The original book was produced in collaboration with Sheperdson College and the Elcho Island Community. The story was shared by Senior Traditional Owner Djuŋatjuŋa Yunupiŋu and the translation done by Helen Rrikawuku Yunupiŋu. Additional thanks for assistance in editing go to Daisy Nywarranywarra Gondarra, Rhoda Goluŋ Dhurrkay, Helen Nuŋgalurr Bukulatjpi. The illustrations were made with children from Years 4 and S working with Liz Thompson.
Thanks go to all those senior community members consulted during the production of the book, particularly Dhangal Gurruwiwi, Rrikawuku Yunupiŋu, Djuŋatjuŋa Yunupiŋu, James Daymaŋu Bukulatjpi and Johnny Barrmula Burarrwaŋa.
Shepherdson College is grateful to Liz Thompson and Djuŋatjuŋa Yunupiŋu for granting permission to produce a Djambarrpuyŋu version of Djulpan for use at Shepherdson College.
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 2
Dhuwal Ḏatam.
This is Ḏatam.
Page 4
Dhuwal Nhawi.
This is Nhawi.
Page 6
Ḏatam waŋan, "Ŋarrany dhu marrtji biḻayindhu buŋgullil, nheny dhu nhina wäŋaŋur ŋe?"
Ḏatam says, "I'm going to the ceremony by plane, you stay here at home, okay?"
Page 8
Ḏatam nhina ga gundarakŋur.
Ḏatam is sitting at the airport.
Page 10
Ḏatam djinawa biḻayinŋur.
Ḏatam is inside the plane.
Page 12
Dhuwana ŋayi Ḏatam burryuna ga yindiŋur buŋgulŋur. Ḏatamgu bathi ga meŋiniyirr.
Here is Ḏatam performing in the big ceremony. Ḏatam's bag begins to shake.
Page 14
"Wa..a..a..ay bäpi!"
"Ah..h..h..h snake!!"
Page 16
Bäpa'mirriŋu waṉḏin garamirr.
Father comes running over with a spear.
Page 18
"Yakay! Nhawi! Bathilil djuḻuḻ'yurr."
"Oh my gosh! Nhawi is hiding in the bag!"
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.
This story has been translated into Djambarrpuyŋu from
Mirriway' ga Bäruy gana ḏuttji'yurruna published by the Literature Production Centre - Milingimbi School in Gupapuyŋu © 1983
Page 1:
Maṉḏa marrtjin waṉḏin yolŋu märrma', Mirriwa' ga Bäru. Waṉḏin maṉḏa
marrtjin, dhut maṉḏa nhinan; "Way, ŋali gurtha dhiyal ḏuttji'yun, ŋe?",
bitjarr ŋayi waŋan Bäru. Ga wäŋan ŋunhi yäku Gurthamayaŋwaŋan.
"Ŋali dhu dhiyal ḏuttji'yun", bitjarr ŋayi nhanŋu yoraŋal Mirriwa'.
There were two people travelling, Mirriwa' and Bäru. The two of them walked and stopped to sit “Hey, we should make a fire here, yes?”, said Bäru.
The place there is called Gurthamayaŋwaŋan.
“We should make a fire here”, Mirriwa’ replied in agreement.
Page 3
Bala maṉḏa gan ḏuttji'yurra, ga ŋayiny nhanŋu waŋan bitjarr, "Nheny ḏuttji'yurr, ŋe?". Bitjarr ŋayi waŋan Mirriwa', "Ŋarrany ŋunha dhu man'pili buma, boy'-puyyunaraw; märr ga ŋayi dhu nhära ŋuruŋiyi man'piliy".
"Yow'. Gatjuy litjalaŋ.", bitjarr ŋayi Bäruny waŋan.
And so the two went to make a fire, and Bäru said to him, “You make the fire, yes?”.
Mirriwa’ said “I will collect soft bark from over there, to blow on, so that the soft bark catches fire.”
“Yes, off you go for us.” said Bäru.
Page 5
Bala ŋayi ŋunhi marrtjinan Mirriwany' man'pilinha. Bal', pal', pal', pal' ŋayi; ga baṯ ŋayi ŋayathaŋal dharpa gaḏayka. Ga bili ŋayi gan ŋunhi yirrparnha ŋunhi dharpany man'piliwnha; yirrpara, yirrpara, yirrpara, ga burdji-burdjimaraŋal.
