Blog
Nga-ni Kun-red Ngarduk Man-djewk Na-kudji / A Year in My Country
December 18, 2017
The launch of a book in the Kune language (published by Batchelor Press) took place recently at Buluhkaduru outstation. The book is Nga-ni Kun-red Ngarduk Man-djewk Na-kudji 'One Year in my Country'...
Birri-bengwarreminj mako-ken / That Didjeridu Has Sent them Mad
April 17, 2017
An article that originally appeared in 2000. I. Chance (Ed.), (pp. 12-25). Kent Town (SA): Wakefield Press. You can read the full PDF by clicking here or on the image below.
Something About Emus
April 13, 2017
The Bininj Kunwok Language Project is very excited to announce the appearance of our new book Something About Emus: Bininj Stories From Western Arnhem Land. It's a bilingual Kunwok and Kunbalanda (Eng...
Kudjewk dja Bangkerreng
April 8, 2017
Ngalwakadj Jill Nganjmirra talks in Kunwinjku about the two wet seasons Kudjewk and Bangkerreng and the environmental changes that tell Bininj (Aboriginal people) what foods are available at different...
Manimunak Wirlarrk / Magpie Goose Eggs
March 30, 2017
Here is the children's literacy video about magpie goose eggs by Jill Nganjmirra, Seraine Namundja and Andy Peart. This version has English subtitles. Bonj. That is all.
Man-djurlukkumarlba
February 2, 2017
Kudjewk wanjh karrimang mandjurlukkumarlba. 'In the wet season we get mandjurlukkumarlba berries.' It's now the season for mandjurlukkumarlba berries In Kuninjku they are called mandjurlukkurn. I...
Pronunciation guides on signage
January 12, 2017
Pronunciation guides on signage! Here is a typical problem when using some kind of pronunciation guide on signs for Bininj Kunwok words. When there is no equivalent sound or 'phoneme' in English for ...
Ngahborlbme / I am learning
September 19, 2016
The online Kunwinjku course is going well. There are some great discussions and questions in the forums. Here is an answer to an interesting question: QUESTION FROM A STUDENT about ngahborlbme 'I am ...
Kuninjku and Kune teaching at Maningrida School
September 19, 2016
Kamalay Kamak = 'Good Morning'. Ngaye Bulanj Linton. Ngarrurrkmirri Manawukan School kunwok Kuninjku. Nganedjarrkdurrkmirri Bangardi Nadukurrdji dja Kamarrang Naborn.\ Translation: Good morning. I ...
Dird / The Moon
May 21, 2016
The Research Unit for Indigenous Languages at the University of Melbourne recently tweeted a nice graphic with various names for the moon in a number of Australian Indigenous languages. Here is their ...
Daluhdaluk Kabindibukkan Kunmadj
March 26, 2016
Here's a video about women weavers from Injalak and Njanjma Rangers teaching tourists how to do fibrecraft, at Border Store in Kakadu National Park. Daluhdaluk nawu Injalak beh dja mak nawu Njanjma R...
New Bininj Kunwok Alphabet Chart
March 5, 2016
We are happy to launch new literacy resources. The first is our alphabet chart and phonics books. These feature illustrations by 15 year old Corben Nabanardi from Jabiru. The alphabet strip is avai...
Nawakadj Don kayolyolme bim nuye
November 30, 2015
Nawakadj Don Namunjdja kayolyolme bim nuye. This video features "same language subtitling" so you can see what the words look like when written. Recording, transcription and subtitles by Andy Peart. ...
Kabarung
October 18, 2015
In this post we will learn the verb \-barung 'to cover in paint or ochre, to smear'. In this picture Balang Djimarr (a speaker of Kuninjku) has painted his body and face. His body has a plant desig...
Karribolknahnan Kunred / Njanjma Rangers
September 24, 2015
From ABC Open In our local language of Kunwinjku, we say "karribolknahnan kunred". It means caring for country. Looking after our country near Gunbalanya, in Western Arnhem Land, is a big part of ou...
Karri-djendukkarren / Tongue-twisters
June 22, 2015
The Resource Network for Linguistic Diversity has been posting some great Australian language tongue-twisters recently. Here is a selection from across the country. Sometimes the texts are also given ...
Bininj Manbolh movie from 2006
May 19, 2015
In 2006 80 Bininj Warddeken 'people from the rock country' walked from Kamarrkawarn to Kabulwarnamyo via Djorlok on the Mann River over 8 days. The old people or dabborrabbolk were flown in by helicop...
Kabindi-bimbukkan kore Border Store
May 15, 2015
Audio recorded and transcript prepared by Andy Peart: Larry Bangarr talks about the "Thick Lines—Thin Lines" weekly tourist activity that has been going for a few years every Saturday at the Border...
Kurdukadji, Alwanjdjuk, Ngurrurdu / Emu
May 1, 2015
Kurdukadji, ngal-ngeywern. Kunwinjku ngarri-ngeybun kurdukadji. Kundjeyhmi kabirri-ngeybun Alwanjdjuk dja Kuninjku Kundedjnjenghmi kabirri-ngeybun ngurrurdu. Emu, she has many names. In Kunwinjku w...
