Page 1-2:
Mayalthay waluy, yothu wakir'yunalil djälthin ga waŋanany ŋayi Bäpa'mirriŋuny maranydjalkku.
It was the wet season, the child wanted to go hunting and he asked his father for stingray.
Page 3-4:
Ŋayi Bäpa'mirriŋuydja lakaraŋal bitjarr, "Gäthu, djuḻkthunawuynha walu dhuwal Dhuluḏur' ga galkurra wärrkarrwu wurrkiw'nha."
His father told him, "Son, the season of Dhuluḏur' has already passed, wait for the spider lily flower."
Page 5-6:
Bala yothu marrtjin ga waŋany Märi'mumirriŋuny mäṉaw'nha.
Then the child went and asked his grandfather (paternal) for shark.
Page 7-8:
Ŋayi Märi'mumirriŋuydja lakaraŋal bitjarr, "Marratja, djuḻkthunawuynha Rarranhdharrnydja dhuwal walu mäṉa'mirrnydja ga galkurr dharraŋgulkku wurrkiw'nha."
His grandfather told him, "Grandson, the hot dry season is the time for shark and it has already passed, wait for the red-flowering kurrajong flower."
Page 9-10:
Bala yothu marrtjin ga waŋany Ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuny miyapunuw mapuw'.
Then the child went and asked his mother for turtle eggs.
Page 11-12:
Ŋayi Ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuydja lakaraŋal bitjarr, "Dhuwana bala marrtjin ga Miḏawarrnydja walu." Ŋunhi nhe boŋguŋ nhäŋu rowu wurrki' ga ŋunhiyin miyapunuw mapuw' ga bawalamirriwnha ŋarirriw' ga maypalwu, ŋatha ŋamakuli'ŋumirra.
His mother told him, "The end of the wet season is coming. Later, if you see the goat's foot creeper flower, that will be the time for turtle eggs, lots of fish and shellfish, it's time for harvest."
Page 13-14:
Bala yothu marrtjin ga waŋany Yapa'mirriŋuny wäkuṉgu ŋarirriw'.
Then the child went and asked his sister for mullet.
Page 15-16:
"Yo, dhuwana bala marrtjin ga Guṉmulnha walu. Ŋunhi nhäŋun nhe boŋguŋ wäkwaknha wurrkiny'."
"Yes, the mid wet season is coming. Later you will see water lily flowers."
Page 17-18:
Bala yothu marrtjin ga waŋany Ŋathi'mirriŋuny ratjukku. Ŋathi'mirriŋuy lakaraŋal bitjarra, "Dhuwandja walu ratjukmirra ga garkuyimirra bili bärray'nha dhuwal ga wurrkiny' nhäŋu gäŋa."
Then the child went and asked his grandfather (maternal) for barramundi. Grandfather told him, "This is the time for barramundi and small mullet because it is the time of the West wind and you will see the wild passionfruit flower."
Page 19-20:
"Go, ŋali marrtjin yothu ŋarirri'lila ratjukku ga garkuyiwnha!"
"Come child, let's go for barramundi and small mullet!"
Page 1
Nhä ŋuli ga wärrkarryu wurrkiy' maŋutji-lakaram?
What does the Swamp Lily flower tell us?
Page 3
Maranydjalkmirra walu!
It is time for stingray!
Page 5
Nhä ŋuli ga ḻämbarryu wurrkiy' maŋutji-lakaram?
What do the Starflowers tell us?
Page 7
Ṉamuramirra walu!
It is time for oysters!
Page 9
Nhä ŋuli ga yawunydhu wurrkiy' maŋutji-lakaram?
What does the Fern-leaved Grevillea flower tell us?
Page 11
Gukumirra walu!
It is time for honey!
Page 13
Nhä ŋuli ga dharraŋgulkthu wurrkiy' maŋutji-lakaram?
What does the Red Flowering Kurrajong flower tell us?
Page 15
Burruwumirra walu!
It is time for young sharks!
Page 17
Nhä ŋuli ga gaḏaykaydja wurrkiy' maŋutji-lakaram?
What does the Darwin Stringybark flower tell us?
Page 19
Miyapunumirra walu!
It is time for turtle!
Page 2:
Nhä nhanŋu ŋunhi ḏilminyinguny walu?
