Published in 1984 as the chapters 'Artifacts - Travel', 'Water - Tides', 'Land and Sky' in Dhuwal Djambarrpuyŋu Dhäruk Mala Ga Mayali' printed and published by Yirrkala Community School LPC.
Prepared by J. Galpagalpa, D. Wanymuli, M. Wilkinson and L. de Veer.
Compiled by Emma Smolenaers, Classroom Assistant Teachers and
Andie Clements.
Illustrations by Jeffery Ranhdhakpuy, Brian Minydjirriwuy (coloured by Andie Clements and Kenisha Gadatharryurwuy) and Andie Clements.
Page 2
Waŋganymirriy waluy maṉḏa gan nhinan Ḻaḻu ga Ŋaḻindi yurr galki mayaŋmirriŋur wäŋaŋur.
Yurr ḻundu'manydji maṉḏa ŋunhi yolŋuny, ga…
Once, Parrotfish and Moon lived together near a riverbank. They were very good friends, until…
Page 4
…waŋganydhun walu maṉḏa ŋarrtjunminan.
Bala ŋayiny Ḻaḻun waŋanan bitjarra, "Ŋarrany dhu dhuwal balan marrtji ḏamurruŋ'lil gapulila bay, ga ŋunhiliyin nhini gi, bala ŋarra dhu djuḻuḻ'yurra gadharralila miṯtjilil, märr nheny ŋarrany dhu bäyŋun bulu nhäŋu."
…one day they had an argument.
Parrotfish said, "I will go to the saltwater and sit there. I will hide under the coral reef so that you will never see me again".
Page 6
Yurr ŋayin Ŋaḻindin nhanŋu ŋaramurryinan dhika, bala ŋayi bitjarra waŋan, "Ma', gatjuy marrtjin ga ŋunhi nhe dhu godarr'tja rakunydhi ga balan-bala yan gupa-ḏälnha.
Bäyŋuny nhe dhu buluny walŋadhi. Bay bili ŋarrany dhu godarr' rakunydhi, ga ḻurrkun' yan waluy.
Ga bulu ŋarra dhu godarr' walŋadhi".
This made Moon angry at her, so he answered her like this, "Okay, off you go, and when you die, it will be forever. You won't come back to life. But when I die, it will only be for three days. After three days I will live again."
Page 8
Bala ŋayiny Ḻaḻun marrtjinan bala nhinan ḏamurruŋ'ŋur gapuŋura bala ŋayi djuḻuḻ'yurra gadharralila miṯtjilil.
Bitjarr bili ŋunhiliyin ŋayi gan nhinan dhuŋgarra ga dhuŋgarra, ga yan ḻinygu rumbal ŋayi marrtjin miny'tjimirriyiny balanya nhakun gadharran mala.
Then Parrotfish went to sit in the sea and hid in the coral reef.
She lived like this for years and years, until her body became colourful just like the coral reef.
Page 10
Ga ŋayiny Ŋaḻindin marrtjin balan garramatlila ga nhinan gan ŋunhiliyin bili garramatnha maŋanŋura. Ga bitjan bili ŋuli Ŋaḻindin rakunydhinya ga bay ŋuli ḻurrkun' walu djuḻkthun ga bulu ŋayi ŋuli walŋathirr.
Ga wiripun ŋayi ŋuli Ŋaḻindi djälthirr nhänharaw nhanŋu Ḻaḻuw yurr bäyŋun ŋayi ŋuli maḻŋ'maramany ŋanya, ḻinygu ŋayi ŋuli ŋunhi malthun ŋurikiyin gadharrawnha miny'tjiw.
Moon rose up into the sky and sat amongst the clouds. Moon died, and when three days passed, he lived again.
Moon wanted to see Parrotfish but couldn't find her, because her body matched the colour of the coral.
Page 12
Bala, waŋganydhun walu ŋayi Ḻaḻuny rakunydhinan, yurr gupa-ḏälnha yan bili ŋayi Ŋaḻindiy ŋäthil nhanukal lakaram.
Ga dhiyaŋuny bala walal ga ḻaḻu mala baḏak nhina ŋunhan gadharraŋur miṯtjiŋur miny'tji wapthuna.
Then, one day Parrotfish died, and it was forever, just as Moon had told her before.
Today, other parrotfish still live under the coral, flashing their colour.