Bala ŋayi marrtjin gäŋalnha ŋayi ŋunhi man'piliny nhanukal. Gäŋal ŋayi marrtjin ŋunhi man'piliny, ga gurray gurrupar nhanukal Bäruwal, ŋayiny märraŋal ŋunhi man'piliny, bala maṉḏa gan ḏuttji'yurra. Yan bili, ga nhäran maṉḏaŋguŋ.
And so, Mirriwa’, walked off to get soft bark. Pat, pat, pat, pat, he reached and held the wood of the stringybark tree. And then he scraped the soft bark from that tree, scrape, scrape, scrape, and rubbed the bark together.
And so he walked off, carrying the soft bark with him. He walked with the soft bark, and threw it down to Bäru, he took that soft bark, then they went to make a fire. The two of them would work until they got the fire going.
Page 7
"Ŋay' dhuwana, boy'yurra litjalaŋ", bitjarr ŋayi Mirriwa' Bäruw, ga ŋayiny bitjarr Bäruny,
"Yaka. Nhe litjalaŋ boy'-puyyurr".
"Manymak", bitjarr Mirriwa'; bala ŋayi boy'-puyyurr ŋunhi gurthany maṉḏaŋ. Boy', puy', puy', bala baṯnha ŋurrkaŋal. Bala nhäranan ŋunhi gurthany, ŋala'-ŋalapthurra.
“Here, you take it, blow on it and spark it for us.”, Mirriwa’ said to Bäru, and Bäru said,
“No. You blow on it for us.”
“Fine,” said Mirriwa’, and then he began to blow on the embers so that they could have a fire. Woosh, woosh, woosh, fanning the flames into a fire. And then there was a fire, the flames flared and burned brightly.
Page 9
Bala maṉḏa ŋunhi ŋunhiliyiny djambi warrakan'thinan. Nhakun bäruthinan, ga mirriwa'thinan.
Ga manymak, ga ŋayi nhanŋu waŋan bitjarr Bäru, "Mak bala ŋathil ḏawa'yurr, ŋunhi nhä nhäŋu dhärra ga". Ga ŋayi gan bitjarr bala ḏawa'yurr, bala ŋayi Bäruynydja djaw'yurra ŋunhi gurthany, gapulila ŋayi ḻupthurra. Ga bitjarr bala ŋayi ḏawa'yurr ŋunhi Mirriwany', ga nhäŋal Bärunydja bäyŋuny.
And then the two of them changed and became animals then and there, just like, the crocodile and the frill-necked lizard.
All was well, Crocodile said to him, “Maybe, take a look behind you, look what is standing over there”. Then he looked over his shoulder, and Crocodile snatched the fire, and submerged himself into the water. He did this while Frill-necked lizard was looking over his shoulder, and did not see Crocodile disappear.
Page 11
"Ye---e, gurtha ŋarraku ŋunha djaw'yurr Bäruy", bitjarr ŋayi Mirriwa' waŋan. Bala ŋayi waṉḏinan, bal', pal', pal', ŋunhal; ga ŋal'yurra ŋayi dharpaŋur, ga yan bäyŋu. Waṉḏin ŋayi waŋgany'ŋulilnydja muka, ga bal', pal', pal', ŋunhal; ŋal'yurr ŋayi ga yan bäyŋu. Ga bulu bal', pal', pal', pal', ga ŋal'yurr ŋayi, ga bäyŋu.
“Arghh, Crocodile, that’s my fire you stole.” Frill-necked lizard cried out. He ran, pat, pat, pat, and not too far away, he climbed up into a tree but saw nothing. He ran to another tree, pat, pat, pat and climbed it but saw nothing. He ran to one more, pat, pat, pat, climbed it but never saw any sign of Crocodile.
Page 13
Ga ŋayiny ŋunhi Bäruny waŋan bitjarr, "Dhuwal gurtha ŋarra djaw'yurr, dhuwal ŋarraku; yalala ŋarra dhu ga mulka nhina dhiyaŋ gurthay." Ga wäŋany ŋunhi yäku Gurthamayaŋwaŋan.