Wanha ŋayiny miḏawarrnydja? Dhuwal bala marrtji ga.
Yow. Dhuwana limurruŋguwuynydja gam' ŋarra dhu lakaraman.
Ḏilminyin, yurr waluny nhanŋu dhiyakuny borumdhinyarawnydja borumguny ŋayi dhu miḏawarr gäḻaŋuy yan.
Page 4:
Dhuwandja limurruŋ borum Warramiriw bäpurruw, ḏilminyin, wäwuru, baḻkpaḻk wuŋapu
ga mulkmulk. Dhuwal mala ŋayi manymaktja.
Ga ŋayi waŋgany ŋatha baḻkpaḻktja gurinydhirra ŋayi dhu, bala retthirra ga bominyan ŋayi ŋuli molthirra ŋayi dhu.
Ga manymak dhuwal mala limurruŋ ŋathany ga borumdja, yurr dhuwal ŋunhi waŋganyŋur walal dhuwal borumdja mala.
Page 6:
Ga waŋganydja ŋayi ŋatha limurr dhu bathan dhaŋalkkum gurtha, yow. Ga waŋganydja ŋatha ŋayi ga gänaŋ'thuna dhiyakal ŋathawal ga borumgal.
Dhuwandja mala ŋatha manymaknha bawalamirra ŋanhany dhu dhuwananhany mala borumnha goŋdhu ŋayatham ga ḻuka bawalamirr birrka'mirra.
Ga dhuwandja waŋganydja ŋatha yaka dhu ŋayatham ḏikuny. Ga bathana yan dhu yaka nhanŋu dhu ga gumurr nhinany dhiyak ŋathawnydja.
Page 8:
Ŋunhi dhu dhaŋalkkumany gurthany, ga bathandja ganan yurr yarrkthurra, ga nhina yaka barrku.
Bay ŋayipi dhu ga nhära ŋawulul' dhika nhä marrtji ṉoluŋdhirr gänan, ga bay ŋayi dhu räwakthirr rerriwulthirr warrpam, ga bay ŋayi dhu bulŋuyukthirr.
Page 10:
Bala yolŋuny dhu marrtjin galkithirra, bala yaw'yuna munathany, bala dhulkuman ŋanhany ga bilin. Ga bay dhu munatha yal'yun warrpam.
Page 12:
Bala warrkthuna bala ḻukan guḻ'yuna marrtji. Balanya ŋayi rumbaldja nhakun gatjinat.
Ga waŋgany ŋarra moŋal, wiripuny ŋatjaŋaḏal. Dhuwandja ŋatjaŋaḏaldja yäku ŋatha nyumukuṉiny'. Ŋunha Yirriŋan ga ŋorra. Ga milwiṉiny dhuwal ŋatha, dhuwandja waṉa dharrwa. Nhanŋu dhiyakuny ŋatjaŋaḏalwuny, märi'mirriŋuny ŋayi dhuwal milwiṉinydja.
English Translation
What's the time for redberries?
Which direction is the wind coming from, East-South-East?
Yes, it's on its way. Ok, this is it, I'm going to tell you about redberries.
The time for redberries to ripen is Miḏawarr, around about the time the ESE wind blows.
The redberries, the roundberries, the treenuts, the blackberries and mulkmulk all belong to the people of the Warramiri clan. These fruits all taste good. The treenut becomes green, after that it becomes red and then it becomes black, and we call it bominya. These are all our fruits and our nuts and food.
And with the other one, the wild cashew, we don't touch the orange part. We make a fire and cook the nut. This food, the nut is different from the other fruits and nuts. These other foods and nuts are better, and good for us to eat anytime. But this one food or nut, we can't touch it when it is raw (i.e. uncooked). We have to sit close by and wait for it to be cooked.
When the fire is lit and while the nuts are being cooked, we have to move away from the fire and sit at a distance until the nuts are cooked, the smoke is gone, the fire has burned down and the nuts are all dried and cool.
Then we can move closer to the fire, dig a hole in the sand, put the nuts in then cover them with sand and wait till the sand has cooled down. Then we take the nuts out and eat them. The nuts look like cashew nuts.
