... ...Woiwurrung......Photograph: Woiwurrung: The Durrung of the Yan-yan...They would grow marrm boolon the tubers and gugukbaanytaageek and provide the Boon Wurrung with a steady supply of food during wygabilnye-weeny.Translated by Fay Stewart-MuirBoon Wurrung word listbaanytaageek swampbaanytageek swampsbagurrk womenbarring kneebeerreen no more sun, Winterbiik landbirrarung Yarra River, ‘river of mists’Bundjil eagle/creatorburtyan smokeddhangayan eatengareeal Summer rainguguk mosquitosguleeny menguyeem kangarooiilk eelsmanemeet Autumnmarrmbool fatmonamit plentymulugu latermunip coals, embersmurnong murnong daisynairm Port Phillip Bayngalinggu returned, come backngamaee sunngamai sunngargee celebrations, dancepareip Springtarrang treeswa to or from a placewalert possumwarreeny sea, oceanweegabeel oldWeegabeelnye-weeny Old Man Sunweegabeelwurneet old riverweeny firewiing coalswoorrdyyalyal many monthswurneet creekyawa journey, longyawawa long journey awayyawoneit swamyel-in-wa dayyuuringtilbuk beatSounds of Boon Wurrungu as in put or cooka as in pastao as in hote as in bedee as in bigii as in sleepaa as in passuu as in put, but a long ub (p at end of words) somewhere between a ‘b’ and a ‘p’ but ‘p’ at the end of wordst somewhere between a ‘d’ and a ‘t’g (k at end of words) somewhere between ‘g’ and ‘k’, but ‘k’ at end of wordsng as in sing (often at the start of words in Boon Wurrung)rt ‘t’ sound but with the tip of the tongue curled backwards behind the gum ridgedj like English ‘j’th a ‘d’ sound made with the tongue against or between the teethl the same as English ‘l’rl ‘l’ sound made but with the tongue curled back behind the gum ridgern ‘n’ sound made but with the tongue curled back behind the gum ridgeny ‘o’ sound made with the middle of the tongue on the roof of the mouthm the same as English ‘m’n the same as English ‘n’nh the middle of the tongue at the back of the teeth while making an ‘n’ soundrr a rolled ‘r’ sound as in the Scottish pronunciation of roundr an English ‘r’ sound as in roundMost of the words in this story follow new Boon Wurrung spelling using the alphabet above.Some words have been used in written form for many years so are just spelt as they have been for many years, for example ‘womindjeka’ welcome.Some words are borrowed by Boon Wurrung from Woiwurrung and Taungurung our language neighbours. These words were originally recorded from these neighbouring languages but it is likely they were Boon Wurrung words as well.......Woiwurrung: The Durrung of the Yan-yanIn my lalal’s day, there were no supermarkets. The Birrarung Yaluk was their ‘supermarket’ providing the natural resources for the survival of the Wurundjeri gulinya. ...
This story is based on the unique publication Nyernila – Listen Continuously: Aboriginal Creation Stories of Victoria.
The uniqueness is differentiated by two significant and distinguishing features. It is the first contemporary compilation of Victorian Aboriginal Creation Stories told by Victorian Aboriginal People, and it is the first to extensively use languages of origin to tell the stories.
‘Nyernila’ to listen continuously – a Wergaia/Wotjobaluk word recorded in the 20th century. To listen continuously. What is meant by this term. What meaning is being attempted to be communicated by the speaker to the recorder? What is implied in this term? What is the recorder trying to translate and communicate to the reader?
‘Nyernila’ means something along the lines of what is described in Miriam Rose Ungemerrs ‘dadirri’ – deep and respectful listening in quiet contemplation of Country and Old People. This is how our Old People, Elders and the Ancestors teach us and we invite the reader to take this with them as they journey into the spirit of Aboriginal Victoria through the reading of these stories.
Our stories are our Law. They are important learning and teaching for our People. They do not sit in isolation in a single telling. They are accompanied by song, dance and visual communications; in sand drawings, ceremonial objects and body adornment, rituals and performance. Our stories have come from ‘wanggatung waliyt’ – long, long ago – and remain ever-present through into the future.
You can browse the book online by clicking the items below, or you can download a PDF of the publication here.
nyernila
nye
ny like the ‘n’ in new
e like the ‘e’ in bed
rn
a special kind of ‘n’
i
i like the ‘i’ in pig
la
la
