Bidawal: Tharra & Googar

Tharra and Googar don’t like each other.

Tharra ngang Googar, Googar moonyuup munjari a medicine plant. Googar moonyuup buundani Tharra. That is why Tharra and Googar don’t like each other.

English Translation:

The Goanna and the Snake. The goanna and the snake don’t like each other. If Tharra bites Googar, then Googar will go and eat a medicine plant. Googar then comes back and kills Tharra. That is why Tharra and Googar don’t like each other.

This story was told by Bevan Harrison at a language camp in Mallacoota, April 2011.

Bidawal word list

buundani   kill

googar   goanna

moonyuup   go

munjari   eat

ngang   bite

tharra   snake

Sounds of Bidawal

a as in car

oo as in blue

uu as in foot

u as in hut

th as in three

g as in goat

j as in jump

ny as in onion

ng as in sing

n as in not

dj, dy, t or d these sounds are made by making a ‘t‘ or ‘d‘ sound with the middle of the tongue on the roof of the mouth

This spelling and sound chart was developed at the Bidawal Language Camp in Mallacoota 2011. It is a preliminary chart for use in this book. Further community development of a definitive spelling and sound system by the community is an ongoing process.

Bidawal: The Big Snake

There was this big snake. Djidjigan, the Rainbow Serpent. He was huge, ngarandyil. He moved across the country making the valleys and hills, manan, marru, everything, he cut them with his tail, wirruk.

He came across the plains near Canberra, he came past Kosciuszko, he wound his way up Mount Goongerah and he lay his eggs there, big eggs, still here look all these big ones, the kooralmanbuyal, the serpent’s eggs. Special country there.

He followed the Bundian Way along, he was on the Boorai, looking, looking for country, he was dunangngunladyan all the way. He went all the way, way past that Wilson’s Promontory and when he finished his head, his duduk, was at Port Melbourne, right there near the Bay. He went everywhere.

Old people told me that story when they looked after me when I was a little kid. I still come up here to Mount Goongerah to see these buyal, these eggs. Goongerah country. I still dream about that snake.

By Clayton Harrison – Bidwal

As told to Bruce Pascoe and Lyn Harwood on Mount Goongerah and at Sandy Point, May 2011.

Sounds of Bidawal

a as in car

oo as in blue

uu as in foot

u as in hut

th as in three

g as in goat

j as in jump

ny as in onion

ng as in sing

n as in not

dj, dy, t or d these sounds are made by making a ‘t‘ or ‘d‘ sound with the middle of the tongue on the roof of the mouth

This spelling and sound chart was developed at the Bidawal Language Camp in Mallacoota 2011. It is a preliminary chart for use in this book. Further development of a definitive spelling and sound system by the community is an ongoing process.

Gunai/Kurnai – Brataualung: Nrung-a Nargune

Nargune was a cave-dweller nanma tier in gingin moogaan ma nanma gingin Mitchell Yarram. Jilly had yaail caves, il should a Gunnai yangan janana noonga jilly was yad-ba mangina gingin cave il nandha kaang barrat. Woothamal kanu jilly kur-nin-ger a wal munga Nargune, jilly nulla-gullum-bai it, always brenbren-garrarook gingin nurnba ganai. Jilly kehan not be buladyin!

Barrath cave jilly had was munga Lake Tyers; il ngalko nurnba ganai would dare to yangan janana. Gunnai woorcat kooteganman had a pandean thoolo noonga janana thindu cave, but she disappeared, so ngalko koote kalandaningat wunman gingin pandean berndoo berndoo berndoop.

Nargune was magleanman a wallung girtgan wallung except makoote his bang, birndang il bret il ngalko koote knew nanma these were made ma. Jilly was always on gingin doona makoote nurnba gunai in Gippsland il nyeeanbulla were tee-nar-gun ma noonga.

Translated by Hollie Johnson

English Translation:

Nargune was a cave-dweller who lived in the valley of what is now the Mitchell River. He had many caves, and should an Aboriginal go near him, he was pulled into the cave and never seen again. If he threw a spear munga Nargune, Nargune returned it, always wounding the black fellow. He cannot be killed!

Another cave he had was munga Lake Tyers; and no black fellow would dare to go near it. An Aboriginal woman once had a fight with him near this cave, but she disappeared, so no-one knows how the fight ended.

Nargune was like a rock; all stone except for his chest, arms and hands and no one knew what these were made of. He was always on the look out for black fellows in Gippsland and they were frightened of him.