And I forgot to mention the other root called ŋatjaŋaḏal. These roots are very small. They are found at Yirriŋa. Another name for this food is milwiṉi. It has lots of small off-shoots.
This milwiṉi is the grandmother of the ŋatjaŋaḏal.
Page 1:
Dhuwandja dhäwu ḏuttji'wuy. Ŋunhi ŋuli ŋanapurruŋ gurthany bäyŋuthirr, bala napurr ŋuli ḏuttjin' djäma. Dharrwa dharpa mala ḏuttjiny' dhuwal.
This story is about making fire with firesticks. We do this when there is no fire or matches. There are many trees suitable for making firesticks.
Page 2:
Waŋganydja muka dharpa ḏuttji', ga wiripuny malwan.
Napurrnydja dhu lakaram waŋgany dharpa malwanbuy.
One tree is called ḏuttji' (Premna Obtusifolia), and the other is malwan (Native Hibiscus). The one we have used here is Native Hibiscus.
Page 4:
Ŋurruŋuny napurr ŋuli marrtji mayaŋgurr wo bam'palakurr, bala yurrnha nhäma dharpa malwandja.
Beŋuryiny ḏaw'maram goŋdhuny, bala yikiynha djäma wiriny'tjuna buyuwuyukuman. Dharpany dhuwal märrma', ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋu ga yothu. Ga dhuwandja ŋayi ga djäma yothu, ŋunhi ŋuli napurr ḏuttji'yun dhiyaŋ dharpay.
First, we look around a creek or coastal sand dune until we see a yellow hibiscus tree. We break off straight dead sticks by hand, and then scrape them with a knife to make them smooth. We use two sticks to make fire – a child stick and a mother stick. (This is because when the sticks are being used, they are likened to a baby sucking from the breast of the mother). Here the man (Andrew Galitju) is shaving the child stick smooth with a knife, because this is the stick that is twirled by rubbing between the hands.
Page 6:
Dhuwandja wuŋiḻi', ŋayi ga nhirrpan nyumukuṉiny' yothu, ga dhiyaŋun ŋuli wiripunhany nhäranhamaram.
In this photo he is driving a smaller sharpened stick into the child stick. This sharpened piece is broken off leaving its point inside the end of the child stick which is in contact with the mother stick during fire making, and from which the heat is derived.
Page 8:
Ŋurruŋuny ŋayi ga dhuwal wiriny'tjun ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuny, waŋgany gali' yan.
The mother stick is then shaved flat, but only on one side.
Page 10:
Bala dhulu'wilaman yikiynha yothuwnha nhirrpanharaw.
Then the mother firestick is hollowed out with a knife so that the end of the child firestick will fit into it.
Page 12:
Mitthuna ga dhuwandja ŋarŋgany märr ŋayi dhu yalalany yupthun guḻa' gurtha man'pililila.
A little hole is cut at the side so that the smouldering sawdust will be able to fall out and collect on some bark.
Page 14:
Dhuwandja ŋayi ga yarrar'maram ḏäl man'pili, bala ŋayi dhu yalŋgikuman märr ŋayi dhu rulwaŋdhun guḻa ḏuttji'yunawuy gurtha, märr ŋayi dhu bondin nhärany.
Here he is stripping off some outer bark from a stringybark tree. He will soften this and break it up by rubbing it between his hands. Later he will place in it the smouldering product of his firesticks, whereupon the stringybark will act like tinder and catch alight.
Page 16:
Ga dhuwana ŋayi yalŋgikunhawuynydja man'pili. Wiripuny dhu märram räwak mulmu märr dhu bitjan bili nhära bondi.
Here is the softened stringybark. Alternatively dry grass can be used in the same way.
Page 18:
Dhuwandja ŋayi ḏuttji'yun yothuy dharpay, ga ḻukuynydja ŋayi ga dhurrparam ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuny dharpany.
Here he is twirling the child firestick, whilst firmly holding the mother firestick in place with his feet (sometimes a few grains of sand are put inside the hollow of the mother firestick to help).
Page 20:
Ḏuttji'yun ŋäthil ŋuli ŋurruŋuny ga bäy ŋuli ŋayi ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋu gorrmur'yirra bala guḻany' ŋuli larryun man'pililila bala nhäran.
The firesticks are worked together until the mother firestick gets hot and an amount of smouldering ash falls out and collects on a strip of bark.