Then Crocodile said, “This is the fire I stole, this is mine, later I will use the fire to keep me warm.” This place has the name Gurthamayaŋwaŋan.
Yo. Dhuwal dhu ŋarra gurrupan dhäwu miny'tjipuy, miny'tji ŋalitjalaŋ, Dhuwa ga Yirritja miny'tji. Miny'tji ŋayi ŋalitjalaŋ ga ŋorra, gamunuŋgu, djalkiri, wäŋaŋur mala ŋarakaŋur, ga bulu ŋayi ŋuli miny'tji buku-law'maram ŋali bäpurruŋur, ga bulu ŋayi miny'tji ga ŋorra ŋunha manikayŋur ŋalitjalaŋ. Dhuwaliyi mala ŋalitjilaŋ ḻuku miny'tji ŋunhi ŋali ŋuli buku-dhawaṯmaram. Ga yindi ŋunha Ŋärraŋur. Dhuwaŋur Yirritjaŋur Ŋärraŋur, miny'tji ŋayi ga ŋorra. Ga nhämuny' ŋalitjalaŋ riŋgitj miny'tji wäŋaŋur mala, ŋunhi ŋalitjalaŋ ga miny'tji maŋutji-lakaram ŋalitjalaŋ Dhuwaw ga Yirritjaw. Balanya. Warrpam' ŋayi dhuwali, ŋayi ga gungam miny'tjinydja wanha ŋayi garramat gäpaḻaḻyu ga ŋayatham ŋanyan maŋandhu Dhuway ga Yirrijtay.
Dhuwali ŋalitjalaŋ miny'tjiny. Ga ŋunha munathay. Balanya. Dhuwaw ga Yirritjaw.
Daŋataŋawuŋ
Our Colours
I am about to tell a story about miny'tji, our miny'tji, Dhuwa and Yirritja miny'tji. Our miny'tji is here, ancestral designs, ancestral foundation, in lands, and also miny'tji lies across clan groups, and lies in our songlines. Such ancestral miny'tji is what we enact (we make ancestral past appear in the present).
There in the big ceremony, Ŋärra, in Dhuwa and Yirritja Ŋärra, miny'tji is there. Miny'tji is associated with our sacred, ancestral places, that is what the miny'tji shows us, Dhuwa and Yirritja. Like that. All miny’tji is held, where miny'tji is in the water, in the land, or in the clouds up above, Dhuwa and Yirritja clouds hold it.
This is our miny'tji. And the earth holds and protects it, it’s just like that. For Dhuwa and Yirritja.
Daŋataŋa
Ŋurruŋuny Bäpa Sheppy ga miyalk nhanŋu marrtji Miliŋinbilil dhuŋgarray 1930'-thu. Ga balanyamirriy ŋayi gan wuŋuḻi' märraŋal yolŋu-yulŋuny ga wäŋa malany.
Dharrwany mirithirrnydja ŋunhiyi wuŋuḻi' mala dhuyun yurr bäydhin. Ga wiripuny mala ŋunhiliyi wuŋuḻi' yaka manymak nhänharaw miyalkurruwurruŋ ga djamarrkiḻiy' yaka ŋunhiny mala wuŋuḻi' dhuwal djorra'ŋur.
Ga wiripuny, dhuwal wuŋuḻi'ŋur limurruŋ ŋaḻapaḻmirr mala. Walalnydja Galpakalpay ga wiripuwurr mala ḏirramuwurryu dharaŋan walalany wuŋuḻi'ŋur, ga wiripuny walal yakan dharaŋan.
Ga dhiyaŋuny wuŋuḻi' ga ḻiya-marrtjinyamaram limurruŋgalaŋawal ŋaḻapaḻmirriwal.
Djämany linyu dhuwal yäku ga mälk ga bäpurru ga yol walalaŋ gurruṯumirr. Ga bäydhi mak linyu ga bawalany wukurri. Ga balanya.
Nyarrwanyarrwa Goṉḏarra-wuŋ
Before coming to Galiwin'ku the Reverend Shepherdson and his wife began at Milingimbi in the 1930s. In those early years he took photographs of people and places.
