadays we have lots of cats on our lands where we live.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation.)

1Blow.

• Kunkurra kabuhme, darnki mandjewk kadjakdung.

  The wind is blowing, soon it's going to rain.

• Nangale kabuhme mako?

  Who's going to play the didjeridoo?

22. be blown on.

• Med ngaladminj, ngarrbuhme.

  Hang on, I'm hot, let's take the breeze.

Kunbalakburrhnjudjbonghme.

Dry or shallow.

• Bukminj rowk kamak karridjowkke.

  It's all dry, we can cross OK.

• Birndu kangun dumdum dja yehyeng nawu kayo kare kore kukku kukadjid dja kore kubuk.

  The glossy ibis eats beetles and all kinds of things that live in the water, the sand and the shallows.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation. )

See alsokelebuk

Pheasant coucal.

Scientific nameCentropus phasianinus

• Bukbuk karribekkan kawokdi kayime bukbuk bukbuk bukbuk.

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

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Dream.

Dream of something.

Synonyms(kodj)bukirrire, bukirriyo

• Ngarrnan, marrek ngarrnan, yika yiyo yibukirribun Wakkewakken o ankung.

  We see it, not really see it, sometimes when you sleep you will dream and see the Wakkewakken or the honey.

Kunbalakborridjbonghme

That probably, over there probably, might be, thing.

• Yimankek mununminj, bonj, wanjh ngarriwam. Bukka Arrkuluk.

  When it was dark enough , that was it, off we went. Over there by Arrkuluk.

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

Show, demonstrate, teach, make manifest.

• Wardi kanbukkan bale kayime.

  Try and show me, what do you do?

• Kabukkarren nawu kundjak karrihkarrme kuburrk kadberre.

  Symptoms which are manifest when we have physical illness.

Kunbalakbuyukme

Dry up (of bodies of water), dry out (of plants etc), evaporate.

• Bu kurrung manbu kabbal kabukmen.

  In the dry season, the floodplain dries up.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

• Kabirridakurrme manbu kunngobarn kabukmen wanjh kabirrimarnbun nawu badjkid.

  They put the pandanus out in the sun, it dries out and they make baskets from it.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Kunbalakburnduyhmen

Earthquake; also the name of a Jawoyn ancestral being and concomitant religious cult in which earthquake and subterranean fire feature as part of apocalyptic beliefs.

• Yibekkang kukak bolkrokahrokang? Ngarringeybun bula.

  Did you feel the earth shaking last night? We call that bula.

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

• Baw, ngurringurdmen! Bulanj kabiwokmang Balang!

  ‘Would you people be quiet! Bulanj is recording Balang!’

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

• Kaluk Bulanj bimarnedjareni ngaleng bu yiman birrimarrimeninj namekke. Bulanj nawu walk bikang yibengkan laik ngarrbinmarneyime 'Nani yikan kureh ba bininj yibinmang yibinreydurndeng ba karriyakwon.'

  Another man of Bulanj subsection coveted her, (the boy's mother, a woman of Kodjdjan subsection), and wanted to marry her. Bulanj was going to accompany the boy to be circumcised according to the custom, like when we ask 'You take the circumcision candidate (to another group of people in a distant location) so that you will retrun with lots of people to complete the ceremony.'

LanguageKuninjku, Kune, Kundedjnjenghmi

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

• Bu anyungki, makka djal Bininj duninj bawokyimi like old people

  In the beginning, she (emu) was a human being and she talked, she was an old woman, old people, … of the ngal-Kangila subsection and the Wurrbbarn clan.

  (Djnj)

• Ngali bininjni ngalu ngurrurdu borledkerrinj nahni birridolkang kungol, ngalih wanjh ngale birribawong kukurlk kawake. Bulanjdjan ngal-Wurrbbarn. Yo. Ngalnguyakimuk Bakkarda (Kardbam), Wurrbbarnbulu, Burnungku, Warrayhngu, Kamal.

  This emu was once a human being and... all the people here associated with her changed into animals (points to a painting illustrating

LanguageKuninjku, Kune, Kundedjnjenghmi

1Erase, rub out, delete.

• Yimarneyimen kabularrbun.

  Tell him to delete it.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

1Finish a task.

• Ngayeh ngayakwon story ngawernhbularrbun, ngare, ngare wanjh kuwadda, ngahdurndeng.

  I'm going to finish telling all this information completely and then I'm off, I'm going back home.

Dilly bag tightly woven from light fibres.

Synonymskul-kolborn

• Bolkbawong wam manberrk yawani manme mangi dahkendongi ngalengarre manme kore bulbbe.

  She left that place and went into the bush looking for food, which she collected in her dilly bag.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation )

1Middle, centre.

• Kubuldjdjarn yikurrmen.

  Put it in the middle.

2Deep (of water or substance).

• Kabuldjarn.

  It's deep.

Cattle, male or female.

• Nahni bininj kukbele kangeyyo Paddy Cahill nawu kumwam kondah Kunbarlanja kondah durrkmirri manme dudjengi dja djarrang dja bulikki benhbukkani bininj ngad nawu birrikukburlerri.

  That white man named Paddy Cahill came to Gunbalanya, he was working here planting vegetables and he also showed the people horses and cattle, us Aboriginal people.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Etymologyfrom English 'bullock'.

Middle, centre.

Synonymsbuldjdjarn

• Beneyimerranj mahni manlabbarl manbardmo karri. Mandulkkimuk kahdi kore bulkayh.

  Those two [Yawkyawk spirits] became that billabong, with waterlilies on it. There is a big tree in the middle of it.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997, p. 172)

Properly, really, seriously.

• Bu bulkkidj duninjh ngurridjare wanjh ngurrimray karridjarrkbidyikarrmerren.

  If you really want it, come and let’s all help each other [to make it happen].

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

1Ghost Bat.

Scientific nameMacroderma gigas.

• Bumabuma minj karrinan kore kubolkwarlah kuberrk. Nungan kadjalyo kore kuwarderurrk kaddum kuwarde.

  We don't see ghost bats out in the open. They just stay in caves up in the rocks.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

2.Mythical hero ancestor who turned into a bat.

• Daluk bikang biyiwam Bumabuma marnburrinj warlang wanjh.

  He took the women, went with her and then turned himself into a bat.