Sounds of Gunai/Kurnai

a as in but

oo as in foot

a as in but

e as in get

u as in out

rr rolled r sound

ng as in sing

i as in lick

Gunai/Kurnai – Brataualung: Gingin Legend ma Burr-nartidyahran Kitty or Bolgan

Burr-narti-dyahran Kitty ma gingin Krauatungalung gaunay-way-yung died an unfortunate burraring: she was hunted thanga il wal by a member ma gingin Tatungalung gaunay-way-yung, her limbs being pinned thanga mangina gingin nullung ma a lagoon on Boole Poole, her brug, baht-ginnah plakoma il pushed thanga-thanga her bang.

A relative ma gingin tootbuken, walking mangina gingin area wariga a strange whirtbran, wunmangal jilly knew lung to his brauung, tier in gingin mrartj world in gingin warrun. Manana makoote jilly started gill wurt thoolo his tan mangina gingin nullung il felt gingin barrun. Gingin machta was recognised, by gingin pering barrun it is said ketchoon on wangoot bookang gingin whirtbran kehan be wariga in gingin area.

Translated by Hollie Johnson

English Translation:

The Legend of Hopping Kitty or Bolgan

Hopping Kitty (a member of the Krauatungulung tribe and thus named because of an early hip fracture) died an unfortunate death. She was hunted down and speared by a member of the Tatungalung tribe, her limbs being pinned down into the mud of a lagoon on Boole Poole, her head cut off and pushed under her chest (the method used when secreting a body).

A relative of the unfortunate girl walking into the area heard a strange whistle, which he knew belonged to his cousin, now living in the spirit world in the sky. Therefore he started digging with his toes into the mud and felt the bones. The body was recognised, of course, by the ill-fitting hip bone. It is said that on some nights the whistle can be heard in the area.

Sounds of Gunai/Kurnai

a as in but

oo as in foot

a as in but

e as in get

u as in out

rr rolled r sound

ng as in sing

i as in lick

Gunai/Kurnai - Brataualun: Jiddelek

The Story of Jiddelek

Long ago there was a big frog and his name was Jiddelek. He went to the river to have a drink. He began to drink the water from the water hole, then from the creek, then the river, ‘til there was nothing left.

All the animals were thirsty. There was no water anywhere. The animals called a meeting, they decided that one of them should try to make Jiddelek laugh. Turtle and platypus played leapfrog. That didn’t make Jiddelek laugh. Duck and bird flew around. That didn’t make Jiddelek laugh. Bataluk strutted to and fro puffing out his stomach. Jiddelek was nearly asleep.

Snake said, ‘Let me try’. He started a wiggly, squiggly dance. He twisted and nearly tied himself in a knot. Then came a rumbling noise from Jiddelek and it grew louder and louder. His mouth opened and he began to laugh. A mighty gush of water came out of his mouth, all the water came back to the water holes and the rivers.

Story by the Gunai/Kurnai Traditional Custodians

Gunai/Kurnai word list

Bataluk  goanna

Jiddelek  frog

Sounds of Gunai/Kurnai

a as in but

oo as in foot

a as in but

e as in get

u as in out

rr rolled r sound

ng as in sing

i as in lick

Gunai/Kurnai - Brataulung: The Story of the First Man and Woman

There was a time when the first Gunai, who was Borun the Pelican, came down from the mountains of the northwest and reached the level country.

He crossed the Latrobe River near Sale and continued his journey to Port Albert; he was alone carrying a bark canoe on his head. As he was walking he heard a constant tapping sound but, look as he may, he could not find the source of it. At last he reached the deep waters of the inlet and put his canoe down. Much to his surprise, he saw a woman sitting in it.

She was Tuk the Musk Duck. He was very pleased to see her and she became his wife and the mother of all the Gunai.

Story by the Gunai/Kurnai Traditional Custodians

Sounds of Gunai/Kurnai

a as in but

oo as in foot

a as in but

u as in out

e as in get

rr rolled r sound

ng as in sing

I as in lick

Gunai/Kurnai - Brataulung: The Southern Cross and Nerran the Moon

Nerran was a mighty warrior and fearless hunter.

Koote wurrin, after travelling a long way he couldn’t find any napan at all. At last he tackan Ngurran on the other side of the yarram but the water was very deep and he couldn’t get across.

He searched for a way to get across the yarram when he noticed a parrawatti kallack further down the stream. But Brewin, a mischievous spirit, was hiding nearby. He liked to move about like a whirlwind and play tricks on people.

