Yolŋuw Yothuw Marŋgithinyaraw ga Marŋgikunhamirr Dhukarr
The Yolŋu Child's Pathway
Yolŋu elders can often identify very special young people who will grow up to be leaders in ceremony, in clan groups, in the community or in politics as Gawura beautifully articulated in his introduction to Yolŋu Philosophy. But the school system does not understand Yolŋu points of view of what it means for a young person to be seen as ‘gifted’ or ‘talented’.
In 2008, the Yolŋu Aboriginal Consultants Initiative invited eight Yolŋu consultants to a week-long workshop to make recommendations to government about the education of ‘Gifted and Talented Yolŋu Children’.
Garŋgulkpuy was keen to explain that when a Yolŋu child is born, she already has all the networks of kin names and places required to grow up with a habitual way of behaving – a gakal – which proves her talent. She uses a diagram of the matriline to point out the clan networks and intergenerational connections which makes this possible.
Yolŋuw Yothuw Marŋgithinyaraw ga Marŋgikunhamirr Dhukarr
by Joanne Garŋgulkpuy
Translated by Garŋgulkpuy and Michael Christie
23 September 2008
| Yolŋu dhäruk | Direct translation | English translation |
| Ŋunhi yolŋu yothuy ŋuli wäŋa nhäma[1], ga wiripuy yolŋuy gurruṯumirriy ŋuli yäku- nhirrpandja ŋanyany. | When yolŋu child will place- see, and other yolŋu with kin links will name-place him. | As soon as a child is born (sees the land) his kin folk name him. |
| Bala ŋuli yorrnha yolŋu ḻuŋ’thun ga gurrupan nhanŋu märr-ŋamathinyawuydja yothuwnydja. | Then always later people gather and give him love for that child. | And other people will crowd around and give that child love. |
| Ŋuruŋiny romdhu ŋuli ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋunhan ŋayaŋu[2] rur’maraman djägawnha yothuwnydja. | By that law will that mother’s ŋayaŋu be activated to care for that child. | In that way the mother’s soul becomes mobilised to look after the child. |
| Ga ŋurruŋuny ŋayi dhu marŋgithirr ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋuw. | And first she will learn for mother. | The first thing he learns about is mother. |
| Yurr ŋunhi ŋuli Dhuway[3] ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋuy gäma yothuny, ga yothuny ŋunhi, ga Yirritja. Ga ŋuli ga Yirritjay ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋuy gäma, yothu ŋuli maḻŋ’thun Dhuwa. | But when will Dhuwa mother carry baby, and baby that, and Yirritja. And when Yirritja mother carries, the baby will appear Dhuwa. | But Dhuwa mothers carry Yirritja babies and Yirritja mothers carry Dhuwa babies. |
| Dhunupan ŋayi ŋuli ŋunhi yothu mälkmirriyirr bäpurru’mirriyirr, ga bundurrmirriyirra gurrpanaraw wiripuŋuw yolŋuw. | Straight she always baby with mälk, with clan, and with sacred bone names for kin-calling different Yolŋu. | Straight away that baby has a subsection, a clan name, and sacred bone name to correctly identify and link to other Yolŋu. |
| Bili ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋu dhuwal dharray-manymakmirrnydja bili ŋayi ŋunhi dhangi’- waṯaŋuny yakurr’wuny yothuwnydja. | Because mother here care- good-full, because she that hug-owner for sleep for baby. | So the mother is the good carer, because she owns the cradling care for the child’s sleep. |
| Galki nhakun ŋayi dhu ga yothu nhina ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋuwal. | Close like she will the child sit with mother. | Because the child is always close to his mother. |
| Bala ŋuruŋiny romdhu yothuydja ŋuli ŋäma ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋuny nhanŋuwuy ŋayi, ŋunhi ŋayi ŋuli ḻakaranhamirr nhanukal yothukurr dhärukkurr ‘Ŋamala’. | Then through that law the children will hear mother her own, that she will call herself to her through baby language: Ŋamala | So in this way the child hears his own mother, when she uses baby language and calls herself ‘Mummy’ (Ŋamala). |
| Ŋuruŋiny dhärukthun ŋayi ŋuli ga ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋuy ḻakaranhamirr ŋanyapinya ŋayi gurruṯu yothuwala. | By that by language she always is mother tell-herself her-own-self she kin for child. | Through that language, the mother refers to herself using a kin term to her child. |
| Yorrnha ŋuli dhäruk gurrupana ga marŋgikuman ḏälnydja, balanya nhakun yäkuwnydja wiripuwurruŋguny gurruṯumirriwnydja, ga wakal’wu ga gitkitku bala marrkapthuna[4] ŋuli yothuny dhika mirithirra. | Later always language give and teach hard, like names other-other kin-full and for games for laughs then express love always child her very much. | After that she starts to give and teach harder words, like the names of other kin folk, and through games and laughter the child becomes confident in his mother’s love. |
| Ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋuynydja ŋuli märr-ŋamathinyawuy gurrupana bala ḻakaraman ŋayi marrtji ŋuli ŋuliwitjandhi märr- ŋamathinyawuykurra romgurr ga marrkapthunawurra. | Mother always love gives then tells she goes always whichever way love law and appreciation. | The mother always gives love, then tells her child everything through the ways of love and appreciation. |
| Dhuwaliyiny mirithirr nhakun ŋayi märr- ḏapthunamirr rom, märr ga ŋayi dhu yothu marrkapthun nhanukiyingalaŋaw ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋuw. | This very much like she commitment law, so she will child love-praise-appreciate her mother. | This is a very faith- clenching law, so that a child can most appreciate his own mother. |
| Ŋunhi ŋayi dhu märramany marrtji romdja, bala ŋayiny marrtji dhu ŋayipin yan yothuynha mala-djarr’yundja. | When she will get the law, then she will go herself that child differentiate. | As he learns that law, he learns to make discriminations for himself. |
| Yol ŋayi, wanhaŋur ŋayi, nhä nhanŋu bäpurruny’, ga yol nhanŋu yalu’. | Who she, where from she, what her clan, and who her nest. | Who he is, where he is from, what clan group, what mother’s line. |
| Bala ŋayi marrtji dhu ḻarruman yol mala yapa’mirr nhanŋu, yol mala ŋäṉḏimirr mala bäpurru, yol wakumirr ga yol märimirr, ga wanhaŋur ŋayi mala-ŋurrkanhawuy. | Then she go will search who are m’s m’s m’s m’s group, who her mothers’ (pl) clan, who m’s m’s m’s, and who m’s m’s, and where from she many-thrown. | So he’ll want to know who are his great grand mothers’ people, his mothers’, his mother’s grandmothers’ and mothers, and from where he is descended (See diagram). |
| Yolŋu yothu ŋuli ŋuthana bala marŋgithirra dhunukuŋur[5] ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋuwal yurr märrmay’ dhukarryuny: nhänharay ga ŋänharay bala marrtji ŋuli dhäruktja rulaŋdhuna ṉurrku’lilnha[6] | Yolŋu child will grow then learn in care by mother but by two paths: by looking and by listening and then will go words put into head. | The Yolŋu child grows and learns in the mother’s care through two means, looking and listening, then the words form in her head. |
| Ga ŋunhiyi ṉurrku’ djämaw dhuwal mirithirr ganydjarrmirr bili birrka’yunawuy ṉurrku dhuwal warrpam yäkumirr Yolŋuw yothuw ga bäpurruw, balanya nhakun napurruŋ ṉurrku birrka’yunaraw, dhuwal Gayalinydjil | And that very head-mind for work this very powerful because trying head this all with name of the yolŋu child, and clan like our head for thinking this Gayalinydjil. | And the mind is very powerful for working, since the thinking power of any Yolŋu child actually has a specific clan-related name For example our (Wangurri clan) mind is called Gayalinydjil. |
| Beŋur dhuŋgarraŋur goŋ- waŋgany ga djimbiyalil yothu ŋuli marŋgithirra yol nhanŋu ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋuw galkiwuy gurruṯu’mirr walal, ga yän bili ga balan bitjana ŋayi ŋuli marŋgithirra bukmakkun romgun, ŋunhi ga rom ŋorra buŋgulŋur, manikayŋur ga bulu dharrwa dhika. | From years hand-one and to seven the child always learns who her mother’s close relations are, until there she learns all the law, the law which is in ceremony, in song, and all other sorts. | Between five and seven years old, the child learns who his mother’s close relations are, until he knows everyone – relations, and their traditional roles, in ceremonies and songs and all other things[7] |
| Ŋunhiyiny waluy ŋayi ŋuli djämamirriyaman nhanŋu marŋgithinyawuynydja, bala ŋuli gäman ga milkuman nhanŋuwuy gakal’tja[8] wiripuŋuwal yolŋuwal. | That time makes her learning work, and takes and shows her talent/style to other Yolŋu. | That period puts his knowledge to work, and he carries it, and reveals his own ancestral style to other people. |
| Ŋunhiyiny nhanŋu gakalnha ga mundhurrnha djämawnha dirramuwnydja djäma ŋayi dhu märram djäma djuŋgayawnha, ḏalkarrawnha, biḻmawnha, ga romgun mala. | That his style and gift for working – for a boy he will work as manager, or ceremonial leader, and clapstick laws. | This provides a man’s talent and gift, for the work he will do as custodian, authority on sacred names, ceremonial leader, and other important roles. |