1Hit, strike.

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

  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)

• Kunberl nganmarnebom.

  He broke my arm.

2Kill, injure.

• Ngalyod kumwam kanjdjibeh kurorre benbom birriwern bininj nawu birrihyoy kumekke.

  The Rainbow Serpent came up from under the earth and killed all the people who were there.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

3Burn.

• Manbang manekke ngandjenbom.

  That food's strong, it burnt my tongue.

4Produce.

• Manih kundulk yekke kanguybun.

  This tree produces flowers in the dry season.

5Suffer effects of a storm, be rained on.

• Mandjewk nganbom ngadberre.

  The storm fell on us.

6Ring on the telephone.

• Kaluk kukak kabirribun delebon birriyimeng.

  They said they would ring up by phone tonight.

Kunbalakbonghme

Term used to refer to a blind person or someone who can't see well, a substitute for using the person’s name.

Kiss.

• Kabenebunjhmarren.

  They are kissing each other.

Merten's Water Monitor.

Scientific nameVeranus mertensi

• Burarr namak mayh bu ngarringun yiman kalawan karohrok.

  Water goannas are good to eat, just like other goannas.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

• Nawu kukku kayo nakka kunngey bokenh bu ngarringeybun burarr dja durrbu dja nayahwurd nakka djerlih.

  We have two names for those (goannas) that live in the water, 'burarr' and 'durrbu', and the smaller type we call 'djerlih' (Mitchell's water monitor).

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKuninjku,Kunwinjku

Kunbalakdedjronj, djingronj

Spangled Grunter.

Synonymsbokorn

LanguageKunwinjku

Social category based on ceremonial grouping of the following subsections; ngarridj/ngarridjdjan, bangardi/bangardidjan; kamarrang/kamanj, balang/belinj.

See alsokuyal

Rub quickly back and forwards between the hands such as in the use of fire sticks.

• Korroko kundjakkorl birriburdebmi birrinami wurlhmi manbu kunak.

  In the old days, people would rub fire sticks together to start a fire.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Kunbalakbidjirrbonghme

Mould or other rotting substances with a greenish hue.

• Kanudbore buriburi.

  There is a greenish pus discharge [from an infected wound].

Black.

Synonyms-kurduk

• Kukbulerri.

  Black (skinned) person.

See also-bulerriwon

Kunbalakkurlngunj.

1Grub, moth larvae, adult moth; tiny ant sp.

2Boil (infected sore).

GrammarThe semantic connection between the two senses of this word is that the various insects described as ‘burlng’ are believed to bite humans and cause infections such as boils.

Freshwater eels, single gilled eel.

Scientific nameSynbranchus bengalensis, Ophisternon gutturale

• Burlukkurri kayo kore kukku kubak dja kukih.

  Eels live in the water, amongst the water weeds and in the mud.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Praise.

• Kabirriburlume nawu namekbe yawurrinj.

  They praise that boy.

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

Finish, stop.

• Mayh ngarriyakwong, bonj burnbom.

  We completed the ceremony and now it's finished.

• Bonj wanjh, ngurriburnbu wurdwurd. Ngurrikeyo, karrikeyo.

  OK that's it, cut it out kids. Go to sleep, let's all go to sleep.

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

1. Understand, know.

• Daluhdaluk nawu dabborrabbolk kabirriburrbun manbu manrakel mankinjdjek dja karrbarda.

  Older women know [how to distinguish] the foliage of long yams and cheeky yams.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

2Think, think about.

• Med, ngaburrbun.

  Wait, I'm thinking.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

LanguageKunwinjku

Kunbalakmarrngalahme

Fight one another.

• Yawkyawk bokenh beneburrinj.

  Two young girls had a fight.

  (Manakgu, Andrew, ‘Bu Ngurriborlhme Kunwinjku: Learning Kunwinjku’, Kunwinjku Language Centre, Gunbalanya, 1994)

Throw, chuck, throw away, push down.

• Yimburriwemen!

  Chuck it over here to me!

• Bikukburriweng.

  She pushed him down.

Kunbalakwarlhke

Deep part, middle area.

• Kaboburrk.

  The water is deep.

Recognise, understand (literally, 'see the shape' or 'see the main substance' of something).

• Ngad bininj ngarringun manbu badjdjo... ngarrire ngarrirakelnan ngarrirakelburrknan wanjh ngarrikarung.

  We Aboriginal people eat bush radishes... we go and we see the leaves, we recognise the leaves and we dig them up.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

• Ngawernhburrkburrknang manekke English manbu kunwok.

  I really understood English.

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

Kunbalakwalngakurrurdme

1No, nothing.

• Burrkyak, minj korroko ngunnayi, djalbolkkime bu kerrngekkenh duninj ngunkuknan.

  No, she's never seen you before, she’s going to see you in person for the first time now.

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

2It was no use, nothing happened, to no avail.

• Birriyawam birrikayhmeng burrkyak.

  They looked for him and called out, but to no avail.

  (Garnarradj, Elaine, ‘Nakudji Wurdyaw Bengwabom’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre)

LanguageKuninjku,Kune= kayakki

Without purpose or cause, lacking a motivation, with no specific intent.

• Djal burudjang bibom.

  He just hit him for no reason.

1Other, another.

• Birribadbom nabuyika benuk.

  Then they speared another bush turkey.

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

• Kernalk bokenh ngalbu ngalmudbele dja ngalbuyika ngalmudburlerri.

  There are two types of ibis, the one with black feathers and another one with white feathers.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

2Different, different kind.

• Nawu karrkkanj nakka mayhmayh yiman marram dja nungan kukbuyika.

  The brown falcon is a bird like the whistling kite, but it looks a bit different.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKunwinjku

Faded, dim, indistinct, not bright.

• Nakka banikkin melkbuyu.

  The inside of that tin is rusty (not shiny).

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Battery karrowen wanjh muddika kamimbuyumen minj kawernhbolkwolkan.

  When the battery dies, the car's lights become dim and don't light up the surroundings anymore.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

LanguageKunwinjku

In the sun.

• Karrayo.

  It's lying in the sun.

LanguageKuninjku= larrhmikurrme, larrhme

1Feather, feather like crest and tail on the rainbow serpent.

2White egret, a name derived from the bird’s plume.

