Garmak Gularriwuy
About Gularri Water
Timothy Buthimaŋ, an elder of the Wangurri people, reminded his daughter Garŋgulkpuy about the Gularri floodwater which flows down from their ancestral land at Dhälinybuy calling out the sacred names as it goes. That river is his ‘library’. It starts when the grass starts to cry, and the green frogs hear it, and feel relaxed because the rain is coming. The pathway for the water is already in place, and as it fills with water, it collects up sticks and leaves and bits of paperbark which finally get filtered out before the river reaches the sea. The story of that water in that place reveals the special role which Wangurri people have in conflict resolution and leadership. Garŋgulkpuy added a detailed diagram of the river and its work.
Garmak Gularriwuy (About Gularri Water)
by Timothy Buthimaŋ Ḏemala
talking to his daughter Garŋgulkpuy and his sister Lisa Walpulay, at the Dingu garden, Galiwin’ku February 2008
Just as the Teaching from Country program was starting up, Garŋgulkpuy came to work at Charles Darwin University for a few days and brought with her an audio recording from a discussion with her father She transcribed the story, and she and Michael worked on the translation and interpretation. It is a story about Wangurri tribe and their water, and what their story of the water tells them about their life and work. While we were working on the translation, Garŋgulkpuy also drew a diagram.
At the top right is the Wangurri water source at Dhalinybuy, and it flows out to the sea (joining up with other Yirritja waters which are not marked). On the side of the river the grass (mulmu bulmirri) is growing. The source contains the ‘learning and teaching methodology, confidence, research’ – ‘dhuwal nhanŋu wäŋa’ – that is its home. When the water wells up inside Wangurri country, it starts to flow ‘dhuwal ga gapu ŋalayŋalayyun’ and it talks – ‘gapu dhä-rirrakaymirri’ – water with sound in its mouth – ‘agreeing, negotiating, consulting, stating and empowering.
Dhuwandja mayali’ ŋunhi yolŋuy dhu marrtji raypirri’yun wäŋa rom ḻarakam dhunupayam’ – This means that when Yolŋu advise and admonish each other the land tells the law straight. ‘Dhuwal dhukundja ŋayi marrtji gäma’ – these are the leaves and sticks, palm fronds and bits of paperbark the Wangurri water is carrying down the river. These are bits of ‘information, knowledge, wisdom, intellectual research’. Near the mouth of the river is a ‘dhäwurr’ – this ‘wäŋa ŋunhi walal dhu nha malany rulaŋdhuna bala nhirrpana rom märr dhu walal ŋunhal gali’ manymakthirr’ – the bar where everything, anything comes together for agreement, and lays down the law ‘rom’ – so that everything on the other side will be good. The water on the other ‘agreement’ side is no longer rippling, it is calm Yirritja water called betj ‘betjnha dhu ŋorra’ – everyone comes to agreement.
| Wangurri transcription | English translation |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Ma! Nhaltjarr gan ŋäthil walal nhinan, ga nhä ŋunhi ŋayi yuwalk Garrayyu gurrupar limurruŋ yolŋuw nhawi, nhaku limurruŋ ŋayi ŋunhi romdja[1] gurrupar! Ga nhaltjan limurr dhu ŋunhiyi use-nydja dhiyaŋuny bala, ŋunhiyiny, bili marrtji dhuwal gumurr-ḏälthirra wäŋany. | Garŋgulkpuy: Okay! How did they use to live, and what did God truly give us Yolŋu, why he gave us our law? And how we will use it today, because things are getting very hard now in this place. |