As Nerran reached the middle of yarram, Brewin turned the parrawatti kallack over and Nerran fell off into the deep water and he drowned.

Nerran’s spirit went into the sky where he is now, Nerran the moon. Ngurran also went to the sky and he is now the Southern Cross. Nerran still hunts through the sky trying to catch Ngurran.

Translated by Lynnette Solomon-Dent

Gunai/Kurnai word list:

Brewin   mischievous spirit

kallack  sticks

koote   one

napan   food

Nerran   moon

Ngurran  Emu

parrawatti   big

tackan   see, look

wurrin   day, sun

yarram  river

Sounds of Gunai/Kurnai

a as in but

oo as in foot

e as in get

rr rolled r sound

ng as in sing

i as in lick

u as in out

Ngarigu: The Learning Walk

My name is Nyarman. My family belongs to the Monero tribe. This is our story.

A long time ago, when I was a little girl, my family decided to take the children on a learning walk, as they had done when they were small. The learning walk would take us from the very high mountain we lived beside, where the wide rolling water touches the land.

When it was time to leave, the women gathered up all their belongings. On their hips and shoulders they carried grass baskets for food, kangaroo rugs for sleeping under, and their babies. We older children walked with them. Our only clothing was made of possum skins wrapped around our bodies.

All the men walked ahead with their spears and boomerangs, always ready to protect the women and children from harm.

Before nightfall the whole family would look for a place to camp. We children helped our mothers gather up bushes to make a shelter to sleep in out of the cold night air. We called this shelter a mia-mia.

The men made a fire to cook our food. After everyone had eaten we lay down in the mia-mia to sleep. The men would keep watch, sitting around the fire in their possum skin cloaks waiting for the moon to come up. It was only then that they could lie down beside the fire and go to sleep.

Then the moon would watch over the camp while the men slept too.

The next day we got up early and moved on. It was a very long walk, over the mountains and down through the gullies where the clear water was flowing. All along the banks tall bushy ferns were growing and under the ferns there were rocks covered with soft green moss.

I found a large rock to sit on while I watched water flowing by. It called to the birds playing in the trees and the tiny flowers in the grass. ‘What a magical place this is’, I thought to myself. ‘I wonder if it will be the same in the place where the water rolls over and over before it touches the land?’

In a few days we were travelling through a different kind of country. This land was flat and swampy, not like our own high mountains.

The men lit fires to chase the kangaroo ahead of us. This made the kangaroos and emus easier to spear as they moved out onto the open land and it made the way easier for the women and children coming along behind.

Today we moved on again. All day we walked until we came to a wide river. It had started in the high hills not far from our country and now it curved its way across the plains.

There was no way we could cross the river until the men made some canoes. The men decided to make a more permanent camp using bark from the trees to build stronger shelters.

We stayed there by the river for a long time. Soon it was getting cold. Bunna was beginning. We didn’t mind though. There was plenty of fish and kangaroo to eat and the kangaroo skins kept us warm at night.

After the men had gathered enough food for us all, they would light a fire to signal that it was time to make camp and to cook what they had caught. Everybody was always very tired and hungry by the end of the day.

Now we had reached the plains, we camped for many days. Each day my Ngujarn and the rest of the women and children searched for berries and yams. Yams are my favorite because they are crunchy and sweet. I like them cooked in the ashes of the fire as well.

After Bunna had passed we went swan egging in the swamp. It was great fun for us kids because we could play hide and seek in the reeds. The men caught water birds by throwing their boomerangs. We always had plenty of fresh food because each day everyone helped to gather things for us all to share. We just took what we needed, not too much, that way nothing was wasted.

Now it was time to move on again. I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to get to where the rolling water meets the land.

‘How much further do we have to walk?’ I asked my Ngujarn. ‘Not far now,’ she said, ‘I can smell the salt water’. Soon I, too, could smell the salt water but I felt afraid because I could hear a loud booming noise. ‘Do not be afraid Nyarman,’ said my Ngubby, ‘it’s only the water rolling onto the land and then it goes back again to its bed.

I felt better then. All the boories ran over the huge hill that looked like yellow earth and tumbled down the other side. We felt so happy that we chased each other all along the yellow earth where the rolling water touches the land.

We were so fascinated by the yellow earth that we rolled and played in it all day. Then we all walked along the edge of the water towards the place where the fresh water ran out into the rolling water. This place was known as Wingan.

Soon it was time to make camp again. We stayed for many days, feasting on the fish, mussels and oysters that we found plenty of in the lake.