• Kunngey kakarrme danjbik bu ngarringeybun. Komorlo kabakaba dja dabberrk dja ngaldjalkudji ngalbu mayhmayh.

  It has three names that we call it by. Komorlo, kabakaba and dabberrk, but they all refer to the same bird.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation. )

3Plume of smoke, can be used as a signal e.g. that someone is on their way.

• Bu kabirriwurlhke djarre wanjh kundolng manekke kamarnburren dabberrk.

  If people make a fire a long way away, the smoke forms a plume in the sky.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

LanguageKunwinjku

1Old person, adult, elder, (human) ancestor.

• Manbu karrbarda mandule dja kunborrk bu korroko nakudji nakohbanj dabbolk Nakangila Nabarrbinj marnbom.

  An old Nakangila skin man of the Barrbinj clan made the Long Yam song cycle, a long time ago.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation. )

2Friend.

• Kabenedabbolk.

  They're friends.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

1Elders, adults, old people.

2Ancestors, the 'Old People'. The human ancestors of present-day people, as opposed to mythological Ancestors.

• Korroko dabborrabbolk birringuni nawu dolek.

  In the old days, people [our ancestors] used to eat wood grubs.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

See alsodabbolk

Kunbalakkarrabolko

Grammarreduplication of dabbolk

1Press in on, crowd around.

• ‘Oh barrk bolkki ngarduk kunj ngarrabke’ ngarriyime.

  'Oh I'm going to close in that black wallaroo there, a kangaroo for me' we say.

• Benedjalwam bu kunred djarre benerrabkeng kumekke.

  They kept going to places far away in order to close in on him there.

• Ngalbu makkakkurr ngalka ngalkimuk mayhmayh ngalbu ngalengman kadjalngun djenj... Dabborrabbolk birrirey birridabkeyi kore kurrubbe yiman kayime Mandjaworlbidji wanjh birribuni kundulk birrimangi birrikerribuni wanjh birringuni.

  The pelican is a big bird that eats fish. In the old days, people would herd them into a closed-off area like Mandjaworlbidji (the 'Big Waterfall' at Gunbalanya) and kill them, gather wood and cook them in a ground oven.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

2Meet, meet halfway, come across.

• Nabulanj bimarneyimeng Nakangila "yimray kandabke kore manbolh". Wanjh Nakangila yimeng "Ngamre, dabke kore manbolh nan".

  Nabulanj said to Nakangila "Come and meet me halfway, on the road". And Nakangila said "I'll head over then and meet you there".

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Barrk kare kukku kabongun kore kahboyo, wanjh bininj kare kabidabke kore kukku kaboyo wanjh kabiyame.

  The black wallaby goes to the waterhole to drink, and the man goes and comes across it there and spears it.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Egg, of any animal.

• Dabuno karrabukabun.

  They sit on the eggs.

  (Mick Kubarkku, 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. 48)

LanguageKuninjku, Kune, Kundedjnjenghmi

See also-dabungukdeng

Kunbalakmorrodjornno

King brown snake.

Scientific namePseudechis australis

• Bolkkime karrbennan kalawan dja dadbe kabeneburren wanjh kalawan kakarrme.

  Now when we see a goanna and a brown snake fighting, the goanna will always win.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Kunbalakdarrmayal

Daddubbe spirit, often depicted in paintings with an amputated leg. Said to live in escarpment country and be similar to Mimih spirits, though they are short and stocky, as opposed to Mimih which are tall and very skinny.

• Bininj nawu nakurdang wanjh kabinan nawu Daddubbe bu kabebme kukak kayimerran.

  ‘Clever men’ can see Daddubbe spirits when they come out at night.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Nawu Daddubbe nakka nungan kahyo kore kuwardderurrk yiman kayime mimih bu kabirriyo kore kuwardderurrk.

  The Daddubbe spirit lives in caves, just like Mimih spirits which also live in caves.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Mimih nangarradjku, Daddubbe namardku.

  The mimih spirits are of nangarradjku moiety but Daddubbe is namardku moiety.

1Cut, slice.

• Kabindibukkan bu mako kabirridadjke kabirrimarnbun.

  They show them how to cut (trees for) didjeridus and how to make them.

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

2Divide, draw a dividing line.

3Cut off, interrupt.

• Diledadjkerren.

  Abruptly interrupt urination.

LanguageKunwinjku

See alsodadjme

Kunbalakdilhke

1Be cut.

2Cease, stop.

• Mandjewk karradjme wanjh karrimang.

  When it stops raining we can get it.

Give.

Synonymswon

• Kandadju kundad dja ngamarrwedoweng.

  Give me a (turtle) leg, I'm starving.

  (Manakgu, Andrew, ‘Bu Ngurriborlhme Kunwinjku: Learning Kunwinjku’, Kunwinjku Language Centre, Gunbalanya, 1994)

Be inside or within the boundary of something, e.g. a container. Sit, sleep or lie on or in something e.g. a mat, blanket, canoe or car.

• Baladjdji nang kahdarlkan manbu manme dahkedahkendi mankinjdjek, wanjh yimeng, "Ngurrimray, ngurrinan... Minj mak njale karrahkendi. Manme manu yakminj".

  He saw the dillybag, which had been filled with cheeky yams, floating in the water, and said "Come and have a look... There's nothing in there, the food is gone".

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997, p. 190)

• "Nahni marebu ngunedahkendi." "Kek", beneyimeng, wanjh benemey benehdahkendi.

  "That mat is for you two to sit on." "Really?" they said, and they took it and sat on it.

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

Place into a container.

• Yiborrahkendo!

  Fill up the water (container).

Kunbalakdahkenlorlme

Block an action, refuse permission, stop someone from doing something.

• Yimarnek kamrayinj la Ngarridj birrahmeng.

  She was going to come but Ngarridj wouldn't let her.

Place out in the sun.

• Kabirridakurrme kore kurrungbang kadayo kabukmen.

  They put it out in the hot sun, it lies there in the sun and it dries out.

  (Andrew Manakgu Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKuninjku= larrhmikurrme

Dingo. Literally dalk-ken, 'from the grass'.

Scientific nameCanis lupus dingo

• Ngahli daluk Ngalyangdoh dja dalkken ngalengarre benewam benehwarlbuni kukak.