| Buthimaŋ: Yo! Garraywu dhaŋu ŋäŋ’thuwan, Garraynha, bala buku-meŋgan Garraywul God-nha Moriny ga nhunu ŋarru God moriny galki ŋanapiligul, djinaŋ bala liŋgu nhuŋgu, nhuŋgu rom nhunupi, nhunupi dhuwan bokman waŋgala ŋarru nhawun dharrpalnha. Dhaŋu waŋgalam ŋarru dharrpalnha dhaŋu, rom mala nhuŋguram dhaluthaŋa gayŋa ŋoya ga nhuŋgura, nhunu ŋarru nhunupin bala milkumam ŋala banha ŋuwakurru ŋanapiliŋgu nyenanhawu. | Buthimaŋ: Okay. We’ll pray to God for guidance. ‘Here we ask you and thank you, Lord, God, father, that you will remain close to us, at this time, because you alone are the creator of this earth, and it is sacred land.’ This land is sacred, these laws are in your hands, reveal yourself to show the right way for us to live. |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Ga ŋala banha rom, ga law ŋanapiliŋguŋanapu ŋarru nyena ŋuwakurru, mägaya bayiŋ ŋanapu ŋarra nhäma nhunany dharaŋgan, bitjan bili malthun ga munguyun nhuŋgu mä ŋarru nhunum mattji bala rakaram ya ŋuwakurrum dhaŋuny ga rom nhalpiyan gan ŋätjiliŋu dhaŋuny garruwan dhäwu ga ŋoya ga nhalpiyana ŋarru yutaram banhaya liŋgu bala nhan ŋarru yutayin bala ŋanapiliny, guŋga’yunna yutanham yolŋuny djinaŋum bala. Bilinya dhaŋu Garray ŋaya nhuŋgul rakaranam nhuŋguru, nhuŋguru-murrum yäkurumurru Djesuwurumurru. Yo yo. | And where is a system and a law for right living, where we can attain your peace, always following you, so you can tell for us the right story, and the right way that the ancestral stories told the story of what was lying there, and how we can continue to renew it, for us so we can help the new generation of Yolŋu of today. This is what we ask you father in the name of Jesus. Amen. |
| Buthimaŋ: Yo! Nhäwuy bili ŋaya ŋarru rakaramam ŋurruŋum, gatjuwilak nhuma rakaraŋ ŋatjil nyäkul. Gamurruŋum nhäwuy. | Buthimaŋ: (to his daughter) What am I going to tell you? You tell me first, what points? |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Balanya nhakun. Balanya nhä ŋayi ga representing ŋalitjalaŋ, ŋunhal ŋali dhu play role today, balanya nhakun example ŋarra dhu lakaram gapu, ŋunhi barpuru ŋali ga lakaranhamirr, ŋunhi ŋalitjalaŋ role ŋali dhu always napuŋga ga dhärra, ga dhukun ŋali dhu gal’kalmaram, djäma litjalaŋ ŋunhi. Guŋga’yun ŋali dhu ga yolŋuny ŋunhi ŋayi dhu ga hurt, guŋga’yun ŋali dhu ga Yolŋuny ŋunhi ŋayi dhu ga problem-mirriyirr ŋunhi ŋalitjalaŋ rom, bili ŋuruŋiyi ŋayi ga lakaram. | Garŋgulkpuy: Like, tell me what does it mean for us, in the role we play today, the example I’m asking about is water, what we were talking about yesterday, that our role is always to stand in the middle, and get rid of the rubbish, is that our role? You and I will help Yolŋu people when they get hurt, we will help them when they develop problems, that’s our law, because that’s what (the water) tells us to do. |
| Buthimaŋ: Ya’ bilinya, dhuwanma nhän nhäpa, dhaŋuyam nhän ga ŋapaŋuruŋ dhuwanayam dhaŋuny nhan ŋapaŋuruŋ garmakpuy. Dhaŋuny ga galanydjawuy dhaŋuny, ga ŋunham ŋarra golam galanydjany galgaluman nhan ŋarra garmakthu bili banhaya garmak nhan gayŋa, ŋarru bitjana liŋgu gätthuna. | Buthimaŋ: Oh I see what you mean, yes it is, that’s the story on the surface, of the water (in both senses of the word). That’s the story of the flotsam is being carried slowly by the Wangurri water, because that water will keep on flowing for ever. |
| Banhaya garmak, banha ŋangawulnha yolŋuyu gayŋan djäma, ga yolŋuwuŋ yaw’yunda, ga yolŋuwuŋ mayaŋ guwathanharanaw bore nhan bayaŋu. Ŋangawul banham nininyŋu yana, gulundayŋu, ŋunham Dhälinyŋam garmak, nhan ŋarru gayŋa gätthuna bitjan liŋgu ga bitjan liŋgu. Liŋgu garmak banhaya rakaram ŋalma ŋarru garmak nhan ŋarru ŋarra räli dhä-wirkarrmi garrun. | That water, was never made by Yolŋu or dug by Yolŋu, the Yolŋu didn’t make the river, it’s not from a bore. No it’s everlasting, it has always been there, the water from Dhäliny[2], it will always be flowing for ever. Because that water tells us it comes to us unstoppable and speaks confidently. |