| Ŋayiny dhu miyalktja yolŋu buthuru gänhamirra[9] makarrwu yuṯuŋgurrwu manikaywun, märr ga ŋayi dhu nyä’yundja dhunupa yän bundurrnydja lakaram. | And the woman Yolŋu will take her ears to the theme of ancestral songs, so she will cry straight, just telling the body names. | And the woman will listen carefully so that when it comes time to cry, she will get the song lines right, she will sing/cry the right sacred names. |
| Bili ŋayipin ŋunhi miyalktja yothu marŋgin yol bäyŋuthin. | Because she along that woman baby knows who became nothing. | Because she has known that person who has died ever since she was a baby. |
| Beŋuryiny ŋayi dhu yolŋuy yothuy märr-dharaŋanna yol nhanŋu yapapulu, ŋäṉḏipulu, wakupulu, märipulu ga dharaŋanna ŋayi marrtji dhu djäman nhanŋuwuy dhiyak mala | From that she will yolŋu child believe who her yapa, ŋändi, waku, märi and understand she will go work for her for them. | After the child grows up, he builds up trust with other groups, (sisters, mothers, great grandmothers, grandmothers), and understands what his role is in relation to all those different groups. |
| Balanya nhakun yapapuluwalnydja ŋayi dhu ga mukthuna yän nhina, yäkuny ŋayi ŋunhi moda wo mirriri. | Like example, sister family will quiet only sit, name that there moda or mirriri. | For example at a funeral, those people from clans who could be called ‘sister’ to the deceased, must sit quietly and do nothing, this is what we call moda or mirriri. |
| Ga ŋäṉḏi’mirriŋuwal ga märi’mirriŋuwal ŋayi dhu rur’yun ga waŋa ga napuŋga dhärra, balanya nhakun djawarrkmirr wo rom ŋayi dhu nhirrpan dhunupayam. | And for the mothers and for the mother’s mothers she will get up and talk and stand in the middle, for example exhorting or law she will lay down straight. | But for the mother’s and grandmother’s clan, he will get up and stand in the middle and talk and exhort people, and make sure things are being done correctly according to law. |
| Ga wakupuluwalnydja ŋayi dhu nhina ga ŋäman, bili nhanukalaŋu märipuluw ŋunhiyi romdja. | And with the waku people, she will sit and listen, because it is their mother’s mother’s law. | And sit with the waku clan people (see the diagram), because their märi (ie the mother’s mother clan of the deceased) are in control. |
| Yurru ŋunhi ŋayi dhu yothu ‘waṯaŋu’ bäyŋuthirrinydja, märi yän nhanŋu buŋgawany. | But if she will child waṯaŋu die, mother’s mothers only her boss. | If a child dies, it will be the mother’s mothers’ people in control of the ceremony. |
| Yolŋuy yothuy ga ŋayatham gakal’ ga mundhurr mala, ga nhaliy ŋayi dhu ŋunhi djuḻkmaramany ŋunhi ŋayi dhu ga dhuli’na- bitjuna, ralpayirr ga djambatjthirr, nhaku mala romgu walal dhu nhirrpan nhanŋu. | Yolŋu children hold roles and gifts, and who they will pass them when they will listen, become helpful and effective, for what laws will be put for her. | That Yolŋu child has that talent of gakal, he is gifted, this will make him go ahead if he listens properly, and be helpful and a good provider for ceremonies that will be set up for his participation. |
| Romdhu manymakthu ga mägayay dhu guwatjmanmirr ga dharaŋanmirrnydja. | By good law, and by peace will come together and recognise. | By following this properly and peaceably, people will come together and respect each other. |
Originally published with authors permission at Yolŋu Aboriginal Consultants Initiative https://www.cdu.edu.au/centres/yaci/resources.html
- wäŋa- nhäma – literally ‘sees the place, the newborn baby’s first activity. ↵
- ŋayaŋu – the seat of the emotions ↵
- all Yolŋu (and their land, songs, languages, etc) are either Dhuwa or Yirritja moiety. Marriages are arcoss moieties and children have the opposite moiety of their mother. ↵
- Marrkap, beloved person, someone who keeps families safe and protected and supports them in difficult circumstances. He is like a ‘shade’ for that Yolŋu. ↵
- dhunuku – (noun) care, protection ↵
- Author’s note: ṉurrku – refers to the mind or that part of the head which thinks and knows (as opposed to liya – which is the physical head). Different Yolŋu groups have different names for their ṉurrku. The ṉurrku interacts with the nature – thinking, problem solving, negotiation, ways we behave. ↵
- Author’s note: He knows and joins in but still doesn’t properly understand ↵
- gakal – ancestral style, talent, true role. A person shows gakal through his/her performances in a variety of tasks – dances, language, law making, and decision making. ↵
- Buthuru-gänhamirri – to bring one’s ears, to bring oneself through listening carefully ↵
