Darth Vader ka-wokdi Kunwinjku

May 5, 2015 By Filed Under: grammar lesson, language, vocabulary

Darth Vader ka-wokdi Kunwinjku!

See here for more discussion about the pronouns in other languages:

http://allthingslinguistic.com/post/118149053875/i-am-your-father-in-20-different-languages

i am yr father

Bornang! 'I am your father'

In Kunwinjku you just say it in one word bornang ‘I am your father’ (literally: 'I>you fathered'). The subject and object marking is by zero prefix (i.e. nothing) ‘first singular acting on second singular’ on the kinship verb -bornan ‘to father OBJECT’. In past perfective you change the final alveolar nasal to a velar ø-borna-ng ‘I>you father PP’. In light of the above discussion about pragmatics (follow the link above) however, you could add the free standing first person pronoun ngaye for emphasis so that ngaye bornang “Me, I fathered you”.

nga-bornang 'I fathered him/her' > I am his/her father

ngan-bornang 'he fathered me' > he is my father

ngun-bornang 'he fathered you' > he is your father

yi-bornang 'you fathered him/her' > you are his/her father

kan-bornang 'you fathered me' > you are my father

bornang 'I fathered you.' > I am your father

But a woman can also use this verb to talk about the children of her brothers because she too as father's sister 'fathered them'.

bonj

that is all

Kurdukadji, Alwanjdjuk, Ngurrurdu

May 1, 2015 By Filed Under: cultural text, environment, language Tagged With:

Kurdukadji, Alwanjdjuk, Ngurrurdu

Kurdukadji, ngal-ngeywern. Kunwinjku ngarri-ngeybun kurdukadji. Kundjeyhmi kabirri-ngeybun Alwanjdjuk dja Kuninjku Kundedjnjenghmi kabirri-ngeybun ngurrurdu.

Emu, she has many names. In Kunwinjku we call her kurdukadji. In Gundjeihmi they call her alwanjdjuk and in Kuninjku and Kundedjnjenghmi they call her ngurrurdu.

ngurrurdu Injalak

Mahni bim nga-nang kore Injalak. Kareh na-ngale bimbom? Kareh ngudda ngurri-bengkan. Kandi-bengdayhke ba ka-mak nga-ngeykurrme.

Manekke kun-dulk, man-kulurrudj, man-me ngalengarre ka-ngun mimno. Yi-nan bimbom man-kulurrudj. Kanjdji yi-bimnan man-kulurrudj dja mimno manbu ngale kurdukadji ka-djare ka-ngun.

bininjgunwok AT gmail.com

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man-kulurrudj

plate5:1.emudrawing.lofty

Mahni djurra Wamud Namok bimbom. Ngurrurdu kun-burrk ngalengarre.

Nakangila Kayolyolme Njanjma Rangers

November 30, 2014 By Filed Under: community information, environment, language, video Tagged With:

Nakangila Kayolyolme Njanjma Rangers

Nakangila Terrance Nabegeyo talks about his work with the Njanjma Rangers.

An interview with Andy Peart.

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Terrance (on right in photo) talking about Guluyambi Cruises on East Alligator. In the photo he is with Neville Namarnyilk (Bulanj Na-burlalhdja)

[00:00:01.00] AP: Nangale ngudda?

What is your name?

[00:00:01.17] TN: Ngaye Terrance.

My name is Terrance.

[00:00:04.14] AP: Baleh kun-kurlah ngudda?

What is your subsection name?

[00:00:06.16] TN: Ngaye Na-kangila.

I am Nakangila subsection.

[00:00:09.01] AP: Dja kun-nguya?

And what is your clan group?

[00:00:09.01] TN: Kun-nguya ngarduk Djalama.

My clan group is Djalama.

[00:00:13.00] AP: Mah. And baleh yi-rrurrkmirri, Nakangila?

Ok, and where do you work Nakangila?