Page 14
Ga ŋunhi bili ŋunha waŋgany Ŋaḻindin ga gorrum ŋunha garramattja maŋanŋurnydja.
But the same Moon still lives in the sky amongst the clouds.
Page 16
Ŋunha ŋayi ŋuli dhiŋgam ḻurrkun' dhu waluy bitjan bili Ŋaḻindi ŋupan.
There he always follows the same pattern of dying for three days every month.
Dhuwal dhäwu Baḏurrupuy miyalkkuŋ waŋganykuŋ, miyalk yäku Yililpawuy. Djambarrpuyŋu ŋayi Yolŋuny, Djambarrpuyŋu wäŋa Ḻuŋurrpuy, Marapay ga Djarrayapuy.
This story was told by Djambarrpuyŋu elder, a lady named Yililpawuy. She is a Dhuwa person of the Djambarrpuyŋu clan and her family comes from Ḻuŋurrpuy, Marapay and Djarrayapuy in northeast Arnhem Land.
Told by Dorothy Yililpawuy Wanybarrŋa
Transcribed by Joy Bulkanhawuy Dhamarraṉdji and Hannah Harper
Illustrations by Shepherdson College students Jason Burarrwaŋa, Shanika Gemiyawuy, Martha Hewett, Basu Hammon, Neyo Ymayima, Kiki Gawla, Joshua Garrawurra, Geyonte Elisala, Eric Gaykamalju, Zebelda Yunupiŋu, Naomi Gamalaŋga, Jayron Daniels and Quinton Dhamarraṉdji.
Published by ARDS Aboriginal Corporation © 2019
This resource is not produced by the LPC - Shepherdson College and is not able to be accessed digitally. Please contact the LPC for copies of this book.
Page 1
Ŋunhi ŋuli munhany yupthun, ŋayi ŋuli wäŋany buku-munhayirra.
When darkness falls, the place becomes darker.
Page 3
Ŋayiny ŋuli ŋaḻindiny garramatnha ga gorrum.
The moon sits up in the sky.
Page 5
Ga ganyuny mala ŋuli garramatnha ga gorrum djiwarrŋur.
And all the stars sit high up in the sky.
Page 7
Bala winyiḻany mala ŋuli dhawaṯthunna mathirraŋurnydja, bala buṯthunna ŋathawnha ḻarrum.
Then the bats come out of the caves and fly around searching for food.
Page 9
Ga ŋayiny ŋuli ḏolpurktja ŋäthin ga gämuktja.
The owls cry out at night.
Page 11
Ga dhuwana ŋayi birrku' ŋaḻindiny gitkitthun ga ya'. Maŋutji-lakaram ŋayi ŋuli gapu manymak maypalwu.
And there is the full moon smiling. It is showing us that the water is good for shellfish.
Page 13
Ga warrnyuny mala ŋuli dhawaṯthunna gathul'ŋurnydja bala buṯthunna.
The flying foxes come out from the mangroves and fly around.
Page 15
Ga djamarrkuḻiny' walal ŋuli marrtji ŋorra'-ŋurran, wukirriwnha ga buḻ'yunnarawnha. Märr walal dhu goḏarr'nydja rur'yurra bala wukirrilil ga buḻ'yunnalil marrtji.
And the children go to sleep, ready for school and activities, so they can get up in the morning then go to school to play.
I will record this story from long ago. It has been recorded, but I am going to record it again. I will record the story of those two, Gandji (Jabiru) and Wurrpaṉ' (Emu). They related to each other as uncle and nephew. They were descendents of the one family. Jabiru was married to Emu’s daughter. Jabiru’s other name was Gaḏakaḏa. Those two lived at Buḻmanŋur close to Dhäraŋay. Yes, there they lived. They camped there long ago.
*Gupapuyŋu text shown in bold (spoken by the characters)
Page 2
Dhuwandja Ŋaḻindipuy, walal gan nhinan miyalk maṉḏa nhanŋu ga yothu märrma' gurrmul maṉḏany. Ŋayiny gan Ŋaḻindiynydja bumar bathi ganybu ŋarirriw'. Nhinan walal gan ŋunhiliyi ŋayi gan wäŋaraŋal Ŋaḻindiy. Bala maṉḏany miyalktja maṉḏa nhanŋu gurku'yurr ŋathawnha gulakaw'nha, "Nhumany yothu maṉḏa nhini, nhuŋuny balpara'. Nheny dhu ga bathi buma ga yothuwal maṉḏaŋgal balparay', ga linyuny dhu ŋayaŋay'wu marrtji.”