Page 22:
Nhäranhawuynydja ŋuli rulwaŋdhun yalŋgilila man'pililila mam'maram gurtha.
This smouldering pile is carefully placed in the ball of softened bark.
Page 24:
Bala boy'yuna gaŋga yan. Ga wataynha guŋga'yun mirithirrnydja. Ga beŋuryiny ŋuli ŋäṉarrnha djäma yindin gurtha.
Then he blows into it, only softly. Wind can also do the trick, (by holding up the ball of bark to the breeze or waving it slowly). In this way a flame grows and the bark catches alight.
Page 26:
Bala beŋuryiny rulwaŋdhun yindilil gurthalil.
Bala yurrnha ŋuli batha'-bathandja ŋarirriny', maypalnydja wo wäyindja mala dhiyaŋ ḏuttji'wuyyu gurthay.
This is then used to light a big fire on which we can cook fish, shellfish or meat.
(This translation is based on the Djambarrpuyŋu text but includes some extra notes in italics from observation of the process itself)
Page 2
Yothuy ŋäthin ŋäṉḏiny ga bäpany, rirrikthurr ŋayi buthuru ga rathalay.
A little boy cried out to his mother and father. His ears hurt, and he had a headache.
Page 4
Bala ŋayi ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuny marrtjin raŋilila manhdhapiḏiwnha.
His mother walked to the beach to collect manhdhapiḏi, a type of sea slug.
Page 6
Ŋayiny yothuny ga bäpa'mirriŋuny marrtjin ḻarruŋal baḏarrwu man'tjarrwu.
Meanwhile, the little boy and his father walked off in search of baḏarr, the paperbark tree, to collect its leaves.
Page 8
Yurr dhukarrdja maṉḏa märraŋal wäkwakmirrilil. Ga ŋayiny yothuydja nhäŋal man'tjarrnha bala waŋanan bitjarr, "Bäpa, nhä dhuwandja man'tjarr?".
The two of them took the path that passed by the wäkwakmirr, the billabong. The little boy saw some leaves and asked his father, "Dad, what are these leaves?".
Page 11
Ga ŋayi bäpa'mirriŋuydja lakaraŋal bitjarr, "Burukpili dhuwandja man'tjarr, ŋalparr'wu".
His father told him, "These are the leaves of burukpili, cheese-fruit, you can use them when you have a cough".
Page 12
Bala maṉḏa marrtjinan raŋilila ga ŋayiny yothuydja nhäŋal man'tjarrnha bala waŋanan bitjarr, "Bäpa, nhä dhuwandja man'tjarr?".
Then they walked to the raŋi, the beach. The little boy saw some leaves and asked his father, "Dad, what are these leaves?".
Page 15
Ga ŋayi bäpa'mirriŋuydja lakaraŋal bitjarr, "Malwan dhuwandja man'tjarr, mäpaṉgu".
His father told him, "These are the leaves of malwan, anative hibiscus, you can use them when you have a boil".
Page 16
Yarrupnha maṉḏa raŋi-ŋupara marrtjin, bala ŋayiny yothuydja nhäŋal man'tjarrnha ŋayi marrtjin raŋi-ŋupar ŋorran bala ŋayi yothuydja waŋanan bitjarr, "Bäpa, nhä dhuwandja man'tjarr?".
They then climbed down the sand dunes and walked along the beach. The little boy saw some leaves and asked his father, "Dad, what are these leaves?".
Page 19
Ga ŋayi bäpa'mirriŋuydja lakaraŋal bitjarr, "Rowu dhuwandja man'tjarr, djetjiw".
His father told him, "These are the leaves of rowu, the goat's foot creeper, you can use them when you have a scratch or a cut".
Page 20
Dhä-ŋur beŋuryiny maṉḏa nhäŋala djurryurr'nha gapu, waṉḏin gan. Bala yan maṉḏa dhunupan marrtjinany balayin dharpalil, ŋunhi wanha gan baḏarr dharpa dhärran.
Finally, they saw a rainwater stream. It led them straight to the bush where baḏarr, the paperbark trees, stood.