Then it was time to move on again. We packed up our baskets and kangaroo skins and walked on to the place my elders knew as Mallacoota, the place of many waters.

At Mallacoota the men sat down and decided to have a corroboree. This corroboree was to be a special one so women and boories were not allowed to see what was going on.

Being curious, I hid behind a tree to watch while the men painted themselves with white clay in readiness for the corroboree. Before long, I fell asleep and didn’t wake up until sunrise. Mallacoota is a special place because the spirits are there to watch over you, just as they watched over me and put me to sleep so I couldn’t watch the corroboree.

Now it was the middle of Nimbing. Our tribe was ready to leave and go back to our home land. This time it would be easier because we only had to follow our tracks back the way we had come so many months before.

Where we had lit the fires on our way to the sea the new grass and leaves were growing which meant plenty of food.

I love Nimbing. Everywhere it’s so fresh and green with all the new growth and young animals to see.

During the long walk back home to Monero land the tribe travelled to a sacred mountain. We made camp where my Ancestors have been coming every Ngooma. Inside this cave it was very dark and many, many, many moths lived there. We lit a fire and put green bushes on it to make lots of

smoke which made the moths fall down, then we gathered them up to cook on the coals.

Moth eating time was a happy time for celebrating because it meant our long learning walk was nearly over.

Soon we would be back home, the place we had started from.

I sat by the fire thinking. Thinking of my people who walked each year to the place where the water rolls over and over and back again.

And I think about my own learning walk, the walk that you have shared.

Told by Aunty Rachel Mullett – Monero-Ngarigo Elder

This story is based on the annual walk of the Monero people from their mountain homelands to Mallacoota. They walked approximately 300km each way. They followed the Snowy River to the mouth and along the coast to Mallacoota and the return journey took the people across the Errinundra Plateau.

Ngarigu: Uncle Boobla's Story

One day three small boorabarls decide to sneak away from the camp and go for a swim in the lake. They had to walk a long way to get there. By the time they got to the lake they were feeling very hungry. Now the boorabarls knew about the bumblers in the lake; bumblers are the shellfish their ngujarn would gather and fetch back to the camp.

But the boorabarls never gathered bumblers before; that was women’s work. Only ngujarns and mullagarng did that. So they sat at the edge of the water and groaned with hunger. Bimm said ‘If we don’t find something soon we will be too weak to walk back to camp and we will get into big trouble for sneaking away.’ Narby, the youngest boorabarl said, ‘Let us try and find some bumblers’. So in the water they went, each of them carrying a stick because they thought they had to dig to find bumblers. They stayed in the shallow water and poked about with their sticks.

But while they were doing this, they didn’t see the three sneaky joongars following them around until one wrapped his long arms around Bimm’s legs. Bimm screamed with fright, ‘Something has got me!’ The others ran over to help but found there was more than one joongar there, so they started to splash the water with their sticks to scare the joongars away. But they didn’t know that if you scare a joongar it squirts out black inky stuff so they can escape.

Now all this time, the boories didn’t know that an old warrior of the tribe had followed them and was sitting on the hill watching over them. When the boorabarls saw what was happening they forgot they were hungry and ran out of the water screaming with fright. They ran so fast past the old warrior they didn’t see him. They ran on and on until they disappeared over the hill towards the camp. The old warrior never stopped laughing for a long time to come and so did the whole camp. And from that day on the three boorabarls were known as the disappearing boories, even though they never sneaked away, ever again.

Told by Aunty Rachel Mullett – Monero-Ngarigo Elder

Ngarigu word list

Bimm brother/cousin

boorabarl/s boy/boys

boories children

bumblers shell food

joongars octopus

mullagarng girl

ngujarn mother

Ngarigu: Nimbing

One day a little boorabarl and mullagarng ran to their ngujarn and said ‘Ngujarn, ngujarn, Nimbing came to our land last night’.

Their ngujarn asked, ‘How can you tell if it was Nimbing?’

‘Well’, said the boories, ‘there are new eggs in the boojarngs nest, new leaves on the trees, new fresh grass, fresh sweet yams and the water is singing in the creek.’

‘Well my boories, I am pleased you have remembered Nimbing, for she is the most beautiful of all our Dreamtime.’

Told by Aunty Rachel Mullett – Monero-Ngarigo Elder

Ngarigu word list:

nimbing spring

boorabarl boy

mullagarng girl

ngujarn mother

boories children

boojarngs birds