Page 5
Dhuwandja walu Wirrpaŋu.
This is the time of the build-up.
Ga maŋandja marrtji mana-manapanmirra ga waṉbana. Ga waluny maranydjalkmirra.
The clouds are getting bigger and getting ready for thunder and rain. This is the time that stingray are being born.
Page 6
Dhiyaŋ watharryu wurrkiy' ŋuli mel lakaram maranydjalkmirra walu, ga yäkuny dhuwal wurrkiny' wärrkarr.
This White flower tells us that stingray hunting season is coming. This flower's name is the Swamp lily.
Ŋamaŋamayunmirra djämaw garawnha: djäma gara.
Getting ready: making the spears
Napurr ŋuli maḻŋ'maram garany retjaŋura guḻunmirriŋura wäŋaŋur. Ga yäkuny dhuwal waḏawaḏa ga man'tjarrnydja nhanŋu yindi, bilkpilk ga ḏoṯurrkthinya.
We find spears in the rain forest near the swamp. This spear tree is called Waḏawaḏa. Its leaf is flat on the bottom and looks like a heart.
Page 7
Ŋunhi nhuma ga ḻarrum garaw, ga maḻŋ'maraŋ dhunupa ga wiyin'.
When looking for a spear, find one that is nice and straight.
Ga gulkthurra ŋoytja ga bukukurr ŋanya garany.
Cut the bottom and the top.
Gäŋun balan wäŋalila.
Take it back to camp.
Page 8
Djäma gurtha rulwaŋdhurra gurthalila bala bathula yurr bilma'pilmaraŋ garany.
Make a fire. Put the spear on the fire and burn the bark, evenly.
Bala märraŋun garany bala dharpalila rulwaŋdhurr bala dhunu-dhunupayaŋun.
Take the spear out of the fire and put it between a forked tree, then start to straighten the spear.
Page 9
Beŋuryiny ŋaṉarrmaraŋun barrwaṉdja bala ganarrthula walulila.
Next, take the bark off the spear. Leave it in the sun to dry.
Page 10
Märraŋ ḻurrkun' djimuku ga djiŋdjiŋ. Ga djiŋdjiŋ dhu garrwi'yurr dhuḏi gara. Beŋuryiny djäma nyumukuṉiny' gurthan ga rulwaŋdhurr dhuḏi djimuku bala gurthalil. Märraŋ djimuku beŋur gurthaŋur waŋga'-waŋgany gorrmur' märraŋ bala djuḏupmaraŋun dhuḏilil garalila.
Get three steel prongs and some copper wire. Use the copper wire to tie up the end of the spear. Make a small fire and put the ends of the prongs in the heat. Get the prongs off the heat and one by one push the heated end into the spear.
Page 11
Ga ŋunhi warrpamnha dhu djimuku ḻirra gärri garalila, rarryurr gapun guyŋarrkuŋun garanhany. Yapmaraŋun djiŋdjiŋdja beŋur djimukuŋurnydja. Ga garrwi'yurra ḏälkuŋ ḻirrany djiŋdjiŋdhu balayi garalil yurr mirithi garrwi'yurr. Ga bulu wutthu'-wutthurr ga bäy ŋayi dhu ḏälthirr mirithirr. Bala ŋurruny ŋanya garany djinbulkuŋun.
When all the prongs are in the spear, pour water on to cool them. Take the copper wire off and round off the edges of the spear shaft tip. Wind the copper wire back onto the spear very tight. Hit the prongs back into the spear until they are in hard. Sharpen the tips of the prongs.
Page 12
Gulkthurr djomula wo dharraŋgulk ga djäma biḏitj gutjparr'yunarawnha garaw.
Cut a branch of the Casuarina Tree (whistling tree) or Stringy Bark to make a spear thrower.
Page 13
Nhe dhu nhämany maranydjalktja märr baṉḏanyŋur. Dharpuŋuny muḻkurr maranydjalknhany dhuḏiŋur. Bili walalaŋ djukurr'nydja djinawa walalaŋgal yaka dharpuŋ djukurr'nydja!
You find stingrays in the shallow water. When you see a stingray, spear it in the head. Their liver is in their back. Avoid spearing them in the liver.