[00:00:19.27] TN: Guluyambi nga-rrurrkmirri.

I work at Guluyambi boat tours.

[00:00:19.27] AP: Guluyambi. And baleh yiben-kan nawu tourists?

Guluyambi, and where do you take the tourists?

[00:00:22.19] TN: Ngarrben-kan downstream, ngarrben-marneyolyolme manu dabbarrabbolk manu birri-djowkkeni. Manekke.
We take them downstream, and tell them about how the old people used to cross there. Like that.

[00:00:48.08] AP: And njale yiben-bukkan, like, yiman kun-djakkorl, kinga?

And what do you show them, for instance – wood used to make fire, crocodiles etc?

[00:00:56.08] TN: Wanjh bu kumekke ngarri-re kandjikandji ngarrben-bukkan manekke manu man-bolh dabbarrabbolk birri-djowkkeni wanjh ngarrim-bidbun konda ngarrim-re wanjh ngarrben-bukkan kun-dulk, mani njamed ka-ngeyyo, alabbanjdja. Mani manu korroko dabbarrabbok birri-mangi manu birri-marnbuni kun-yarl mani kun-kurlah ngalengarre, dja kun-dulk mani birri-mangi birri-marnbuni borndok, man-kole, kun-djakkorl. Mak mani man-nguy birri-nguni mani bu birri-bekkani, birri-njambabangmeni. .

Well we taken them down river and show them where old people crossed, then we come back upstream. We show them trees, that – what's it called – alabbanjdja (Hisbiscus tiliaceus). That's the one the old people used to get and make string from its bark, and other trees they used to get and make spear throwers, spears, firesticks. And that flower they used to eat when they felt stomach pain.

[00:01:26.19] AP: And baleh ka-yime nawu tourists yiben-kan?

And how many tourists do you take on the tour?

[00:01:31.00] TN: Yika birri-wern mirndewernwurd  ngaben-kan, yika birri-mirndeyahwurd.
Sometimes I take a  big group, sometimes only a few.

[00:01:38.10] AP: Mah. Dja baleh birrim-dolkkang beh, nawu tourists?

And they have they come from?

[00:01:43.09] TN: Kubolkbubuyika birrim-bolkkang nakka, nakka kabirrim-re ngandih-nan ngadberre, ngandi-reddjahwon.
They've come from all different places to see us and come to visit our country.

[00:01:54.14] AP: Dja birri-bolkbubuyika - Australia, America, Europe?

From different places in Australia, America, Europe?

[00:01:59.14] TN: Yoh.

Yes.

[00:01:59.14] AP: And bu yiben-kan nawu tourists kaddum kukabo, njale ka-bolkngeyyo kumekke?
And when you take them upstream, what are the names of some of the places you go to?

[00:02:09.07] TN: Ngarrbenkan Wurlanjmarr kumekke ngarrben-wohbolkbukkan,

We take them to Wurlanjmarr [Kurlanjmarr] and show them around a bit

[00:02:15.08] Ral kumekke ngarrben-wohbukkan, ngarrben-wohkan kaluk kunukka bim ka-bimdi kumekke ngarrben-woh... marneyolyolme manekke bim.

then to Ral and show them around and there is rock art there so we tell them stories about the rock art there.

[00:02:22.23] wajnh ngarrben-kan beh, kaddum.

Then we from there we take them upstream.

[00:02:26.29] AP: Mah. Dja yiddok borledmikenh kukabo kabirri-bidbun, kabirri-re kurrenge?

Yes, and they go for a walk on the other side of the river don’t they?

[00:02:35.11] TN: Kumekke ngarrire wanjh kunukka Mabarlakadjang kumekke ka-bolkngeyyo kore ngarri-re wanjh demonstrating ngarri-yime, ngarri-koleburriwe man-kole.

We go there to the place called Mabarlakadjang and there we demonstrate for them how to throw spears.