  That woman Ngalyangdoh and her dingo went off hunting at night.

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

1Woman.

• Daluk bokenh benewam ngalmangiyi kore kabbal.

  Two women went looking for long-necked turtles on the floodplain.

  (Nabobbob, Rose, ‘Kunbidkudji Kunwok’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, Gunbalanya)

2Wife.

• Daluk kakarrme.

  He's married (he has a wife).

3Female.

• Merlbbe daluk ngalkka nabininjkobeng ngalengarre warradjangkal.

  Merlbbe is the female agile wallaby, and her mate is the male agile wallaby, warradjangkal.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

See alsodaluhdaluk

Kunbalak1.kardukardu 2. ngaldjubdjubken

A glowing water plant or other mystical light phenomenon that appears in water bodies and is associated with the Mardayin ceremony.

• JM: Njamed dangarrk. Yoh, ka-yo, yiman dayno. KL:Yoh, dangarrk ka-ngerrhmirri, Mardayin. Ka-rung kandji.

  JM: They are whatsit, dangarrk. Yes, they are like round [shapes]. KL: Yes, the dangarrk give off light and are Mardayin [sacred]. They burn under [the water].

  (John Mawurndjul and Kay Lindjuwanga from Maningrida Arts and Culture bark painting documentation, June 1994. Recorded by Murray Garde and on file ‘Mawurndjul Texts’.)

1Close a door, window or opening, shut one's mouth.

• Yirrangbalhmen!

  Close the door!

• Yirrangbalhmerrimen!

  Close your mouth!

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

2Lock someone in, shut someone in.

• Kumunun wanjh ngandidangbalhmi.

  At night they used to lock us in.

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

1Stand, reach a standing position, come to a standstill.

• Beneburriweyi madjawarr durndengi djabdangeni kore benedanginj.

  The two of them were throwing spears, but the spears were bouncing back and coming to stand upright in the ground where the two of them were standing.

  (From Evans 2003:379, (9.115))

• Ngarridanginj wanjh ngarrikoluy.

  We stopped and got down (from the truck).

2Come to live in a place.

• Bu korroko ngarranginj, bu mandjewk mandjewk ngadjaldi munguyh.

  I came here to live a long time ago, for many years and I'll stay here always.

  (Margaret from Manmoyi in Gerhalter translation)

3Be siblings.

• Mongerrk benbenenang daluk bokenh. Bedda benedanginj.

  One day, Mongerrk saw two women. They were sisters.

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

4Was born.

Synonyms-dolkan

• Nawamud kumekke kunred danginj wanjh kunuka kaborndokdi.

  Nawamud was born in that place, that’s his birthplace.

  (Jill Nganjmirra )

5Grow, appear, come to be, become. Form of the verb -di ('there is, stand') that implies the process of coming into being, literally 'standing up'.

• Minj karribukkan bu kayahwurd. Kadjalle kadjawurrkdangen bu kabidbun.

  We won’t teach him when he’s too young. When he grows some whiskers, then he can go up to the ceremony ground.

• Ngurringeynamerrimen, wanjh ba membership ngurriyimerran, dja ngurringeydangen kore djurra.

  Sign your names, so you'll become members and your name will appear on the list.

  (Adjumarllarl Aboriginal Corporation community newsletter, 2015)

Grammarthis idiomatic sense being a semantic extention of the verb to stand is also only represented by the past perfective form -danginj

Siblings, brothers, sisters.

• Nganedanginj.

  We are siblings / we are brothers / we are sisters.

• Birridanginj.

  They are all siblings.

• Ngarriwen nawu ngarrimarnbun manbu badjkid nawu ngaye ngarridanginj.

  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)

See alsodangen

Opening, entrance, mouth, lid (of cave, basket, room, didgeridoo etc).

• Dulklorrkkelorrkken nakka yiman nayuhyungkih kabirriyo kore kundulk manlohlorrk kore kurrangmaye kundulk kore Ankung Djang.

  Dulklorrkkelorrkken spirits are like creation Ancestors, they live in hollow trees, where the trees have an opening, in Honey Dreaming country.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Strict, strict person, one who can speak strongly.

Loudmouth, literally ‘mouth-wide’.

Argue, discuss with each other.

• Nanih nawu Djabbo, dja Dird, benedangwerreni, bu dabborrabbolk ngandimarneyolyolmeng.

  Djabbo the Quoll had an argument with Dird the Moon. The old people told us the story.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997, p. 120)

Three.

• Mandengeyi danjbik wam kore Kunnanj.

  Three cars went to Kunnanj.

  (Maralngurra, Dolly, ‘Reader 19’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, 1981.)

• Wurdwurd birridanjbik birriwam djenj.

  Three children went fishing.

  (Peter Carroll AIATSIS collection)

• Birriburdebmi danjbikkah, dja yika kunkarrngbakmeng, wanjh wurlhmi manu kunak.

  They would rub it [the fire stick] back and forth three or four times, and the fire would start.

  (Maralngurra, Dolly, ’Korroko Bu Bininj Birrimarnbuni Kunak’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, Gunbalanya, 1974)

LanguageKunwinjku

GrammarIf referring to people, the prefix 'birri-' is often added to make 'birridanjbik', 'the three of them'.

Kill, spear, especially with a multi-pronged 'fish wire' spear.

• Nawakadj dja Nabulanj benewam djenj benehdanjbuni kubbunj benehkani.

  Nawakadj and Nabulanj went spearing fish with a canoe.

  (Mangiru, Hannah, ‘Nawakadj Dja Nabulanj Benewam Djenj’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre.)

Dry, dried out.

• Nahni kunj kangeyyo ngorlomorroh, kaluk kadi yiman kayime kore kubolkdarleh.

  That kangaroo is called "ngorlomorroh" (Northern nail-tail wallaby), and it lives in dry areas.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Nang kayerrkan kore mandulkdarleh

  He saw there was some [wild honey] in a dead tree

  (Kunwinjku texts collected by Peter Carroll, on file at ASEDA)

Float.

• Baladjdji nang kahdarlkan manbu manme dahkedahkendi mankinjdjek.

  He saw the dillybag, which had been filled with cheeky yams, floating [empty] in the water.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997, p. 190)

Close up, closely.

• Karridarnhnan.

  Let's have a close look at it.

1Close, close up.