| Garrun ŋarra nhapa ŋarra ŋalayŋalayyun garmak, ŋunha nhan ŋarra gätthun nhan ŋarru gayŋa ŋäma ŋalma ŋarru, nhan ŋarru gayŋa dhä-reŋgitjmi nhan ŋarru gayŋa gätthun garmak ga golamam nhan ŋarru gayŋa dhuwanya, dhuwanya nhäpa malanynha galanydja dhukun. Yo! Ŋunham nhan yana ŋapaŋuruŋ dhäwu, ŋunha nhan ga rurrwuyun, ŋunha ga rurrwuyun, yutaram nhan gayŋa djinawa bärrku marimi ŋutu, be baya banha ŋali ŋalim ŋangawulnha marŋgi. Banhayam nhan gayŋa darrtjalkkuman ga waripum nhan ga darrtjalkkum ga waripum nhan gayŋa batjiwarr guwatharam mayaŋnha, mayaŋnha nhanbay yana garmak. Ga yakan ŋalma marŋgi bulum djinakuyam. | It is speaking and at the same time it is flowing, as it runs we can hear it, calling out the names of what it is carrying (belonging to different Yirritja clan groups), it will flow that water and carry the leaf litter, sticks and fragments of paperbark along. Yes, there’s the story about the surface, how it washes clean, and when it washes it makes new the inside, very very deep, so deep we don’t even understand it ourselves. When it cleans, then other things are cleaned too, also, it also prepares a path for the itself, the water does that itself. And we don’t know more about that. |
| Ga gatjuwilak nhunum dhä-wirrka’yuwan nhänany djinalaya nhänany. Nhuma dhä- wirrka’yuwanmiya. | Go on, ask me more questions. Ask me. |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Yow ŋunhi nhe gan lakaraŋal nhakun gapupuy, ga ŋunhiyi rom mala ŋunhi ŋayi start wanhal. Ga, ga reason-mirr nhakun ŋayi gan marrtjin yarrupthurrnydja ga dhiyaŋuny bala, nhaltjana napurrndja dhu dhiyalnydja Wangurriny Yolŋu ga rom nhakun ŋayi ga ŋayatham ŋuruŋiyi gapuy limurruŋ. | Garŋgulkpuy: Yes, when you were telling the story of water, and the laws, where did they start? And what is the reason that the water is going down to the sea, and now, what are we going to do here, we Wangurri tribe Yolŋu and the law that the water holds for us. |
| Buthimaŋ: Yo banha nhan ga romma ŋayathan ŋärrun nhan ŋarru gätthunma garmakma banha ŋaya gandarrŋa djaka- warruwan. Banham ŋaya djakawarruwan gandarrŋa ŋärrun. Nhan ŋarru garmakma gätthun ŋunham nhan gayŋa ŋunham nhan, ŋunham nhan gayŋa ŋäwatthun garmak, ŋayathanam nhan gayŋa dalkarrayu. | Buthimaŋ: Okay, the full story is that the water was flowing later. We started talking about the middle of the story, about when the water is flowing. But the origins when it first bubbled up, it was held by the sacred names of the law. |
| Ŋe! Ŋunham nhan gayŋan ŋayathan dalkarrayyu garmakma ŋunha nhan ga nhäpa inside yana ŋudulŋudul dhäya nhanbay yana garmak be baya nhanbay ga banha. Ŋarru bukmakma Yolŋu banha nhuma bayiŋ manikay ŋäma banham ŋanapu bayiŋ miyaman ŋalma mulmu rakaram gudaŋbaŋ aw dhika nhä banha ŋanapu bayiŋ rakaram bulmirri ga banhayam nha gayŋa ŋurru-yirr’yuna. Yutan nhän ŋunha nhän ŋarru, ŋarru nhäpan rakaraman ŋätjin nhan gayŋa, ŋätjin nhan gayŋa gudaŋbaŋnha nhan banhayam bulmirrin nhan ŋarru gäthunna garmakma, ŋunham nhan out. | Okay, so the sacred names held the water, inside, murmuring to itself, the water, just by itself. And all of us Yolŋu know that ancestral song which we sing, we sing about the grass, the new shoots, all the different things we sing about, it’s the grass that starts it off. The song tells of all the new things emerging, the grass starts weeping, when the rains come, the water will come flowing and will take it away. |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Ŋayiny dhu dhäkay-ŋäma wokaraynydja nhawiyuny wokaraynydja? | Garŋgulkpuy: Yes, and will the green tree frog also feel it? |
