Baman'puy Dhäwu Stories from the past

Ŋanapurr ga wiripuny yolŋu mala dhuwal nhina ŋuruŋiyi bili yän nininyŋuny dhäwuw ga Romdhu nhaltjarr ŋanapurruŋ gan ŋaḻapaḻmirri mala nhinan. Ŋäthiliŋuy baman'puyyu Romdhu ŋanapurr ga nhinan ŋayaŋu mulk' ga marrparaŋ ŋururiŋiyi yuwalkthu nininyŋuw romdhu. Dhiyaŋuny bala yuṯanydja djamarrkuḻi'y gi bäyŋun bäki ŋunhiyiy rom, witjarryuna walal ga, bili bäyŋu gana' raypirri' walal gi märraŋ. Liya-baḏuwaḏuyuna walalany ga yuṯanha Romdhu, ŋanapurr ŋuli dhakay-ŋäma wuyunamirr ga guŋga'yunamirr rom ŋanapurruŋgiyingal ŋanapurr.



Stories from the past Baman'puy Dhäwu

Stories from the past gives every Yolŋu person a strong relationship bac ground. We as yolŋu people share everything with each other because that is our culture and custom, sitting around the campfire eating and telling stories to our children is very important for yolŋu lifestyle and living. It makes us feel warm and grateful to be part of who we are and what lays ahead for our young generation to feel proud and hopeful for their future. And to know what there is that will destroy the beautifulness of us. These stories from the past will never be forgotten as they lay hidden in the soil of our land passed onto us by the elders. So stories from the past contain our hidden knowledge which is very important for us.


North Queensland pioneer, 1898

"They [the cattle] trample out the signs of turtles found in dried-out swamps; the trail of the crocodile to his nest; they eat the tops of the yams, and eat and destroy the lilies; all of which make their [the Aborigines'] food scarces and harded to find."

'Bulleta: The case for the Aboriginals' (12 November 1898). Queenslander, cited in Reynolds, H 1981, The Other Side of the Frontier, UNSW Press Sydney, pp 158-159

An excerpt from the First Australians

Buŋgul Ceremony

Buŋgulwu djamarrkuḻi' ŋuli marŋgithirr nhänharay ga bala walal ŋuli birrkayuna giritjirra buŋgulnha. Bukmak yolŋu ŋuli marŋgithirr ŋunhi walal nyumukuniny yän, walal ŋuli ga giritjirr goramiriwnha walal. Ga ŋunhi walal ŋuli ŋaḻapaḻ yirrnydja marrtji bala walal ŋuli ga goran giritjirrnyarawdja. Yurr bäpurruŋur ga dhapiŋuradja walal ŋuli waŋgany manapan wiripurruŋgul ŋunhi goramiriwgal mala yolŋu'-yulŋuwal. Bukmak djamarrkuḻi' dhuwal marŋgi bili walal gan märraŋal raypirri' ŋaḻapaḻmirriwuŋ yolŋuwuŋ.







Dance, story, painting, songs, crying Buŋgul

Children learn to dance by observing other family members and Bäpurru (clan) groups, when there is a ceremony held for young boys going initiation (dhapi) or for someone who has passed away (Bäpurru). There are other ceremonies that occur at different times of the year, that children need to start to know and understand the differences. The knowledge from these ceremonies they learn when they are older. Children from an early age are encouraged to participate in dancing without being shy. At a certain age many children are less willing to participate in Buŋgul and manikay (singing the songs e.g. gulakpuy, about gulaka) All children learn about appropriate behaviour (raypirri')for Buŋgul and manikay from their elders. They have the skills and knowledge and understanding of who they are according to the discipline from their clan leaders. Buŋgul is not just the dance (giritjirr) it is also the Dhäwu, story, it is also the manikay, songs and milkarri and it is about Bäpurru, the clans. There are different Dhuwa and Yirritja Buŋgul (ceremony) about yams.

Dhäruk Language

Djamarrkuḻi' ŋuli marŋgithirr yuṯaw mala dhärukku ŋunhi walal nyumukuṉiny yän. Ŋändi, bäpa ga gurruṯumirr mala ŋuli ga waŋa walalaŋgal djamarrkuḻi'wa buthurukurr marr ga walal dhu marŋgithirr marrtji yuṯaw dhärukku ga nha ŋayi ŋunhi dhäruk mayali'. Dhärukktja dhuwal ŋanapurruŋ ḻuku, ṉunhi ŋanapurr ŋuli ga ḻuku-gurrum dhiyaliyi. Marŋgithinany ŋanapurr gan dhuwal napurruŋgiyingalaŋudja dhärukku ŋunhi ŋanapurr ŋuli ga ŋäma wiripuwurruny dhäruk waḏaŋuy yolŋuny waŋanhawuy. Dhärukktja dhuwal manymak mirithirr ŋanapurruŋ yutaw djamarrkuḻi'w marr ga walal dhu marr-dharaŋan nha ŋayi ŋunhi mayali'. (2nd time)Dharrwan ga dhuwal yolŋuny mala waŋa Djambarrpuyŋuwurrnydja dhärukkurr bili dhuwaliyiny ga dhuwal bukmakthuny yolŋuy mala dhäruk bäki waŋannharaw dhiyaŋuny bala Dhuway ga Yirritjay mala, bukmakkurra wäŋakurr .

