Acknowledgements

The editors acknowledge the Larrakia people on whose land in Garramilla Darwin, Yolŋu studies and research came to life and continues its life in the academy.

We particularly acknowledge the warmth and support of the many Larrakia people who have guided our work on their country.

We acknowledge the many different groups of Yolŋu people whose networks of people-places which participated in making the texts in this book, are found mostly in east Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia.

Since the Yolŋu Studies program started in 1994, we have benefitted from the constant guidance of senior Yolŋu authorities from many Yolŋu places – too many to name.

We also acknowledge the work of John Greatorex and Yiŋiya Guyula who coordinated and taught Yolŋu Studies during the years when many of these texts were written.

We also thank Michaela Spencer, Rebecca Adams, Alice Luetchford and Tara Burton for their assistance in bringing this volume together.

Finally we acknowledge the support and contributions of Brenda Muthamulawuy who is the niece – gäthu – of  Birrinymal Gaykamaŋu to whom this book is dedicated. Mutha’s Gupapuyŋu bäpurru comes from Birrkili at Ḻuŋgutja, and Birrinymal belongs to the Gaykamaŋu Gupapuyŋu at Djiliwirri. She provided the cover image and permission given to use in this volume. She illustrated some Yirritja and Dhuwa beings^[1] making the Yolŋu world.

“Ḏingu (cycad palms and nuts) is Yirritja and belongs to Wangurri clan group as their totem. Following the ancestral process, we, Yolŋu people make bread with ḏingu, share and eat it during the ceremonies. Seeing and smelling the flowers of gaḏayka (stringybark) and wakwak (waterlily), and weaving baskets made of gunga (pandanus) for collecting berries and yams, we care for our country and are cared for by our country. Rärrk (crosshatched layering of lines) presents the identity and ownership of particular Yolŋu clan groups. We use four or three colours (black, white, yellow and red) for the design of Yolŋu people and places called miny’tji.”

We also thank her for all her work in Yolŋu Studies over the years, and for agreeing to be the Yolŋu reviewer for this volume.

We also thank John Greatorex for reviewing drafts of this reader.

This book was produced through a grant from the Council of Australasian University Librarians.