It was the wet season, the child wanted to go hunting and he asked his father for stingray.

His father told him, "Son, the season of Dhuluḏur' has already passed, wait for the spider lily flower."

Then the child went and asked his grandfather (paternal) for shark.

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."

Then the child went and asked his mother for turtle eggs.

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."

Then the child went and asked his sister for mullet.

"Yes, the mid wet season is coming. Later you will see water lily flowers."

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."

"Come child, let's go for barramundi and small mullet!"

Ants are part of the insect family. They live in colonies. More than a thousand, ants live in one nest.
Gälkanydja dhuwul limurruŋ gurruṯumirr, Dhuwa ga Yirratja. Walal ŋuli ga nhinanay. Dharrwa mirithirr ŋuli ga nhina waŋganyŋur yaluŋur.

Worker ants are usually all females.
Djämamirrnydja gälkal mala yan miyalkurruwurr yan.

In the nest, the queen lays all the eggs.
Djinawa yaluŋur buŋgaway ŋuli dhawal-guyaŋirr dharrwa mapu gälkal mala.

The ants nest is made up of tunnels and chambers. They are used for storing food, eggs, larvae and waste.
Dhuwal gälkalwuny mala dharrwa dhukarr ga mathirra mala. Walal ŋuli rulaŋthun ŋatha ga mapu' ga mewirri ga bäythinyawuy mala.

When ants find food, they leave a scent for the others to find it too.
Walal ŋuli maḻ'maram ŋatha, bala walal ŋuli rulaŋthun ŋatha mala wiripuŋurruwurrku mala gälkalwu walal dhu maḻ'maram.

The body of an ant is divided into three sections; the head, the thorax, and the abdomen.
Ga rumbalnanydja walalaŋ gälkalwuny ḻurr'kun nhakun: mulkurr, rumbal, ga dhuḏi.

The life cycle of an ant has four stages.
Ga walŋany walal gälkalwuny mala ḏampumiriw.

Ants are small, but very strong. They can lift more than twenty times their body weight.
Gälkalnydja dhuwal nyumukuṉiny ga ḏäl. Walal dhu ḻaw'maram ŋonuŋ mirithirr biliwalalnydja ŋunhi ḏäl mirithirr.

Ants are amazing!
Gälkanydja dhuwal dhapirrk mirithirr muŋmuŋ!

One day in the town of Galiwin’ku, a mother sat crying, not knowing what to do, ‘Our town is just so messy!’ she said, as she went on crying and shaking her head.

Well, the kids of the town, they looked away, no one wanted to pick up rubbish all day!

Then off they ran to play their games, while the mother looked at them with shame.

Well, the kids of the town, they looked away, no one wanted to pick up rubbish all day!

Then off they ran to play their games, while the mother looked at them with shame.

Well, they looked to the left and they looked to the right, and they looked at all that rubbish in their sight, ‘look at all the mess they’ve made!’

They said: ‘We need to have an Emu Parade!’

So they got themselves into one long line, and they marched across that town so fine, and from way up high, they all leaned down, to pick up all the rubbish on the ground!

What did the emus put the rubbish in?

They put that rubbish in the rubbish bin!

What did the emus put the rubbish in? They put that rubbish in the rubbish bin!

With another flash of lightning, they were gone, then the mother woke up to the morning sun,

She said: ‘Look how clean our town’s been made, those kids must’ve had an Emu Parade!’

Well the mother gave all those kids a treat, for picking up the rubbish all along her street.

They never told her (well, would you?) about the parade of those proud Emus!

But after that then, once a week, those kids got together at the top of the street, and they got themselves into one long line, and they marched across that town so fine, and from way up high, they all leaned down, to pick up all the rubbish on the ground! 

And what did they put that rubbish in? They put all the rubbish in the rubbish bin!

So now what will YOU put YOUR rubbish in?

‘We’ll put all OUR rubbish in the rubbish bin!’

The Burarrwaŋa family lived in a house in Galiwin’ku. 
Next to the house was a big colourful tree.

In the tree lived a bird who liked to sing LOUDLY!

One night the bird was making noise and the family couldn't sleep well.

The children went to the window and said, “Go away bird! You’re too noisy, we can't sleep.” 
But the bird said, “No.”

Next, the mum came to the window and said to the bird, “You’re too noisy, go away!” 
But the bird said, “No.”

Finally the grandma came to the window and said, “Go away bird! You’re too noisy!” 
But the bird said, “I don’t want to go away. This is my home.”

The grandma said to the bird, “If you stay in this tree making that loud noise, I’ll get the hose and wash you away!”

“If you try and do that I will just fly to a higher branch where you can’t reach me,” said the bird. 
“And... why don’t you like my singing?” asked the bird.

“We don’t like your singing because it's too noisy and you don’t sing any Yolŋu songs,” the grandma said.

The bird said to the grandma, “Can you teach me some Yolŋu songs so I can stay in this tree? If not, I will just keep making that same loud noise.”

The grandma thought this was a good idea. So she sat with the bird and taught him how to sing some Yolŋu songs.

Now in the night time, the bird sings beautiful Yolŋu songs in that big colourful tree and the family sleeps well.

This book is for my grandmother Shirley Walpulay Bukulatjpi