[00:02:45.02] TN: Kabirri-re kabirri-wohrewohre kabirri-bolknabolknan kumekke birri-kukbele wanjh ngandi-nan ngadberre ngarri-koleburriwe man-kole. Wanjh bonj ngarrim-durndeng.

They go there, those white people have a look around and check the place out there and then they watch us throwing spears. Then we come back.

[00:02:56.15] TN: Ngarrben-kurrme kured.

We put them back home [on the river bank].

[00:03:02.20] Wanjh bonj.

And that’s all.

Credits: Photo, audio recording, transcription and translation by Andy Peart, Njanjma Rangers.

Nawakadj Kayolyolme Njanjma Rangers

October 30, 2014 By Filed Under: community information, environment, language Tagged With:

Nawakadj Kenneth Mangiru Kayolyolme bu Njanjma Rangers kahdurrkmirri Ubirr

Kenneth Mangiru talks about his work with the Njanjma Rangers at Ubirr

Photos, audio recordings, Kunwinjku transcription and translation by Andy Peart

Njanjma Rangers, Western Arnhem Land/Kakadu National Park

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[00:00:00.00] Ngaye Nawakadj Narranek, Kenneth Mangiru.
I am Kenneth Mangiru, and my skin group is Nawakadj, my clan group is Danek.
[00:00:04.28] Ngaye Njanjma Ranger nga-rrurkmirri, konda kore Ubirr.
I work with the Njanjma Rangers here at Ubirr [in Kakadu National Park]
[00:00:11.02] Ngaye nga-marnebengyolyolme tourist bu kunred kondah Ubirr
I give talks to tourists at Ubirr.
[00:00:19.15] "Manmak Manme, Manmak Kunred"
We call these talks “ Manmak Manme, Manmak Kunred” which means good food, good country.
[00:00:27.23] Ngaye ngabenbukkan tourists bu... ngayolyolme manu bim nawu kakarrme kunwok, nabuyika nawu bim minj kakarrme kunwok.

I show the tourist rock art and tell them stories if that rock art has a story – some rock art don't have stories.

[00:00:45.07] Bim nawu yiman manu manme konda kayo. Birrikarrmeng kobohbanj korrokoni birrirey, birrnguni and bim.
Rock art such as paintings that show the animals and yams people used to catch for food in this area, that they used to eat and then paint in rock art

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[00:00:00.00] AP: Nawakadj, yiddok kunwardde ngurrimey, um, nawu Njanjma Rangers, funding ba bu ngurribolknahnan kunred?

Have the rangers got funding now to look after country?

[00:00:11.17] KM: Yoh, ngarrbolknahnan kunred ngadberre, bu bim, spray ngarriyime mimosa and weed, and rock art, dja ngarrbenbukkan bu tourists kore kabirrinan bim?

Yes, we will look after country – protect rock art, spray mimosa and kill other weeds, and show tourists rock art.

[00:00:31.23] AP: Dja wurdwurd?

And what about the children?

[00:00:31.23] KM: And wurdwurd ngarrbenbukkan bu ngad ngadberre, bu ngarrbenbukkan bu kabirrikarrme traditional way.

We'll teach kids traditional knowledge as part of our work.

[00:00:51.06] AP: Baleh keno ngurridedjingmang?

When do you start?

[00:00:56.09] KM: Might be nabuyika dird start kabirriyime, or mandjewkbuyika.

Might be next month (October 2014) or next year.

[00:01:09.17] AP: Dja baleh kayime nawu rangers?

How many rangers will there be?

[00:01:15.16] KM: Maitbi ngarrbenmang nawu six nawu fulltime and casual ngarrbenmang after.

We will pick six full time rangers and then later employ some casuals.

[00:01:25.26] AP: Dja baleh kunred ngurribolknahnan?

Which area will you look after?

[00:01:29.18] KM: Ngarribolknahnan kore kunred Red Lily, Mikkinj and Kudjumarndi, kume ngarri-durrkmirri those three place. Bonj.