This story is about the moon, his two wives and two sons. The moon was working on a fish net. His two wives decided to collect some yams. "You stay here with the boys, they will be your company, while you work on the fish net, and we will go and get some yams." they said to the moon.
Page 4
Bala maṉḏany djawaryurra nhinanharaw, bala maṉḏa waŋanan bitjarrnha, “Mori, dhuwala linyu dhu guḻun nhäma ŋawarramuwa limurruŋgu, ga garawa linyu djälnydja.", bitjarr.
Ŋayiny ŋunhi gurrupar, "Dhuwalana garanydja märraŋuna maṉḏa, märr nhuma dhu ŋula ŋarirri' marrtji barrtjun, nhä maku warrakan'". Ŋayiny nhinan bumar mori'mirriŋunydja maṉḏaŋgal, ḏawa'yurrnydja ŋayi, dharr nhäŋal, "Nhä ga dhuwalanydja rra maranhirrina dhu gäthuwuŋu maṉḏaŋguŋu, bili ŋarra wiyin' nhinana djaṉŋarr gana."
The two boys became tired, and they said to their father, "Father, we are going to the billabong to get some fish, and we want some spears." The father gave them the spears, "Here take the spears so you will spear some fish for us or some animals maybe?" he said. As he was making the fish net, he turned around and saw the boys coming back. He thought, "I'm not going to be hungry anymore, because my two sons are coming back. I've been sitting here for a long time and I'm very hungry."
Page 6
Bala nhinanan gurthany ŋawmaraŋal, dhal'maraŋalnydja marrtjin, butju-waŋgapunuŋal, yarwi'-märraŋalnydja, birraŋanyguŋal ḻukanany marrtjin ḻukanany marrtjin, bala maṉḏa waŋanhaminan ŋunhi rathany' maṉḏa. Waŋanhamin maṉḏany bitjanmin, "Nhe morinha gurrupulu."
"Yaka, wäwa, ŋarra dhuwala djaṉŋarrthina, ŋarranydja dhu dhuwala ŋarrapi ḻuka dhawar'marama."
"Mori, bäyŋuna bili linyu dhawar'maraŋala, bili linyu djaṉŋarrthina", bitjarra maṉḏa. Mukthurr yan ŋayi gan nyäḻka' bumar.
Ḻukan marrtjin dhawar'nha, dhawar'yurr ŋayiny gunhu'mirriŋuynydja nhäŋal bäyŋun, “Bäydhi maku”.
The two boys went and sat down and made a big fire. They cooked the magpie goose and fish and ate them. Then they said to each other, "You give some to father". "No brother I'm hungry, I'm going to eat it all up." They then said to the moon, "Father, there's no food left, we ate it all because we were hungry." The father just sat there working away on the fish net. The sons had eaten all the meat. When the father turned around, there was none left. "Okay fine," he said.
Page 8
“Way, gurrmul maṉḏa maku maṉḏa dhipala gärri wuŋuḻi' go', ŋoy-birrka'yurru nhalayaku ḻimurru dhu ŋarirri'nha.” Gärrin maṉḏa, bala garrwi'yurra gan mayaŋnha rakiy'nha ganybuny. Garrwi', garrwi', garrwi', garrwi', garrwi', ḻaw' bäy ŋarkulay ŋanya buku-ḻupmaraŋal ḏamurruŋ'thu gapuy, bala ŋurrkaŋala. Bilin ŋayi maṉḏany ŋurrkaŋala ḏamurruŋ'lila. Nhinanan ŋayiny gurrthu'ŋura galkurrnha . . . a bitjarra, ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuwnydja maṉḏaŋ, bitjarrnydja dhuwana gurrukam marrtji gulaka'. Ripurrun ŋayambalkthu, ḻäy-bilyunaraynha.
Then he said, "Hey you two boys, can you get into this net? We'll just test this net to see what will happen when there is some fish in the net." They went into the net and the father tied the net with some string, picked it up and went into the river. He waded until the water got up to his waist and then he threw the net into the water. The moon went and sat in the shade waiting for the two mothers to come back with yams.