| Buthimaŋ:Yow! Nhanam ŋarru ŋäman dhäkay-ŋäman bala mattji garruna wayinma wokaram, ŋunha mattji djarŋgulkmurru garruna ŋunhuŋuyan nhanany ŋarru galŋa ŋulwitjkumam, galŋa ŋuwatjuman. Bala nhan ŋarru nhapam djarwaryunma ŋanydja buŋgatthuna[3] nhan ŋarru. Buŋgatthumana yana ya ŋunha, ga nhangu banhayam djäma, ŋunha dhupal ga dhuli’na-witjunmi. | Buthimaŋ: Yes! He will hear the grass crying, and feel the moisture and start croaking that little animal in the little creeks, in that way he will cool his skin and feel better. He won’t be feeling tired any more, he’ll be feeling cool and relaxed and expectant. He just relaxes, you see, and that is his job. The grass and the frog both listen to each other. |
| Mulmu ga ŋunha garmak inside ga ga garmindjarrk ŋunha ŋalmaliŋgu waŋgala. Yow, bala nhan ŋarru manikayma banham ŋarram ŋärrun nhan ŋarru ŋarra banha manikay bayikuya. Yo, Baltha nhan ŋarru nhinathuŋganmi. Yo! Ga murrukaynha ŋarru, yindiyin nhan ŋarru ŋoy-gurrŋandjin, bala nhän ŋarru nyarryuna, ga nyarryunma nhan ŋarru–-u dhawar’ma murryunma nhan ŋarru, murryunma milŋ’thunma nhan ŋarru, dhawar’yuman nhan ŋarru, bala nhan ŋarru ŋalayŋalayyuna garmakma. Ŋalayŋalayyuna nhan ŋarru riyala gätthuna ŋunha bayma ŋe! ŋe! ya ŋunha. | Water and grass rising up inside our country. Yes, then it will become the song, it turns into the song about it. Yes, the rain cloud sets itself in place, it gets bigger, its base becomes black, and then it will start to rain. It will rain, and then it will stop and then the thunder starts. When the thunder starts, then the lightening, then it will finish, and the water will start flowing. It will rise up and start flowing from the source over there, eh? That’s it. |
| Golurr nhan yäku ŋirrima, Golurr. Nhawi bilanya ya! ŋirrima nhäpa ŋirrima bilanya nhäpa waŋgala nhan ŋarru ga dhäya, lorr yäku nhan lorr, ŋaykana nhan lorr banhayam, yo! bayikuya waŋgala garmakku yana banhaya dharaŋgan nhän ŋarru yalala. Ga dharaŋgana nhan ŋarru bayiŋuya garmakthu, bala nhan ŋarru gätthuna. Bayikuya waŋgala garmakku yana after nhan ŋarru dhawar’yunna, bala nhan ŋarru ŋurru-yirr’yun gätthunna ŋalayŋalayyunna dhuwanayam. Dhuwan nhangu ga rom ŋoya rom nhangu. | We call that place Golurr. So you see, the place, the land, will be standing, the water building up is called lorr, that’s the name for that water, the name for the water in that place, it will recognise the path it has to take later. The water will recognise its place and start moving. The place that belongs to that water, when later it fills up, then it will start flowing. That’s the law lying there that belongs to that water. |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Ga nhaltjan nhakun ŋayi ga teachingnydja napurruny Wangurrinhany limurrunhany ŋuruŋiyiny? | Garŋgulkpuy: So what is it that it teaches us Wangurri people, that water story? |
| Buthimaŋ: Yo banhayam ga bitjanna gayŋa rakaramam banhayam ŋalmaliŋgu yanamu, dhaŋu nhumaliŋgu ŋaya ŋarru rakaram, dhaŋum, dhaŋum, dhaŋum nhä ŋaya bayiŋ ŋaya gayŋan marŋgiyin, ga ŋunha nyäku librim, librim nyäku buk, libri yäku bilanya bitjan nhumaliŋgu nhä ŋalmaliŋgu buk, ŋalma bayiŋ warrathun ga libriŋa nhuma bayiŋ ŋawatthunga dhaŋu nyäku libri guŋan bitjan nhumam bayiŋ warratthuna, dharaŋgan ŋalma bayiŋ nhäma, ya witjan, ŋunha nhawun shop-ŋa. Yo! Ga ŋunham nhan libri dhaŋu gam! nhan ŋarru garrun. | Buthimaŋ: Yes, it speaks to us like this, this is for us people, it’s ours I’ll tell all sorts of things that I have learnt, that’s my library. The library where you get and look at books inside, and find all sorts of things, so these are our books, which we will get, and you can get the story like the library. This is my library. You can give them, and get them and understand them, just like out of a shop. Yes. There’s a library there, it can talk. |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Discipline-nydja ŋayi ga ŋorra ŋunhiliyi ŋe! ? Balanya nhakun discipline ŋayi ga ŋorra raypirri. | Garŋgulkpuy: Is there a discipline lying in there? Is there some discipline like raypirri’[4] in there? |