Many of those photographs were taken at ceremonies but the ones in this book are suitable for everyone to see.
There are others which cannot be seen by women and children and they do not appear in this book.
These photographs are of our own people. Galpakalpa and other old men recognise many of the people, but others they do not recognise.
These photographs are to help us remember our old people. Next to the photos we have written the name, subsection, tribe and relationship to a living person. Please excuse any mistakes.
Michael Cooke
Dhuwal guḏurrku! Nhäthinya guḏurrkuw buŋgulnydja?
This is a brolga! What does brolga's ceremony look like?
Dhuwal boṉba'! Nhäthinya boṉbaw' buŋgulnydja?
This is a butterfly! What does butterfly's ceremony look like?
Dhuwal birrkpirrk! Nhäthinya birrkpirrkku buŋgulnydja?
This is a plover! What does its plover's look like?
Dhuwal dhuḏuthuḏu! Nhäthinya dhuḏuthuḏuw buŋgulnydja?
This is a tawny frog mouth! What does tawny frog mouth's ceremony look like?
Dhuwal waŋgany! Nhäthinya waŋganygu buŋgulnydja?
This is a dog! What does dog's ceremony look like?
Dhuwal marurrumburr! Nhäthinya marurrumburr's buŋgulnydja?
This is a cat! What does cat's ceremony look like?
Dhuwal wurrpaṉ'! Nhäthinya wurrpaṉ'ku buŋgulnydja?
This is an emu! What does emu's ceremony look like?
Dhuwal mäṉa'! Nhäthinya mäṉaw' buŋgulnydja?
This is a shark! What does shark's ceremony look like?
Dhuwal bäru! Nhäthinya bäruw buŋgulnydja?
This is a crocodile! What does crocodile's ceremony look like?
Dhuwal ŋerrk! Nhäthinya ŋerrkku buŋgulnydja?
This is a cockatoo! What does cockatoo's ceremony look like?
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.
Long, long ago lived Wallaby and Cockroach. One day, they went to the bush for food. They collected yams, root foods and lots of other bush foods.
Page 2
Waŋganymirriy waluy, yolŋu yäku Ṉamurraŋaniŋ gan nhinan, yurr Wotjawuy ŋayi ŋunhi yolŋuny.
Once there was a man called Ṉamurraŋaniŋ. He was from a place called Wotjawuy.
Page 4
Ga waŋganymirriy waluy, ŋayi marrtjin bunharaw wäyingu. Bumar ŋayi marrtjin waṉ'kurra, biyay' ga djanda, yurr galki mayaŋ'kurr.
One day, he went hunting for animals. He went for bandicoot and goanna close to the river.
Page 6
Beŋuryiny ŋayi nhäŋal djalkirin. Ŋayi marrtjin dhärran yurr miyalknhan maṉḏany, yurr ŋunhi bäpurruny maṉḏa Wangurri. Bala ŋayi waŋanan bitjarra gam', “Way... dhuwandja ŋarraku miyalk maṉḏa yarrupthurr maypalwu,” bitjarr ŋayi waŋan.
Then he saw footprints. They led to two women of the Wangurri clan. He said to himself, "Hey… these are the footprints of two women for me, who have gone down to collect shellfish."
Page 8
Maṉḏany ŋunhi marrtjin maypalwu mayaŋ'lil ga bumar maṉḏa marrtjin maypal ga dhaŋaŋ. Bala ŋayi Ṉamurraŋaniŋdja djuḻuḻ'yurr mulmulila, bala ŋayi guykthurra bala yindin waltjaṉ bunan.
Those two went to the riverside to collect shellfish and they collected them until they had lots.
Ṉamurraŋaniŋ hid amongst the grass, then he put a curse on the sky to make big rains come.
Page 10
Bala ŋayi djuḻuḻ'yurra maṉḏaŋ yindilila dharpalil, bala ŋayi gan dhärranan.
Then he hid from them behind a big tree, and he stood there (watching).