• Nawu kinga kumhdjalwam darnkih kore ngalmekbe daluk kore ningihni.

  The crocodile just came right up close to where that woman was sitting.

  (Manakgu, Andrew, ‘Bu Ngurriborlhme Kunwinjku: Learning Kunwinjku’, Kunwinjku Language Centre, Gunbalanya, 1994)

2Soon, nearly, about to.

• Kordbolbok ngarribekkan kawokdi kukak kamulewan mandjewk bu darnkih kadjakdung.

  When we hear frogs at night, it means that it’s going to rain soon.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation.)

1Alive.

• Kunubewu benedarrkid. Kunubewu benedoweng.

  Maybe the two of them are alive. Maybe they're dead.

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

• Nungka karrarrkid.

  He is alive.

2Actual, in person.

• Ngarribokkadjuy nganabbarru wanjh ngarribebmeng kure darrkid ngarrinang.

  We followed the buffalo tracks until we arrived and actually saw it (the buffalo).

Red-collared lorikeet. Affiliated with duwa moiety.

Scientific nameTrichoglossus rubritorquis

• Dedded kunmud kabirrimudmang kabirrikurrme kore djerrh wongkorr mardayin kunmadj.

  People get lorikeet feathers and weave them into sacred dilly bags for the Mardayin ceremony.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation )

Black ant.

• Wanjh kunu Mamik bibayeng deddel.

  And Shorty got bitten by a black ant there.

  (Garlngarr, Victor, ‘Mamik dja nakodjok benekang’ in ‘Kunwinjku Stories’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, Gunbalanya, 1982)

Cut open the guts of a kangaroo during cooking.

• Birridedjbuni birrinjamduhkeyi birribebkeyi mannjam kundurddu kudiw kunbalem dja njalehnjale rowk kore kunj kunjam.

  They would cut open the kangaroo, make an opening in its belly and pull out the stomach, heart, liver, fat and everything else inside.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation )

Begin, be ready to start.

• Ngaleng nalkbom, nalkbom dja dedjdjingmey wayihwayini.

  She cried and cried, then began to sing.

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

Short.

• Ngaldedjdjumbung ngalkka.

  That short woman.

LanguageKuninjku,Kunwinjku

1Naked.

Synonymslahlarrk

2 Without a base, missing its bottom.

• Banikkin dedjlarrk.

  A cup without a bottom, a cup with a big hole in the bottom of it.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

3 Empty, with nothing in the bottom (e.g. of a bag), finished down to the last piece.

• "Kankukwo kunwardde." "Minj ngakarrme kunwardde, dja dedjlahlarrk nawu baladjdji."

  "Give me some money." "I don't have any money, the bag is empty."

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Dedjlarrkminj nawu bakki.

  All the tobacco is gone.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

LanguageKuninjku, Kune, Kunwinjku

Shake or shiver.

• Mamamh ngamngimen dja mandjewk nganhbun ngabonjdjekdoweng ngahdeldelme.

  Grandpa let me come in, I'm getting rained on and I'm freezing and shivering.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation )

White ochre or clay, kaolin, huntite.

• Manih delek ngukmak, kakukbarme duninj.

  This white clay is 'good shit' (of the rainbow serpent), it really is very bright.

Kunbalakkabbarrk

1Contents. Nominal suffix which indicates the idea of contents being held within a container of some kind.

• Kadjalbodelengkurrme kabongerdkendi wanjh.

  The water goes in until it is full.

  (Nadjamerrek, Lofty Bardayal & Garde, Murray (ed.), ‘A Kundedjnjenghmi Wordlist of Eco-zone Terminology’, Northern Land Council Caring for Country Unit, 2007)

2Only, just, nominal suffix 'exclusive involved participant'. Only me, just each other, all by ourselves etc.

• Dalukdeleng beneburrinj?

  Was it only the two women [and not men] who were fighting?

• Wanjh ngadman deleng bu ngarrinahnarren / Minj nangale ngankongibun bu konda kamre, ahwurd, ahwurd.

  We look after ourselves / No one feels sorry for us, no one is staying here, we are sad, we are sad.

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

GrammarFree noun in the form of delengno (with the third person possessor suffix -no only in Kuninjku, Kune and Kundedjnjenghmi dialects) and has the sense of 'contents (of a container)'. In a second sense the word appears as a suffix on core nominals with the sense of 'exclusive involved participant' (see Evans 2003:154). Incorporable in verbs such as delengkan, delengmang, delengkurrme, delengdahkendong

Splash or spill fluid on something.

• Bu kabbal karrire wanjh kunkih karrikihmelme wanjh kandelkke kunkih.

  When we go onto the floodplain and step in the mud, the mud splashes us.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation )

Cause an object to stop or slow down, delay someone, stop someone doing something, hinder someone.

• Kanwohdenghke.

  You're delaying me (i.e. I want to go).

• Bu yiman wurdwurdbubuyika mak kabirridurren, wanjh karrbendenghke o karrbenmarneyime “Yuwn ngurrimarneyidngalkerren”.

  If other kids start arguing with them, we stop them, or we tell them “Don’t go looking for trouble for yourself.”

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

Stop moving (of large objects), be stalled (also figuratively).

Synonymskukdenghme

• 'Parachute' kabebme wanjh kakukdenghme manekke.

  The parachute appears and it (the aircraft) comes to a stop.

• Karridjalkukdenghme munguyh.

  We're stalled, we're not moving forward (no-one is co-operating or taking decisive action).

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

Move something away (or if -mderrehke, movement is towards speaker).

• Yiderrehkemen darnki kodbarre.

  Move it away (and put it) close to the house.

1Move (a short distance).

• Yiderrehmen!

  Move away a bit.

• Yimderrehmen!

  Come closer.

2Move forward, make progress (towards a plan or goal etc), move on, move away.

• Karridubberrong yiman bolkkime karridi, karridubbedoy wanjh. Dja bu bewh wurd karribalderrehme.

  We don’t know which way to go at present, as we are now, we're stuck. We need to make progress.

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

• Yuwn ngurriwernhre kunrayek kore Balanda. Bokenh ngurrirlobmen. Ngad kadberre mak kunwok ngurrikarrmen rerrih, yuwn ngurriwe, la ngurrire kore kunkukbele, burrkyak. Marndi bewh ngurrihderrehme djarreh ngurrikarrebarlanhmang manbu ngad kadberre.