| Buthimaŋ: Yow, raypirri. | Buthimaŋ: Yes, raypirri. |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Ŋayi ga ŋorra napurr dhu right time napurr dhu gurku’yun. | Garŋgulkpuy: It’s there, ready for when we (Wangurri Yolŋu) get up and start talking. |
| Buthimaŋ: Ya! right time nhuma ŋarru gurku’yun ŋarru gurku’yunma, bili nhan ŋarru banha gurku’yunma nhuma ŋarru right time bayikuya bayikuya yana liŋgu, bayiku yana liŋgu. Bayiku yana liŋgu nhawu nhunu gayŋa gatjpu’yun, ya ŋunha nhawu nhunu ŋayaŋu gurku’yuwan. | Buthimaŋ: Yes, you need to speak up at the right time whatever point you need to make, stand up and make those points. Yes, so you are looking into the future, and you are preparing to get up and going. |
| Yo! dingu banhay ga garmak garrun bitjan. Bitjan gam! ‘Ŋayam dhaŋu, ŋayam dhaŋu garmak ŋaya ŋarru dhä-reŋgitjmi, ga ŋarra ga birka’birkayun ŋaya ŋarru ŋarra. | Yes, the cycad[5] and the water are both telling us. Like this; ‘I am the water, I speak the scared connections, I will roar out the names.’ |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Dälkurr? | Garŋgulkpuy: Through strength? |
| Buthimaŋ: Wanyumurru mu! Ga gandarrŋa ŋaya ŋarru birkarr’yun ‘Ga yay’!’ bili garmak ya! banhaya nyäku garmak. Bilanya bitjan djolurr balaya ŋaya ŋarru gunhan, dhuwarrpum ŋaya ŋarru. Bala bayiŋ ŋaya ŋalthumanna, banha bili romma banhayan, ŋalthuna nhan ŋarru. | Buthimaŋ: Yes, through strength. And in the middle (of a ceremony) I will start chanting the sacred names (and everyone echoes) ‘Ga yay’!’ because of my water. That’s why I use white clay to paint the balaya on my forehead when we have ceremonies, it’s showing the pathway of the water. When I put the white ochre on my forehead that’s the law, I’ll put it on (representing the water). |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Ga betjŋa yän dhu ga nhinany? | Garŋgulkpuy: And make the calm quiet Yirritja water? |
| Buthimaŋ: Banhayan liŋgu, Djolorr banha ya! Ŋunhayan nyäkum nhan nhawi. | Buthimaŋ: That’s it, that forehead painting, that’s mine. |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Ga nhakun dhiyaŋuny bala organizationŋura ŋaliny dhu nhäma nhakun organization-dja. | Garŋgulkpuy: And what nowadays in organizations can we see, for organizations? |
| Buthimaŋ: Ŋayi ŋunhiyi nhakun ŋayiny gurrupara limurruŋ ŋali dhu dharray ga raypirri ŋalitjalaŋ Wangurriw yan yolŋuw gurrupar Garray-yu märr ga ŋayi dhu fit in with nhanukal dhäwu-lil Garraywal. | Buthimaŋ: So what the water has given us, we will look after carefully and use it to sort out problems, it was given by God only to the Wangurri yolŋu, and it fits in with His truth. |
| Yow! Ŋalmam djinakuya nhawi nhakun nhawun ŋalma nhawi gaŋga ŋalma marŋgi, gaŋga ŋalma marŋgi. Ga ŋalapalmi gaŋga marŋgi gaŋga nhan marŋgi ga djinaŋum bala ŋali ŋarru nhäma fit in-ma nhän ŋarru ŋalaŋa, ŋe ŋalaŋa ŋarru do’yunmim, bitjan gam! | Yes! We here, really only partially understand all that. Even the oldest people only partly understand, but we can see how it fits in whenever we meet together (to reach agreement). |