Page 22
Nhäŋal maṉḏa man'tjarrdja, bala ŋayiny bäpa'mirriŋuydja lakaraŋal yothuwal bitjarr gam', "Gäthu, dhuwana baḏarrdja dharpa ga man'tjarr".
They saw the leaves, and the father told the little boy, "Son, this is baḏarr, and these are its leaves".
Page 25
Bala maṉḏa marrtjin gulkthurra man'tjarrdja, bala yan roŋiyinan wäŋalila.
They picked the leaves and headed home.
Page 27
Gäman maṉḏa marrtjin baḏarrdja man'tjarr muḻkurryu wäŋalildja. Gurthany gan ŋawyurra ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuy dhaŋalkkuŋal, ga gurthaŋurdja gan nhäran manhdhapiḏi.
They carried the leaves home on their heads. While they had been away, the little boy's mother had prepared gurtha, a fire. The manhdhapiḏi were already on the fire when they arrived home.
Page 29
Bäpa'mirriŋuydja ga yothuydja dhunupan yan gapun ḏiṯthurr rupa'lila, bala dhunupan yan buŋbuŋmaraŋala baḏarrdja man'tjarr gurthalila.
The little boy and his father scooped some water into a billy and put it straight onto the fire, to boil the baḏarr leaves they had collected.
Page 30
Dhawaṯmaraŋal maṉḏa gurthaŋurdja baḏarr rupa'mirr ga manhdhapiḏi, bala ŋulwitjkuŋala. Ga bäy ŋayi-i-i-i yal'yurr banikin baḏarrmirr, bala yothunhan maṉḏa ŋäṉḏiy ga bäpay lupmaraŋala ŋuruŋiyiny baḏarryu.
The manhdhapiḏi and baḏarr were taken off the fire and left to cool. The billy full of baḏarr medicine slowly cooled down, then the mother and father washed their little boy with it.
Page 33
Dhä-ŋur beŋuryiny ḻupmaranhaŋur yothuwal, maṉḏa ŋäṉḏiy ga bäpay rarryurr weka manhdhapiḏi buthurulila yothuwal.
After the little boy's mother and father had washed him, they dripped the liquid from the manhdhapiḏi into his ear.
Page 34
Bala ŋayi yothuny ḻayyurra, bala rälin ŋayi gan waṉḏi-waṉḏinany walŋathinan rerriŋurdja. Ga yakurrtja walalaŋ latjuny dhika bunan.
The little boy felt better, his earache and headache were starting to go away. The family all had a good rest that night.
Page 36
Ga wiripun walu djaḏaw'yurr, ŋayi yothuny gan buḻ'yurra bawalamirrikurra, bili walal warrpam'nha nhinanany gan ŋayaŋu-djulŋithinan.
The next morning, the little boy played excitedly, and the whole family felt happy again.
Mapuḏumun
Red Cement tree (Terminalia Carpentaria)
Muthir'
Sandpaper Fig Tree (Ficus Opposita)
Wuḏuku
Drift wood (Camptostemen Schultzi)
Ŋathi gan ŋorran gäthur waluŋur.
Ga ŋama' marrtjin ŋaraliw'bala ŋathiwal, bala ŋayi bumar ŋarali',
bala marrtjin wäŋaŋur, bala räkaylil.
Ga ŋayi räkay bumar ŋamay',
bala ŋayi marrtjin räli wäŋalil, ŋathiw räkay marrtjin gäŋal.
Wäwa marrtjin bala wäŋalil. Ŋayi bathi ŋamaw' gäŋal.
Ŋama' marrtjin gäŋaw.
Ŋayi bumar gäŋa bathilil,
bala ŋayi gäŋal ŋathiw raŋilil.
Dhuwandja biḻpiḻŋaniŋdja mirritjin milŋiny'puy yan, yurr yumurrkuw balanyaraw gaḻ'yunamirriw nhinanhamirriw ga dhärra'-dhärranhamirriw djamarrkuḻiw'. Yaka dhuwal mirritjin ŋaḻapaḻmirriwnydja.
Ŋurruŋuny napurr ŋuli marrtji ḏiltjilil ga ḻarrumany napurr ŋuli dharpaw yäkuw biḻpiḻŋaniŋgu. Ga balanya nhanŋu man'tjarrnydja.