Page 14
Ŋunhi nhe dhu dharpumany gäŋun baṉḏanylila. Wutthurrnydja muḻkurr märr ŋayi dhu yakan djagadjagayun. Ŋayathul nhokal ḻirray yaŋara' maranydjalk. Ga nhokal biḏitjthu ḏimirr yapmaraŋ. Ga burrpurrmaraŋ ḏimirrnydja munhathalil djinawalila.
When you spear it take it to the edge of the water. Hit it on the head so it stops moving. Grab the tip of its tail and hold it in your teeth. Use your spear thrower to get the barb off the tail. Push the barb safely into the sand.
Page 15
Ga nhäŋu dhurrwara ŋunhi buthalak miny'tji ŋunhiyiny djukurr'mirra.
Check the stingray's mouth. If the lips are yellow, then the liver is fat.
Page 16
Gäŋu ga märraŋ wiyin' raki' märr nhe dhu rulwaŋdhun maranydjalk. Djuḏupmaraŋ raki' melkurr ga dhawaṯmaraŋ dhurrwarakurr. Baḏak yan buŋuny bäy nhe dhu dhaŋaŋgum. Bala wäŋalila gäŋu.
Carry a metre of string to tie up the stingray. Put the string through its eye and out through its mouth. Keep hunting until you are happy with your catch. Then take them home.
Page 17
Ŋunhi nhe dhu wäŋany ŋayatham, wiripuŋunydja dhu yolŋuy gurtha djäma ŋäthilmirriyam. Bala gapun rarryun rupa'lila.
When you get home, someone will get the fire ready. Fill a pot with water.
Bala yapmaraŋun rakiny' maranydjalkŋurnydja.
Get all the stingrays off the string.
Page 18
Mitthurra ga märraŋun djukurr'nydja beŋur maranydjalkŋurnydja.
Cut all the livers out of the stingrays.
Bala märraŋun mulkuminydja miny'tji beŋur djukurr'ŋurnydja.
Remove the mulkuminy (the green poison in the liver).
Bala djukurr'nydja rulwaŋdhurr rupa'lila.
Put all the livers into a bowl.
Page 19
Rulwaŋdhurra maranydjalktja rupa'lil bala gurthalila ga bäy ŋayi dhu ga nhära buḻŋuyirr ŋanak.
Put the stingrays into the pot. Boil them on the fire until the meat is soft.
Maḻŋ'maraŋ bala'pala bala rarryurra maranydjalktja bala'palalila.
Find a board or sheet of iron and pour the stingrays onto it. Traditionally, we would cut leaves or paper bark to put on the ground.
Page 20
Galkurr bäy ŋayi dhu maranydjalk guyŋarryirr ḻarrmaraŋun barrwaṉdja bala ŋaṉarrmaraŋun ŋanaktja. Bala rulwaŋdhurr banikinlila.
Wait a little while for the stingrays to cool down, then remove the skin and scrape the meat off. Put the meat into a bowl.
Yuwalktja rom napurruŋ napurr ŋuli gulkthun man'tjarr wo ṉäku bala rulwaŋdhun munathalila.
Traditionally, we would have snapped off leaves or bark then put it on the sand.
Page 21
Ŋunhi nhe dhu dharwar'yundja ŋaṉarrmaranhaŋurnydja, bala banikinlila rulwaŋdhurr, bala ŋomu'ŋumula barrkuwatjkuŋun.
When you have finished scrapping the meat off the stingrays and put it into the bowl, then knead it together.
Page 22
Nhokal goŋdhu märrmay' ŋomu'ŋumul nhakun mapu'.
Using two hands, scoop the meat out and make a meatball.
Bala gapun djalkthurr ŋanakŋur märr ŋayi dhu baṉḏanydhirr ŋanak.
Then squeeze the water out to make the meat dry.
Page 23
Märraŋuny djukurr'nydja bala manapula ŋanaklil maranydjalklila.
Take the liver fat and mix it with the meat.
Ŋomu'ŋumul ga bäy ŋayi dhu warrpam ŋayatham ŋanak.
Mix them until they are one.
Page 24
Ga ŋunhiyi walu gurrupanminyarawnha bala ḻukanharaw maranydjalkkun. Bukmakku yolŋuw ŋunhi walal marrtji gurruṯumirriwnha malaw gurrupanaraw.
It is time to share the stingrays with family and to eat together.
Mmm, marrkapmirr maranydjalk dhäkay!
Mmm, stingrays taste yummy!