| Burrpar nhan burrpar ya wilanya nhakun ŋayi dhu buŋgatthunman nhunany gurku’yuman nhunany nhunu ŋarru ŋarra ga mala manapan bayikul yolŋuwul warrawul. Yolŋu banha ŋanapu ŋarru luŋ’thumanmi ga mala manapanmi join together-n | There are two things lying there (that the water does): to make you confident and relaxed, and to put you into action, to go and join with others, other ideas. (The water helps) Yolŋu when we come together, and join together. |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Ŋunhi nhe gan lakaraŋalnydja ŋunhili leadership-ŋur, leadership ŋayi ga ŋayatham yolŋuy ŋayiny dhu nhakun napurrnydja wiripuwurruŋguny waŋgayŋu- wulkuny ga nhäpa balanya ŋayi ŋunhi mayali’ nhakun dhiyaŋ bala todays organization ŋunhi limurr ga facing. | Garŋgulkpuy: Was what you were talking about a sort of leadership, (from the water) help by Yolŋu so that we people, working with others, (Yes) so it refers to today’s organizations. |
| Buthimaŋ: Yo! Ga bitjana nhan ŋarru ga wekamam ŋe! | Yes that’s what the Wangurri water has to give. |
| Garŋgulkpuy: Ga waŋganydja ŋayi ga Balanday rom milkum dhiyaŋ bala ŋalimurr dhu ga malthun yanbi dhanaliŋguway romgu, ŋarru dhanaliway gayŋan ŋalmaliny baduwaduyuwanam. | Garŋgulkpuy: And the nonAboriginal people are showing us how to do things their way, and follow their system, but that is what has been distracting us. |
| Nhakun ŋalitjalaŋ gämurru mala djämaw walaldja ga coming in nhakun yolŋu’yulŋuny mala ŋayiny ga ŋuruŋuyiny clearly ga lakaram dhäwu, ŋuruŋiyiny gapuynydja. Ga ŋunhi ŋalimurr dhu ŋurukiyi malthun ga open-lil dhäruk ŋanya rulaŋmaram as Wangurri tribe-thu. Ga nhawin limurr dhika nhaman ŋanyany ŋunhiyi bala putting into practise-nha. | So that is the point about the work that keeps coming in for Yolŋu, the water is making the story very clear. And if we follow it, and put the story out in the open, as the Wangurri tribe. And we will see it, and put it into practice. |
| God-kun djäma ŋunhi ŋayi rulaŋdhurra gapu muka ga dhäwu mala ŋayi rulaŋdhurr litjalaŋ. Ŋali dhu put ŋunhiyi into practice dhiyaŋuny bala todays organisation-lila balany nhakun dingu dhuwal foundation- mirr ŋayi dhuwal. Foundationmirr ŋayi dhuwal, founder ŋayi dhuwal, nhaku? Maranhu gurrupanaraw. Ga räl gäma ŋayi dhu maranhuw represent ŋayi ga dingu ŋe! | It was God’s work putting the waters in place, and He put the stories in place for us. We will put it into practice now in today’s organizations, it’s like this cycad process, it has a foundation. It is its foundation, the founder what for? For giving sustenance. Getting up and doing something for your survival is what the cycad story represents. |
| Buthimaŋ: Yo! Dhuwanya bili mu ŋaya gayŋan rakaran bilanya nhawun leader riwal’yun ŋarra ga mala ‘yarrk’. Bala nhan ŋarru leaderyu bitjana gam! ‘Banhalaya liŋgu line-ŋa.’ Ŋay! Ŋay nhuŋgum nhunum djinakuya dharray nhunu ŋarru ga dharray djinaku nhakun ŋunha dhanal. | Buthimaŋ: Yes! Yes, that’s what I was telling you, that’s a leader, who will sweep things away, clear. Then the leader will say: ‘That’s the right line!’ So there is your story. You will care for it, you will care for this, like they did (your ancestors) |
Originally published with authors permission at Yolŋu Aboriginal Consultants Initiative https://www.cdu.edu.au/centres/yaci/resources.html
- Rom in the context of this story could be translated as protocols, laws, advice, proper ways of doing things, good customary practice. ↵
- Dhäliny is the source of Wangurri water which flows into Arnhem Bay along what in English is called the Cato River. ↵
- Buŋgatthun means relaxed, but also confident, aware, and ready for action. ↵
- Raypirri is difficult to translate into English. I means discipline in the sense of a well-guided, well-founded appropriate way to behave. ↵
- Dingu the cycad nut is another Yirritja totem which has a story to tell about water and truth and process. ↵