Ŋunhi napurr maḻŋ'maramany bala ŋayiny Djuluŋaynydja gulkthuna.
Gulkthundja ŋunhi ŋuli ga balanyan ŋunhi watharrnha wiriny'tjundja ŋuli ŋanya.
Ŋurruŋuny napurr ŋuli marrtj bala ḏiltjilil, bala napurr nhäman rarralan. Bala ŋayi Djuluŋaynydja märraman.
Märramany ŋayi rarralany bala ŋayi ga wiriny'tjuna. Bala ŋayi rulwaŋdhuna djorra'lila.
Bala ŋayi yarrwa'yuna biḻpiḻŋaniŋdja djorra'lila.
Dhuwandja gapu nhära ga gorrmur' biḻpiḻŋaniŋgu. Ga guṉḏany rarralany ga djinagan ŋorra rupa'ŋura. Ga ŋuriŋiyi rarralay guṉḏay ŋuli ŋunhiyi dhäkay manymakkum, märr dhu ŋoy yothuny ḏälkum. Märr dhu ŋunhiyi yothu yakan buluny rirrikthun milŋiny'thu.
Ga beŋuryiny ŋayi ga wapmaraman ŋunhi biḻpiḻŋanaŋdja balan gorrmur'lila gapulil.
Ga dhuwana gapu ga buŋbuŋdhuna. Ga guṉḏany ga ŋorra ŋunhi rupa'ŋura djinagan.
Beŋuryiny limurr ŋuli rulwaŋdhurr rupa' biḻpiḻŋaniŋmirr balan gurthalila, ga bäynha ŋuli ga nhära gurthaŋur.
Ŋunhi ŋuli buŋbuŋdhundja bala märraman ŋunhiyi rupa' biḻpiḻŋaniŋmirr, yurr wiriny'tjunawuy. Bala rulwaŋdhuna ŋulwitjkuman ŋuli.
Ga bäy ŋuli biḻpiḻŋaniŋ rupa'mirr ŋulwitjthirr bala ŋuli gurrupana yothunhany yan. Gurrupanydja ŋuli dhuwal biḻpiḻŋaniŋdja ŋunhi ŋuli yothuny rirrikthun milŋiny'thuny.
Bala limurr ŋuli ŋuruŋiyi wiriny'tjunawuyyu biḻpiḻŋaniŋ yothunhany biḏi'yurrnha rumbalnha. Bala ŋuli yothuny manymakthirra.
Ŋurruŋuny nhuma balaŋ marrtji ga ŋunhi nhuma ŋuli retjany nhäŋu, bala nhuma ŋuli gärrin, bala marrtji nhäŋun djitamawnha man’tjarrwu. Ga balanya ŋayi djitamany man'tjarr gam', yindi ga ḻiḻpam.
First of all, you should go and see the bush. Then you go into the bush and start looking for the leaves of yam. The leaf of the yam is big and flat.
Yaw'yurrnydja nhuma ŋuli djitamany ga yan bili ga maḻŋ'maraŋ, nhuma ŋuli ŋatha djitama. Balanya ŋayi ŋathany rumbal. Buŋu nhuma ŋuli marrtji dhaŋaŋ, bala nhuma ŋuli wäŋan riwarran maḻŋ'maraŋ, bala nhuma ŋuli guṉḏirrnha nhanapul.
Dig for the yams until you can easily find the food. The yam looks like this, it’s round and short. Dig as many as you can, then you can find a place to cook. You should always collect termite mound and put it on top of the fire.
Beŋurnydja nhuma ŋuli marrtji guḻunlila ga raŋan gulkthurr ga ṉorrutj wapmaraŋ manapul balayi raŋanlil. Dhuwandja ṉorrutj ga mulmu raŋanŋur.
After that you have to go to the billabong to strip some paperbark and grass and collect them together. This stem and grass go together with the paperbark.
Marrtji nhuma ŋuli bala ṉorrutjtja guṉḏirrlila ŋapalil rarr'yurr, bala djitamany marrtji guṉḏirrlila rulwaŋdhurr. Beŋuryiny raŋanthun marrtji dhaḻ'maraŋ djitamany, bala gapuynha yurr'yurr ga bulu dhaḻ'maraŋ raŋanthu. Bala munathaynha dholkuŋ, bala nhinin gi ŋir'yunmirra.