Page 10
Bala roŋiyinan miyalktja maṉḏa nhanŋu Ŋaḻindiwnydja ŋathaŋurnydja bunhaŋur, ŋatha maṉḏa ŋanya gurrupar ḻukan ŋayi maranhuyin, marrkaŋala gurrmulwuy maṉḏaŋ ŋurikiyi....i bala maṉḏa dhä-birrka'yurra bitjarrnha, “Dhuwal nhe ga gäna nhina, ga wanha yothuny maṉḏa?”, bitjarr maṉḏa nhanŋu Ŋaḻindiw waŋan.
“Dhuwala maṉḏa ŋarranha djimiḏi' gombuŋala bala marrtjina ŋarirri'wa maṉḏa lakaraŋala ga warrakan' ŋawarramu”. Nhinan maṉḏany miyalktja maṉḏa märr gurriri bala ḻarruŋala maṉḏaŋ wäthu'-wäthurra.......a, nhäŋal djalkirin maṉḏany ŋunhi gurrmulnha maṉḏany gumurr-roŋiyinyawuynha.
Late in the afternoon the mothers of the boys came back with some yams. They gave him some yams. He ate some and was full. Then they asked about the boys, " You are here all alone. Where are the boys?". "They asked me for some spears and went off to get some fish and birds" the moon replied.
Page 12
Roŋiyinyawuy djalkiri marrtjin dhärran beŋurnha ŋarirri'ŋurnha ga wäyinŋurnha bunhaŋur rälin wäŋalila, ŋupar marrtjin räli, dharr gay'yi nhäŋal ḻirrwin' maṉḏaŋguŋ wäyinbuynha butjun nhäŋal wäyinnha gulkthunawuynha ga ŋarirrin' giniknha. Ga buluny maṉḏa dhä-wirrka'yuna balaŋ, yan maṉḏa maŋutji-ḻarruŋal ŋurukiyin nyäḻkaw'nha ganybuwnha. Yan maṉḏa ŋanya djalkirin dhiṉ'thurr ŋunhi ŋayi yarrupthurr gäŋal maṉḏany, ŋuparnha marrtji........n ga ŋarkula'lil dhä-manapar ḏamurruŋ'lil.
The mothers of the boys waited and then went off to look for them. They found the boys footprints coming back home from hunting. They followed the tracks and found the fire where the boys had been cooking the birds and the fish. (Then they realised that the fishnet that moon had been working on was not there.) They went back and asked the moon where the fishnet was.
Page 14
Bala nhäŋalnha maṉḏa beŋurnydja, muḻmuḻkalapuŋal ŋarkulany ŋunhi ḏamurruŋ'tja. Bilin. Bala maṉḏa nyäyurra ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuny maṉḏa.........a, bala dhawaṯmaraŋal nyäḻkany' ŋunhi maṉḏaŋgalaŋamirr yapmaraŋal rakiny', nhäŋalnydja rakunynha maṉḏany.
Bilin. Munatha'lilyaŋalnydja maṉḏapin ŋäṉḏi'mirriŋuy maṉḏa.Nhinanany maṉḏa märr gurriri, bala raŋangun gali'yurr.
The wives followed the moon's footprints, where he had carried the boys down to the river. Then they saw the foam on the water. They started crying and dragged the fish net out of the water. They untied the net and saw the boys in the net dead. They buried the bodies.
Page 16
“Ŋali, raŋan barrtjun go', ŋali buṉbu warkthun,” bitjarr maṉḏa. Yaka ŋuli bitjana ḻoḻu-nhirrpana, buṉbu maṉḏa djäma ḏämbu-ḏamala biṯiriŋgitjkuŋal bitjarr, ga ŋunhany ḏämbuny ḻurrthunmaraŋal ŋawulul'wuny dhawaṯthunaraw. Manymak. Gämukthinany marrtjin . . . n, yup gämuktja marrtjin yupthurrnha, bala maṉḏa waŋanhaminan bitjarrnha, "Nhe dhu biŋga'yun ga ŋarra dhu biŋga'yun." Maṉḏany nhanŋu waŋanhamin Ŋaḻindiw. "Ga gurtha nhe dhu märram ga ŋarra dhu märram."