We will look after country around three places – Red Lilly Billabong, Mikkinj Valley and Kudjumarndi (Tin Camp Creek/ Myra Falls area). That's it.

Bonj

That is all.

Kabirri-bolkbarung bu ka-bolkyakmen

September 16, 2014 By Filed Under: cultural text Tagged With: ,

Kabirri-bolkbarung bu ka-bolkyakmen

Painting things in ochre after someone passes away

If you live in Kakadu National Park or a town in Arnhem Land, you might notice that from time to time Bininj will mark trees, vehicles and buildings with red or yellow ochre lines. For most non-Indigenous people these marks will remain invisible and for others they will be incomprehensible, but it is a mortuary cultural practice that is very important to Bininj.

Here is a transcript in Gundjeihmi from Yvonne Margarula from the Mirarr clan in Jabiru explaining what these marks mean:

YM: Couple of months, might be like I say dird bogen o dird na-gudji,

two or three months (after someone dies)

Alright, gun-gurlk, yiman gun-nodjbe, gun-nodjbe arri-dulkdjobge, arri-dulkdjobge ....

Alright, we use clay, like red ochre, red ochre um we cut a line around the tree, we cut this line on the tree in clay

Arri-dulkdjobgeng, gun-gurlk nga-rrulkdjobge wanjh na-gohbanj ba-yakminj na-gohbanj nga-rrulkdjobkeng wanjh arri-re arri-warlbun maih arri-yawan djenj.

We paint a line in clay around the tree after when someone has died like when that old man [my father] died I painted a line of ochre around the tree and after that we can enter that area where he used to go so we too can go hunting or fishing again.

Arri-dulkdjobkeng gun-gurlk, barri-dulkdjobkeng gun-gurlk, na-gohbanj ba-yakminj dird danjbik, ba-rrulkdjobkeng gun-gurlk garlba wanjh arri-re arri-warlbun djenj arri-re maih arri-yawan ngarrban-gan family [rubs nose with hand] wanjh bonj arri-wohre.

After a person dies like when my father died, we paint clay rings around trees where he used to visit and then it is safe for us to go hunting or fishing or take our family around that place.

Here are some photos of these ochre mortuary markings:

In this video Kamarrang Jack Nawilil from Bolkdjam talks about this practice in the Mayali (or Kune) dialect of Bininj Gunwok. The video is subtitled but the Mayali transcript is below.

MAYALI

[00:00:00.21]
nani

[00:00:02.14]
Laik nga-mulemulewan

[00:00:04.08]
laik Mayali-beh

[00:00:05.48]
nani

[00:00:07.10]
laik namarnde ka-rrowen

[00:00:10.04]
yiman ka-yime beywurd ngarrku

[00:00:12.19]
o yiman na-badjan ngarrku

[00:00:15.07]
laik yiman ka-yime ngadjadj ngarri-yime

[00:00:17.23]
yiman ka-yime mamamh ngarri-yime

[00:00:21.20]
laik ka-rrown nane kun-buya ka-rradjke

[00:00:24.13]
mekim klia laik ka-marnbun

[00:00:26.35]
ka-bolkmakmen

[00:00:28.23]
nani nawu

[00:00:30.07]
laik wardi laik Bininj Bininj laik minj warrbo ka-ngun

[00:00:36.04]
kayakki

[00:00:40.05]
ka-marnbun nomol kun-red

[00:00:42.30]
ka-marnbun kun-buya laik ka-yakmen

[00:00:47.21]
laik ka-rrowen yiman ka-yime beywurd ngarrku yiman ka-yime ngadjadj

[00:00:51.28]
yiman ka-yimem mamamh

[00:00:52.32]
yiman ka-yime kakkak

[00:00:55.32]
Nane ka-yakmen kun-buya

[00:00:57.43]
Yiman ka-yime ngarr-bolkmardadahme

Bonj

That is all.


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