You can place the leaves on the termite mound on top, then put the yams on as well. Next, pick up the paperbark and place it around the yams, pour a little bit of water and close it again with the paperbark. Then cover it up with some sand, and sit and breath after all that hard work.
Dhuwandja meṉḏuŋ, dhiyaŋ ŋuli djitamany ralkthun.
Nhini walal märr wiyin' bala nhuma ŋuli warrkthurra djitamany bala raŋanlila rarr'yurr.
This is a snail; with this snail we scrape the yam and it looks like hot chips. Sit and wait a lot longer, then collect the yams and place them onto the paper bark.
Bala marrtji ŋäṉarrmaraŋun djitamany bala nhuma ŋuli ralkthurra marrtji ŋunhi djitamany.
Ralkthunaŋurnydja dhurrwaraŋur nhuma ŋuli gärruŋlila galkurr marrtji djitamany mala, bala riyalalila nhuma ŋuli gäŋu bala ḻupmaraŋun.
Next, peel off the skin from the yams, then you may scrape all the yams using the snail. After scraping the yams put them inside a mesh bag. Carry it straight to the stream and soak it.
Bala nhuma ŋuli ganarrthula waŋgany munha balayi gapulil, märr ŋayi ŋuli gapuynydja ŋunhi djitamany marin djalkthun. Ŋorri nhuma ŋuli djaḏaw'. Bala nhuma ŋuli marrtjin balayin riyalalila bala dhawaṯmaraŋun ŋunhi djitamany. Munha waŋganymirr ŋayi dhuwal ŋathany.
Leave it there for one night in the water, so that the water can get rid of the poison from the yams. You can sleep and go back at dawn. Then you may go back to the stream and collect the yams. This food is only for one night.
Dhäkaynydja ŋayi dhuwal djitamany manymak, ga rerrimiriw ŋayi dhuwal ŋathany. Baman'tja dhiyaŋ ŋathay ŋaḻapaḻmirrnydja walal limurruŋ gan nhina.
The taste of this yam is really good, and in this food, there is no sickness. A long time ago our old people were living with this food.
Dharpay Mala
Dharpany dhuwal walŋa, ga dharpaynydja ŋuli gurrupan limurruŋ dhäwu ga mayali' ŋunhi limurr ŋuli dhäkay-ŋäma limurruŋgal ŋayaŋu. Nhäkurr ga wanha witjan limurr dhu dhukarrkurr marrtji ga märram ŋatha manymakmirr wäŋa, gapuŋur ga diltjiŋur.
Dharpa dhuwal Dhuwa ga Yirrtja dhäwumirr. Ŋorrany ŋayi ga dharpaŋurnydja mala riŋgitj, manikay, bäpurru ga buŋgul. Wiripuny mala dharpa munhawuynha bäpurru.
Dhuwa ga Yirritja dharpa mala wiripuny wurrki'mirr, borummirr ga ŋathamirr. Man'tjarr ŋuli bäki mirritjin rumbalwu ga dharpa rumbalnydja ŋuli bäki näku djämaw.
Gurrkurr guninyin ŋuli bäki miny'tjiw, djäma ŋuli gunga miny'tjimirriyam.
Trees
Trees are alive and give us stories and feelings. When the tide is out it is time to make fish traps from the trees that have been prepared.
Trees are Yirritja and Dhuwa and tell many different stories. They have ceremonial connections to the land with songs and songlines but some have been forgotten
Trees and everything they represent are very important to Yolŋu. Associated with one tree are many names and meanings. This is the same for flowers which also signal to Yolŋu directions of the wind.
Trees can be used for their resources such as leaves, bark to make string for bags and canoes. The flowers on trees show the season and what sea and land food is ripe and ready to collect. Leaves on trees can also be used for medicine and flowers show the direction of the wind.
Trees connect Yolŋu to the land.
First published in 1984 as the chapter 'Trees and Shrubs' in Dhuwal Djambarrpuyŋu Dhäruk Mala Ga Mayali' printed and published by Yirrkala Community School LPC.
Reprinted in 2021.
Illustrations by Bäru Class 2020 students alongside Margaret Dhorrpuy and Andie Clements for the 2021 Shepherdson College Calendar.