  Don’t dedicate yourself to the Balanda way of doing things. You must run with both. You must also hold on to our own language as well. Don’t discard it and go to the white language, no. If you move too far away (from our traditions), you'll lose the Law, our law.

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

3Make way, make room, move on.

• Bindimarneyimeng, “Ngurriderrehmen ngudda ngurrikukbele ngurriderrehmen wardi bu ngadman bininjwi.”

  They’ve said to them, “Right, you just move on. You white people move on, its our turn" (to get the jobs, etc).

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

Kunbalakderrehbonghme

1Stand.

• Med yirrin!

  Stay there, wait. (lit. you sing. stand imper.)

• Dingihdi.

  He stood there for some time.

2Be present (especially temporarily or in a phase).

• Minj diwirrinj.

  She wasn't there.

• Ngudda bale yihrri?

  Where have you been?

• Yekke kabalemdi [kunj], yekke nakka bonj.

  In yekke season [kangaroos] are fat, certainly in yekke season.

3Be in affinal relationship with someone.

• Bale yiyime kela? Ngunehdi?

  What kinship relationship are you to Kela? Do you call him brother-in-law?

Kunbalakdjarrbelme

A bush potato.

Synonymsmardidjdjad is the duwa name. Didjkala is the yirridjdja name

Scientific nameCartonema spicatum, Cartonema trigonospermum (Altman also records Cartonema parviflorum as didjkala).

Various kinds of rainbow fish and hardyheads e.g. Banded rainbow fish, Mariana's hardyhead. Some speakers also include the spotted blue-eye or the delicate blue-eye.

Scientific nameMelanotaenia trifasciata, Craterocephalus marianae

• Dilebang nakka djenj kilekilelh yiman nadjirrkku dja kukbuyika. Korroko nawu dabborrabbolk birringuni nawu dilebang.

  Rainbow fish are small, like glassfish but different. In the old days, people used to eat them.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Urinate, piss.

Synonymslebun, djorrkoybun

The action of making a dot.

• Djal bimwi yuwurrinj yiman delek bolkki ngahbimbom wolewoleh kunekke ngayimeninj kunkudji dilh dilh dilh.

  There was only (solid figure) images in white ochre like I use today and like I painted before with dots, one by one, dot dot dot.

  (Mick Kubarkku, on file “Transcript of cassette RA93-2” by Murray Garde, 1993.)

Paint or draw dots.

• Yoh dilhdilhmeninj la ngaleng Mardayin birrirarrkwemeninj mankarre nawu nadjamun 'old fashion one'.

  Yes, he used to paint dots but for Mardayin ceremony they used 'rarrk' (cross hatching) which was the old fashioned way.

Dive under water, dive down.

• Bonbon kabirringun djenj nawu kilekilelh yiman marrngunj burd djakolk nawern nawu djenj kare kore kukku kubowinjku. Karrbennan birriwern kore kukku kabirridjuhmiyindi kabirridimhme kanjdji kore kukku kabirriyawan djenj kabirridanjbun kundang bedberre wanjh kabirringun.

  Cormorants eat small freshwater fish, like baby eel-tailed catfish, spangled grunter and purple spotted gudgeon. We see lots of them in the water, diving down under the water to look for fish and spearing them with their beaks and eating them.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Stand or be somewhere for some time, a long time (reduplicated form of ‘di’, to stand or be).

• Wam nang kabenehbokyo, wanjh med dingihdi burrbuhburrbuni.

  He went and saw that their footprints were there, then stood there a while thinking.

  (Mangiru, Hannah, ‘Nabangardi bidbom kuwardde’, in “Kunwinjku Stories”, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, 1982)

Common Australian cicada.

Scientific nameCyclochila australasiae

LanguageKunwinjku

1Moon.

Synonymskarrakbal

• Ngad karrinjilngmak bu dird kabolkwolkan, wanjh karribolknan bu kukak, nungka kayawoyhmimbimen.

  We are happy when the moon lights up the sky, so we can see at night. The moon comes back to life [every night].

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997, p. 120)

• Nanih nawu Djabbo, dja Dird, benedangwerreni, bu dabborrabbolk ngandimarneyolyolmeng.

  Djabbo the Quoll had an argument with Dird the Moon. The old people told us that story.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997, p. 120)

2Month, the lunar cycle.

• Ngamadbom nakudji dird.

  I waited one month.

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

Play.

• Wurdurd beh ngurridirri kandibengbun.

  You kids go and play over there, you're driving me crazy.

1And. Can link both nouns and clauses.

• Ngarrbek dja Ngalmangiyi benemdolkkang kakbibeh.

  The Echidna and the Long-necked Turtle came down from the north.

  (Manakgu, Andrew, ‘Bu Ngurriborlhme Kunwinjku: Learning Kunwinjku’, Kunwinjku Language Centre, Gunbalanya, 1994)

• Ngudda yiyawnahna, dja ngaye ngawarlbun ngarrku.

  You look after the kid, and I’ll go hunting for us.

  (Manakgu, Andrew, ‘Bu Ngurriborlhme Kunwinjku: Learning Kunwinjku’, Kunwinjku Language Centre, Gunbalanya, 1994)

2But.

• Ngalbu ngalkordow ngalka mayh ngadberre bu ngarringun bu korrokoni dja bolkkime larrk.

  The egret is one of the animals we used to eat, but not any more.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

• Ngurrurdu korroko dolkani rey kaddum kaluk bininj benebokenh yimankek beneyameninj dja larrk.

  One day the Emu flew up into the air, two men tried to spear her but without success.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

3Because.

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

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

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

4So; and so.

Northern (spotted) quoll.

Scientific nameDasyurus hallucatus

• Nanih nawu Djabbo, dja Dird, benedangwerreni, bu dabborrabbolk ngandimarneyolyolmeng.

  Djabbo the Quoll had an argument with Dird the Moon. The old people told us that story.

  (Nganjmirra, Nawakadj, ‘Kunwinjku Spirit’, Melbourne University Press, 1997, p. 120)

LanguageKune,Kuninjku,Kunwinjku

Kunbalakyulukyuluk

To stick into the ground, to end up standing upright.