Page 12
Maṉḏany marrtjin bumar ḏingu ga guku, bala maṉḏa marrtjin barkthurra ḏinguny. Bulu ŋayiny waŋan yapa'mirriŋuny, “Bala nhunu ŋarru ŋarra ga bulu guwatharam ḏingu mä guḻku.” Bala ŋayi marrtjinan balayin yindilila dharpalil. Ŋayiny Ṉamurraŋaniŋdja gan djuḻuḻ'yurr ŋunhiliyin dharpaŋur.
Those two went and collected cycad nuts and wild honey, then they pounded the cycad nuts. Then the older sister said, "You have to go and get more cycad nuts." She went to the big tree where Ṉamurraŋaniŋ was hiding. Ṉamurraŋaniŋ snatched her there at the tree.
Page 14
Ṉamurraŋaniŋdhuny ŋunhi miyalknhany djaw'yurra barrkulila wäŋalil wiripuŋulila. Bala maṉḏa marrtjin djäman wäŋan maṉḏaŋguwuy, ga yan bili ga dhawar'yurr. Bala maṉḏa djuḏupthurra wäŋalila.
Ṉamurraŋaniŋ took that woman to a different, far away place. Then they made themselves a shelter until it was finished. Then they went into the shelter.
Page 16
Bala ŋayi Ṉamurraŋaniŋdhuny dhaŋalkuŋala gurthan, bala marrtjin batharnha waṉ'kurrany, djandany ga weṯiny'. Ŋayiny marrtjin ŋawululnydja dharrwathinan ŋunhiliyi djinawany' wäŋaŋurnydja.
Then Ṉamurraŋaniŋ made a fire, and cooked bandicoot, goanna and wallaby. It became very smoky inside the shelter.
Page 18
Bala ŋayiny miyalktja djitjurra marrtjin bala waŋanan bitjarra, “Dhaŋuya nhunu ŋorrtja bulŋuyukuwa,” bitjarra ŋayi ŋunhi miyalktja waŋan.
It stung the woman, and she said, "Can you put out the fire."
Page 20
Bala maṉḏa marrtjin nyaŋ'thurra ŋunhi wäyindja dhawar'maraŋalnha. Bala maṉḏa ŋorranan.
They ate the meat until it was finished. Then they slept.
Page 22
Ga märr wiyin' maṉḏa nhinanany dhuŋgarra ga dhuŋgarra ŋupar. Ga yan ḻinygu ga djamarrkuḻi' maṉḏa mala-bumar. Bala maṉḏa yurrnha marrtjinany roŋiyinany yolŋu'-yulŋuwalnydja walalaŋgal. Ga bilin dhuwal dhäwuny.
They lived there for a fair while, as years followed. When they had many children, they returned to the woman's family. And that is the end of the story.
*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.
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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.
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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.
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“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."
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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!"
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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.
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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.
This is an old time story about a man who lived on Howard Island. Howard Island is across the water from Elcho Island.
Text
A long time ago there lived an old man on an island called Howard Island.
His name was Gopiyawuy, and he had many wives. He used to go hunting to catch fish, kangaroos, and other animals that lived in the bush, and also stingray and turtle. His wives would go and gather oysters.
One day he went out hunting for kangaroo. He caught a kangaroo and took it home to his wives and children.
He put the kangaroo down and asked his wives to make a fire and cook it. They cooked the kangaroo and ate it.
One day early in the morning he woke up and asked two of his wives to go and get water from the billabong.
So they went and got their bags made of paperbark, and went on their way to get some water.
They got to the billabong and got some water and then headed back.
When they got closer to the camp, Gopiyawuy got his spear and speared his youngest wife.
The young wife fell down dead on the ground, and the other wife started crying for her youngest sister.
They took her to the camp and at the camp the other wives cried for the young girl, and Gopiyawuy just sat there without saying anything.
Then they made a shelter to put the dead body on and they moved to another camp.
At this other camp, the old man Gopiyawuy waited for all the other relatives of the dead woman to come and get him. Finally they came to get the old man. They painted themselves up with white clay and then they sent one person to tell the old man that they were waiting to see him.
But he didn’t go, instead he sent his son and nephew to go and fight them.
And here are all the relatives spearing them, but their spears missed.
When the fight was over they went back to their camp.
And they lived happily with their families and the old man didn’t fight.