Nakangila Kayolyolme Njanjma Rangers
November 30, 2014
bininjkunwok.org.au</a 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: Nanga...
Nawakadj Kayolyolme Njanjma Rangers / Kenneth Mangiru on the Njanjma Rangers
October 30, 2014
Photos, audio recordings, Kunwinjku transcription and translation by Andy Peart Njanjma Rangers, Western Arnhem Land/Kakadu National Park bininjkunwok.org.au</a \00:00:00.00] Ngaye Nawakadj Narra...
Kabirri-bolkbarung bu ka-bolkyakmen / Painting things in ochre after someone passes away
September 16, 2014
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-Indige...
Kun-yungki bu Kerrngehken Bininj Bindih-nang Balanda / Fragile First Impressions: A Threatened Archive of Indigenous Reportage
June 3, 2014
Trinity Grammar and Warddeken Land Management invite you to: FRAGILE FIRST IMPRESSIONS A Threatened Archive of Indigenous Reportage Indigenous rock art images depicting early contact in Western Arn...
Ngurri-na nahni Video! / Check out these videos!
May 14, 2014
Skinnyfish birri-marnbom na-wern na-makkayken video (Kunwinjku kunwok dorrengh) bu kun-burrk kadberre dja mak baleh ka-yime bu karri-bawon kun-djak dja karri-murrngrayekmen. Wardi ngurri-na! Skinnyfi...
An-me An-mak Adberre / Our wonderful bush tucker!
May 10, 2014
Our wonderful bushtucker! (In Kunwinjku using Gundjeihmi spelling systerm) Wurdurd nawu gabirri-yo Djidbidjidbi Gurrambalk gabirri-borlbme man-me Bininj-gen. The students at Djidbidjidbi Residentia...
Darth Vader ka-wokdi Kunwinjku!
May 5, 2014
See here for more discussion about the pronouns in other languages: In Kunwinjku you just say it in one word bornang ‘I am your father’ (literally: 'I>you fathered'). The subject and object m...
Djidbidjidbi Kurrambalk barri-kerrnge kabarri-borlbme / New staff at Djidbidjidbi Residential College do cross-cultural training
April 14, 2014
Djidbidjidbi Kurrambalk kure Jabiru barri-kerrnge nawu kabarri-durrkmirri barri-wam training-ken. Barri-borlbmeng Bininj an-karre dja Bininj Kunwok yiman ka-yime Kundjeyhmi dja Kunwinjku. New staff a...
Documenting and Revitalising Indigenous Languages Workshop
July 17, 2013
Gundjeihmi: Gure Jabiru, boyen arri-marnbom DRIL workshop ba gamak Gundjeihmi dja Gunwinjgu gabarri-djalwokdi. Daluk bani-bogenh banim-wam andi-bidyigarrmeng, Margaret Florey dja Donna McLaren. Gaban...
Bininj Anbolh / Traditional Walking Routes
July 4, 2013
Kunwinjku: Bininj Gunwok Language Project, Injalak dja Australian National University kabirridjarrkdurrkmirri ba kabirribolkngeykurrmehkurrme nawu korroko Bininj birrirey kurrenge kore Bininj man...
Batchelor Course Birriyakwong / Bachelor Graduation
June 27, 2013
Tom Wood and Raymond Guymala have a planning discussion the day before their trip from Gunbalanya to Batchelor College on 20 June 2013 for their graduation ceremony at Batchelor Institute of Indig...
Bim Nawakadj Nuye / Don Namundja's Painting
May 25, 2013
Injalak Arts Worker Danny Kennedy interviews Don Namundja about a recent painting: bininjkunwok.org.au</a Danny Kennedy: Yo Nawakadj, yi-yolyolme bu njale yi-bimbom. Yes Nawakadj, can you explain...
An-ngale makka kah-ngeyyo? / What's the name of that plant?
March 30, 2013
Ma, ngurri-wokbimbu! A transcription exercise. Note that the Kundedjnjenghmi dialect of Bininj Kunwok is used in this video (spoken on the Arnhem Land plateau around Manmoyi). In this video made by ...
Season's Eatings from Warddeken
December 22, 2012
The card features two bush foods which are abundant in kunumeleng. Man-dudjmi (Kunwinjku), An-dudjmi (Gundjeihmi and Kundedjnjenghmi dialects), man-moyi (Kune dialect). Scientific name A short var...
Ngalwalngurru / Chameleon Dragon
September 13, 2012
Nawu Warddeken kabirridurrkmirri, birringalkeng mayh nawu karringeybun ngalwalngurru. Yika mak kabirringeybun mak alwalngurru (Kundedjnjenghmi) dja walwalngurru (Kune). Konda kayolyolme Nabangardi...