• Wanjh nakudji yimeng njalekenh manbu mankole ngarrburriwe kamdurndeng kadjabdan kore kubodme ngarrku. Wanjh bu benebalwam djarrehwurd benenang ngalbu Ngalyod kahyo wanjh benedurndi kured.

  One of them said “Why does the spear end up landing [sticking into the ground] behind us when we throw it?”. Then when they went a little further they saw that the Rainbow Serpent was there, and they went home.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

1Stand upright, be standing, an elongate object standing on its base.

• Kadjabdi lorrkkon.

  The bone pole is standing upright.

2Travel directly to the destination without stopping, "straight up kare".

Mouth Almighty.

Scientific nameGlossamia aprion

• Nahni djenj djabel korroko nawu dabborrabbolk birringuni yiman nadjirrkku dja bolkkime minj ngarringun.

  People used to eat mouth almighty fish, just like they used to eat glassfish, but these days we don't eat them.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation )

LanguageKuninjku= djenjbarrang

Place an elongate object on its end, place into the ground (such as a pole or a stick).

• Yirrulkdjabnamen wanjh yirrukka midjikked.

  Place some sticks in the ground and tie up your mosquito net.

Generic term for common grasshoppers.

• Djaddedde kangun kunmalaworr. Kubolkwern ngarrbennan.

  Grasshoppers eat leaves. You can see them anywhere.

Green Tree Frog, also generic for all frogs.

Scientific nameLitorea caerulea

• Burarr nang djaddi nayahwurd. Binjolhmeng.

  A goanna saw the small frog. It swallowed him.

  (‘Djaddi na-yahwurd’, Maningrida Literature Production Centre, Maningrida, 1994)

• Mandjewk ka-djakdung djaddi 'noise' kamarnbun 'kodwong-kodwong'.

  In the wet season the frogs make noise 'gotwong-gotwong'.

LanguageKuninjku, Kundjeyhmi, Kune

Ant.

Scientific nameIridomyrmex sanguineus

• Djak nganbayeng.

  An ant bit me.

  (Dakgalawuy, Nancy, ‘Wurdyaw dirrihdirri’ in ‘Kunwinjku Stories’, Oenpelli Literature Production Centre, Gunbalanya, 1982)

• 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.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Black-necked stork, also known as the jabiru. Associated with the yirridjdja moiety.

Scientific nameEphippiorhynchus asiaticus

• Korroko dabborrabbolk birrirey kore kudjorlok manlabbarl birrinani djakarna kangun djenj wanjh birridanjbuni djalakiradj.

  In the old days, people would go down to the billabongs and see jabirus eating fish, and they would spear them with multi-pronged spears.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

LanguageKunwinjku

Kunbalakdjanarra

Fall (rain).

• Bu kudjewk kayimerran mandjewk nakimuk kadjakdung.

  When the wet season starts, heavy rains fall.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

Younger brother (address and referent), YB.

1Only, just. Exclusively one thing and not another.

• Minj ngad karrinan nawu Nakurrurndilhba birridjalkudji kabirrinan nawu marrkidjbu nawu birrikurdang.

  We can’t see Nakurrurndilhba spirits, only clever men with special powers can see them.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation. )

2That's all, exactly, just. Adverb which indicates the extent of something.

• Bedman mak morlehmorlenj djal kunmekbe rerrih, mankarre bokenh bu kabirrikadjung laik- mahni bu kunkukbelekenh, mahni kunkukburlerrikenh.

  It's just the same for the women - there are two laws they have to follow: one black, one white.

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

• Nja, ten dollar djal bonj, wardi kanmarneyakwon.

  Here you are, here's ten dollars and that's it, or you'll clean me out.

  (Evans, Nicholas (ed.), How to write Kundjeyhmi, prepared for the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Gagudju Association.)

3Keep on doing something, just keep doing something etc. Adverb of duration which indicates that an action or situation is continuing or repeating for some time.

• Yidjalbun.

  Keep hitting it.

• Djal munguyh kabenedjarrkdi.

  They just stay together permanently [as a couple].

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

4Just, anyway. Do something for no specific reason, purpose or intent, do something despite reasons not to, do something freely without restrictions or limitations.

• Ngamdjalbom.

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

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

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Wanjh nunganwali wurdyaw kamayhmakmen - kadjalre nawu kambun mayh. Kaluk minj bidlarrk kamdurndeng.

  The child in turn will become a good hunter, he just goes and gets an animal, and he never comes back empty handed.

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

GrammarPrefix on verbs, noun-adjective compounds, adjectives, numerals and locations. When it restricts nouns, it is a separate word rather than a prefix. Despite being a complex word, the semantic range of 'djal' is very similar to 'just' in English, so speakers of either language should find the translation fairly intuitive. It can mean 'only' (just the women and not the men), 'exactly' (that's just the thing, just ten and no more). 'keep on doing, continuously' (he just stayed there), 'for no particular reason' (I just decided to come along') or 'despite reasons to the contrary' etc ('I just did it anyway').

Multi-pronged spear, similar to 'fish wire' spear except the points are made from hardwood.

• Danjbom djalaban.

  He speared it with a 'djalaban' type spear.

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

'Fish wire' spear, wire. Spear with three or four sharpened metal prongs at the end, used for fishing or hunting smaller animals such as aquatic birds. A similar spear with barbed wooden prongs is known as mandanj and is considered to be the more traditional prototype for djalakiradj.

• Bolkkime nawu djalakiradj karrimarnbun nawu balanda marnbom wire. Karridjobke karrimarnbun dad danjbik kunubewu kunkarrngbakmeng nawu wire dad. Karrimang mankole wanjh karridadname nawu dad djalakkiradj.

  These days we make fishing spears out of wire, a non-indigenous material. We cut it and make three or four prongs, then we cut spear shafts and fasten the prongs onto them.

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation. )

EtymologyEvans writes that this comes from Malay "tali kəras" meaning "taut line". "This would presumably refer to the way in which the string holding the prongs in place must be pulled taut". Yolngu Matha = djalakaritj 'spear with long thin steel prongs, used for fishing'

See alsomandanj

1Tree orchid. The juice from the base of the plant was used as a fixative for ochre pigments on bark, stone or body decoration.