The wives sat down to rest and then said to each other, "Let's go and get some paperbark so we can make a shelter for us and the moon." So, they made a shelter and left some space where the fire would be put. When night came, they said to themselves, "Don't go to sleep, we will both be awake, so you get a fire stick and I will get a fire stick and we will just burn moon, because he drowned our sons."
Page 18
Bala ŋali dhu dhuŋgur'yuna ḻirra'-garrpin yan gurthany nhirrpan nhanukalaŋumirr Ŋaḻindiwalaŋumirr, “Nhakun ŋayi rathany' maṉḏany yawungu ŋayipin buwayakkum bäpa'mirriŋuy.", bitjanmin maṉḏa waŋanhamin walupuy yan dhurpu-milmitjpa.
Manymak. Bala ŋorra'-ŋurranan yakurr mukthurra, yan bili. . .i ga balaŋun guwaḻyun-munhay djeḏan', gaḻ'yurr, bala maṉḏa dhirr'yunminan maṉḏany yapa'manydjiny. Ŋayi dhawaṯthurr, ga balayi ŋunhi dhurrwara-gungaŋal wäŋany biṯiriŋgitjkuŋal ḻiw'maraŋal yan. Bilin. Gurthany maṉḏa märraŋal, bala ḏulwirr'yurra ŋunhi ṉäkuny, ḏulwi . . . rr. Bilin nhäranan marrtjin.
So, the two wives lay down with the moon and pretended to sleep. In the middle of the night the women got up and went outside the shelter and put the shelter on fire. While the moon was sleeping inside, the shelter was on fire. He felt the shelter burning and shouted, "Hey why did you do this? Please put the fire out!"
Page 20
Ŋayiny gan ŋorran ŋunhi Ŋaḻindiny, bala marrtjin nhumarnha ŋawulul'tja, gorrmur'yinan marrtjin galŋan gurthaynha ŋuruŋiyi ŋäṉarryun, ŋayi marrtjin ŋala'-ŋalapthurra ŋäṉarrnydja gurthany. Yatjurranha ŋunhalnydja djinawany, "Wäy! Nhaltjarra rraku nhuma galay maṉḏa, nhaltjarra rraku mulkuruyina ḻiya-dhumukthina miriŋuyina ŋathili maṉḏa bulŋuyukkuŋu," bitjarr ŋayi Ŋaḻindiny waŋan.
"Ŋe . . .? Dhuwana nhe ḻiyany? Ŋunhi nhe yawungu linyalaŋ yothuny ḻuka märrma'kum nhepi bäpa'mirriŋuy ŋuli balaŋ nhe bitjana yi gay'yi birrka'yunminya nhunapinya nhe, ga walŋakunha yothuny maṉḏany ga dhuwandja nheny dhu bitjandhi bili nhära," bitjarr maṉḏany waŋan.
Nhäran marrtji . . . n warrpam'thurra ḻuḻupthurr galŋany ḻaḻawukthurra, dhawa'-dhawaryurra nhanŋu marrtjin watany, bala ŋayi bitjarrnha gurriri-gulktja, ŋunhi nhanŋu waluny galkithin dhiŋganharawnydja.
"So, that's it eh, you, their own father, you shouldn't have thought of killing our sons, so, we are going to do the same to you. You will burn to death." The moon burned, his skin began to peel, and he became short of breath. He lay there close dying and spoke to his wives.
Page 22
Bala ŋayi waŋanan bitjarrnha Ŋaḻindiny, "Galakala dhubiḻ wirripikiḻi gurrnyalinyali ŋarranydja yurru dhiŋgama, ga ḻurrkun' munha ŋarra yurru ŋorri moluŋura. Ga bulu dhu rra buwaḻ'yurru walŋathi nhuma ŋarranha nhäŋu ŋarra dhu gorruŋu boŋguŋu yuṯana ḻikan,” bitjarr ŋayi Ŋaḻindi lakaranhamin. Dhiŋgam beŋur birrku'ŋur, birrku'yirr ŋayi ŋuli marrtji minyinyakthirra ḻikan nha wirrthirra ŋayi li marrtji, bala rakunydhirra. Ga bulu walŋathinyaraw Ŋaḻindiw balanyamirriy ŋunhi ŋäthil waluy.
Ga balanya.
He said, "when I die, I will only die for three days, and I will come back to life". And from that time long ago the moon comes back to life each month.
That's all.