Konda Kabard / Here it stands (literally 'here it-knee/node')
September 9, 2012
(W) = Kunwinjku (Gdj) = Gundjeihmi For those who have been learning their body part vocabulary, you will have learnt the word for knee kunbard (W) gunbard (Gdj). The word also refers to nodes on the ...
Yirlinkirrkkirr / Djirnidjirnirrinjken / White-throated Grass Wren
September 8, 2012
This post is about a bird endemic to the rock country of Bininj Gunwok speaking people— the white-throated grass wren or yirlinkirrkkirr (in most dialects). In Kune dialect it is called djirnidjirnir...
Anbinik dja Kukodjdubbe Ankabo / Allosyncarpia ternata trees and headwater wetlands
September 6, 2012
The Bininj Gunwok Language Project has been working together with Warddeken Land Management Ltd, ecologist Jeremy Freeman from Charles Darwin University, and the Nature Conservancy to produce two new ...
Jabiru School Print Workshops 2012
August 30, 2012
Bulanj Murray kabendjawan yawurrinj nawu birrihbimmarnbom. Murray Garde talks with 3 Jabiru School students about their prints—Jimmy Marimowa, Cuisak Nango and Hezekiah Lane. JAS Jimmy namarrkon e...
Injalak Screenprinting
August 20, 2012
The famous Injalak screenprints at Gunbalanya are back in production. Isaiah Nagurrgurrba talks about how it all started. Isaiah screenprinting text \00:00:00.00] First nawu ngarrbendja...
Pronoun prefixes on verbs
July 28, 2012
Learning a new language involves committing many words to memory, regularly. But there are of course many points of grammar that you also need to know in order to construct sentences correctly. If you...
Bongolinj-bongolinj
July 11, 2012
madjandemed barra ngalero madjandemed barra ngalero madjandemed barra ngalero kabidbun kuwardde kawohbarndi madjandemed is Gilbert's dragon also known as the 'tata lizard' because of its ha...
Karriwokdjobdjobke / Bininj Kunwok verb parts
July 10, 2012
Karri-wok-djob-djob-ke: "Cutting up words", we (inclusive)-word/language-reduplicate-cut-\transitive verb theme] Linguists describe Bininj Kunwok (Kunwinjku, Gundjeihmi, Kuninjku, Kune, Kundedjnjen...
Nabangardi Kayolyolme Kunwardderurrkken / Terrah talks about Rock Shelters
July 2, 2012
Djarrang kore Enamaraway, Wamud Namok ba-bimbom c1950s wanjh kum-durndi 1996 wanjh ba-yawoyhbimkerrngehwong djarrang. Horse (and rider) at Enamaraway by Wamud Namok, painted c1950s and then again i...
Nakodjok Namanilakarr eulogy
June 27, 2012
Indjalarrkku_01 This is the Kunwinjku eulogy given Thursday 28 June 2012 at Emmanuel Church Kunbarlanja for the funeral service of Nakodjok Namanilakarr. It includes a \somewhat free] English tran...
Classes of nouns in Bininj Kunwok
June 4, 2012
This is another lesson for those studying Bininj Kunwok in Jabiru, Kunbarlanja, Maningrida and other parts of Western Arnhem Land. Did you ever learn French, Italian or German at school? If you did, ...
Karrinahnarren bu helicopter karrire / Helicopter Safety
June 4, 2012
Many Bininj working out bush need to travel by helicopter, especially those doing land management and site survey work. This safety briefing is a Kunwinjku translation of the Civil Aviation Safety Aut...
CDEP Kabirri-durrkmirri / Working for CDEP
May 3, 2012
Kodjok na-Kardbam Charles ka-yolyolme djob yawurrinj bedberre: CDEP story Charles \00:00:00.00] Charles ngaye \00:00:01.18] Yoh, ngudda baleh yi-kurn... ngudda? \00:00:03.04] Kodjok \00:00:03...
Yi-djenmarnburren ba yi-wernhwokdi / Getting your tongue around Kunwinjku
April 8, 2012
Yi-djenmarnburren ba yi-wernhwokdi! (literally: Organise your tongue so you can speak properly!) In a recent lesson we looked at the various sounds of Bininj Kunwok and the letters used to represent ...
Facebook kore Kunwinjku dja Gundjeihmi kun-wok! / Facebook in Kunwinjku and Gundjeihmi!
March 26, 2012
After reading about the facebook interface in minority Australian languages on that mununga linguist, the scripts are now available: Update 12 August 2012: Note there has been an update to these scr...
Bale garrungyime? / What's the time?
March 21, 2012
(or, "Ngaled ga-rrungyime?") Here's a nice language development. The folk at Gagadju Dreaming near Cooinda in Kakadu National Park. These are Indigenous owned businesses and so they are keen to inc...
Ma! Karri-wokdi Kundjeyhmi! / OK, let's speak Kundjeyhmi!
February 16, 2012
This is the first post for Jabiru students and agency employees learning the Australian languages Kundjeyhmi and Kunwinjku, which are spoken in Kakadu National Park and Western Arnhem Land. Other ...