Scientific nameDendrobium dicuphum

• Korroko nawu dabborrabbolk birribimbuni kore dolobbo wanjh birrirey birriyawani djalamardi. Wanjh birrimangi birrikani kured, birridongi yika birribayeyi birrikerlkwoni. Wanjh birribarungi nawu dolobbo birribimbuni njale.

  In the old days, when people wanted to paint on bark, they would go looking for tree orchids. They would get them, take them home and pund them up, or chew them to make them soft. Then they would paint something on the bark (using the orchid as fixative).

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation. )

2A plant with edible tuber but leaves similar to the orchid.

Kunbalaknone

Dragonfly.

• Nawu djalangkarridj-djalangkarridj bu kabirrinan nawu dabborrabbolk wanjh kabirriyime bonj wanjh djenj kamulewan.

  When people see dragonflies, they say that means there are fish (ready to be caught).

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation. )

LanguageKunwinjku

Centipede.

• Djalarr djang bedberre birri-Madjba.

  The centipede is a dreaming for Madjba (Jawoyn) clan people.

LanguageKundedjnjenghmi, Kunwinjku

Keep doing action, keep going.

• Yidjalay.

  Keep going further.

• Nawu Nawamud bimarneyimeng Nangarridj mah ngudda wanjh yidjalay kurih kakbi.

  Nawamud said to Nangarridj "OK, you just keep on going north then".

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Mah yidjalay munguyh yidjalmarnbu.

  OK just keep on doing it.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Grammarfrom imperative form of djal+re > djal+ray

Keep going, keep doing something.

• Yidjalay.

  Keep going further.

• Bu bininj kabirriwohre kunbarnangarrakuyeng yiman malamalaywi kabirridedjdjingmang kabirridjale kadungborledme bu kabaldungyibme.

  When people walk around all day, for example they might start in the morning and keep on going until the afternoon and the sun starts to go down.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Nawu bininj kabiwabun nabuyika bininj wanjh kadjalkukyakmen minj nangale kabingalke. Kunekke birrikurduyimi korroko nawu dabborabbolk bu bindiwabuni namarndekah wanjh birridjalkukyakmeni minj mak birridurndeyi kore kured dja wanjh birridjaley kore kuwardderurrk munguyhmunguyh.

  When a man curses another man, the other man just disappears, nobody can find him anymore. That's what people used to do in the old days, they would sing people over to the evil spirits, and they would just disappear and not come back home, they would just go on into a cave and stay there forever.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

GrammarAn abbreviation of 'djal'+'re’. Conjugated like 're', e.g. kadjale (he/she keeps going), yidjalay (keep going!), birridjaley (they would keep going), ngadjalwam (I kept going).

Cut into pieces, slice in half.

• Wanjh nawu ngalmangiyi dja kedjebe nakka benewilkdi wanjh benehni benehmadbuni wanjh bu djolengminj wanjh benewayhkeng benedjalkmey benenguneng wanjh beneworrkminj.

  Then they cooked the long-necked turtles and file snakes in the ground oven, sat and waited a while, and when they were done they lifted them out, cut them up, ate them and were full.

  (Garnarradj, Elaine N, ‘Ngalbadjan dja Ngalyaw’, Oenpelli Literacy Centre, Oenpelli, 1975)

1Just do some little thing, just do something temporarily, for the time being, only, nothing more.

• Ngabendjalwohkan wurdurd.

  I'll take the children for the time being [until you return].

• Manmekbe ngadjalwohyolyolmeng bonj, la ngaburnbun.

  That's all I had to say, I'll stop now.

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

2For no purpose, to no result.

• Karridjalohwamwi karrikowerrinj.

  We just went there for nothing, we were under an incorrect belief (that something could be obtained there).

Grammardjal+woh

Trousers.

• Yidjongburren djalawarra!

  Put on those trousers!

Etymologyfrom Makassarese saluwara 'trousers’

Tamarind tree and fruit.

EtymologyFrom Makassarese camba.

Hit something against something else, lift and throw OBJ down with force.

• Ngalbininjkobeng nabininjkobeng benewam kalawan benehyawani wanjh benengalkeng nawu kalawan. Ngalbininjkobeng yimeng "Mah yima yidjambarrhmang".

  A husband and wife went looking for goannas, and they found one. The wife said "Okay, grab it (by the tail) and smash it against something" [this is the usual way to kill a goanna].

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Ngandjambarrhdjambarrhmang muddikang.

  The truck is throwing me around.

Police.

Sacred, restricted, secret, set apart.

• Nadjamun minj karriyolyolme.

  That's secret/sacred, we don't talk about that.

Kunbalaknjeknjek

Not sweet, bland, flavorless.

• Manme manbu mandjan.

  Bland food, food that's not very sweet.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

• Manbu manbodjan ngarriyime makka minj kakarrme nawu mankung namanjmak. Nawu mankung ngarriyime minj manbomanjmak. Dja manbodjan.

  We can describe honey that's not very good as 'manbodjan' ('liquid that's not sweet'). It's not good honey, it's a bit flavorless.

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

Yellow spotted monitor which is a goanna similar in size (up to 1 metre) to kalawan Varanus gouldii but with different colour and skin patterning.

Scientific nameVaranus panoptes

Bludge off other people, e.g. hang around waiting for offers of food, asking for money or cigarattes.

• Nguddu yidjandi ngadberre!

  You’re bludging off us!

  (Jill Nganjmirra)

1Sunday.

2Week.

Etymologyfrom English 'Sunday'.

1Place of religious significance where the spiritual essence of a totemic being, plant, animal or other emblem resides in a particular location.

• Nawu Manimunak wirlarrk djang kahdjangdi kore kaddum kuwarde Arrkuluk.

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

  (Andrew Manakgu, Injalak Arts painting documentation)

2Totemic emblem, 'dreaming'.

• Djalarr djang bedberre birri-Madjba.

  The djalarr centipede is a dreaming for Madjba (Jawoyn) clan people.

LanguageKunwinjku, Kuninjku, Kundjeyhmi

Have a sacred site or totemic emblem.

• Durlmangkarr konda kadjangdi Kudjaborrng. Barrk kumekke djang kayo. O njamed nawaran.

  The Durlmangkarr clan have a dreaming place here at Kudjaborrng. There is a black wallaroo dreaming or whatsit, an Oenpelli python dreaming there.