Language Dhäruk

Every tribe or clan group have their own language etc. Children learn their own language by listening and copying their parents, and other relations. They need to learn their father's language first. It is very important for young children to understand the meanings of the language. Many children speak Djambarrpuyŋu as the lingua franca in the community and in the region of NE Arnhemland. The purpose of learning these languages early is so that they feel comfortable in speaking and becoming strong in their own dialect so they understand the stories, songs and dances and crying of their own clan . Our young youth will grow and with those languages establishing their own identity, who they are, Yolŋu, and which language groups they belong.




Yänmurru Wangurrimurru

Dhulaŋ Visual Art

Marŋgigurrupan limurr dhu marrtji limurruŋguwuy limurr djamarrkuḻi'nhany marr ga walal dhu marŋgithirr Dhulaŋgu nha ŋayi dhuwal mayali' balanya ŋunhi ŋayi dhu marrtji ŋuthan ŋalapalyirrinydja, walalanydja dhu marŋgithirra gamunuŋguwnha ga nhathinynha gamunuŋgu walalaŋ, Bäpurru ga miny'tji nhaltjan walal dhu djäma bathi, gara, gaywu, ganybu ḻuŋgu, mathin ga wiripun mala. Ŋuruŋiyiny mala walal dhu galŋa' djambatjthirra nha mala ga ŋorra dhiyal wäŋaŋur.



Painting Dhulaŋ

We teach children to go out and learn what is in the environment instead of learning inside the classroom all the time, because a lot the classroom learning is not relevant. Children need to be free and independent to learn what is there and make real meaning and understanding from using their senses. Every child needs to have respect for what they are learning and demonstrate through their understanding the real knowledge. It is difficult to incorporate the yolŋu perspective into the mainstream education because it is so different and it is hard to compare them. Passing on knowledge to our younger generation is vital.

Other Resources

Dhuŋgarra Seasonal Changes

Dhuŋgarra dhuwal ga ŋorra ḻurrkun ga ḻurrkun (6) ga bukmak. Yolŋuny ŋuli marŋithirr ŋunhi bilyun dhu walu ŋathawe marranharaw ŋunha ḏiltjiŋur ga ŋorra.

Marŋithirr limurr ŋuli wurrkiy, watay, ga ŋalindiy märram limurr ŋuli ḻaḻu ga wiripu mala guya bäy ŋayi ŋuli djukurrmirriyirr. Roŋ dhu waluy nhe dhu yaka ḻuka nhe balaŋ ŋunhi gak’thurr wo rerrikthurra nhe dhu marrtji wakiryunalil.

Wurrki ŋuli barryuna ŋunhiny ŋuli maŋutji ḻakaram maranydjalkdja ga miyapunu ga guyany mala djukurrmirr.

Ŋathany ŋuli limurr märramḏilkurrnha balanyaraydja waluny ljunhiyiny ŋatha- ŋamakulin’ waluy napurr ŋuli ḻakaram

Marŋgithirr limurr dhu nhakum waluw mala ljunhi ŋayi ŋuli bilyun.




Seasonal Changes Dhuŋgarra

There are 6 seasonal changes. Every yolŋu person learns about these seasonal changes. They learn about the time of the year we need to go for bush foods or sea foods.

We learn about the flowering of certain plants, wind directions, changes of the moon’s shape. We collect fish from the sea when they have fat on them. You can’t get them in the wrong season otherwise you will become sick, vomiting even, you can get very sick when you are out hunting so be careful what you go for.

The flowering of plants is very important to Yolŋu people. It is a sign to make them aware of the availability of certain food sources.

Bush food is gathered at the right time of the season because it is time of plentiful and edible food.

This goes for everything to do with seasonal changes of bush foods and sea foods.


Image from Arnhemland Seasons Kit
Image from Arnhemland Seasons Kit, NTG. 1985

Since the first seasonal calendar was developed at Milingimbi there have been many other language groups in the NT that have produced their own seasonal calendars, using their own languages and knowledge about seasonal changes.

Other Resources

Mala-djarryun Mathematics

Marŋgikum djamarrkuḻi'y nhä ga ŋorra buku-ḻiwmaram dhuwal wäŋakurr bala walal dhu mala-djarryuna balanya nhakun miyapunuw mapu ŋunhi napurr ŋuli märram munathaŋur dharrwa muka mirrthirr ŋuli ga ŋunhi mapuny mala ŋorra ŋar'gaŋunydja. Ŋunhi walal ŋuli marrtji mala-gulk'maraman bala marrtji rul' nhirrpana. Dhuwandja ŋayi mirithirra manymaknha ŋunhi napurr ŋuli nhäma bala napurr ŋuli djäma. Dhiyaŋ mala napurruy ŋuli guyaŋanhamaram nhaltjarr napurruŋ gan ŋalapalmirr mala nhina ŋayaŋu mulkany. Mala-djarryunaray djamarrkuḻi'ny dhu marŋgithirr mirithirra.



Mathematics Mala-djarryun

Yolŋu maths and Balanda maths can link into each other according to what we have around. These need to be shared and put the ideas and concepts together to help our young ones to have a clear understanding of mathematics from both world views. Maths is there so people can talk about our land, plants, animals, etc and that we know of them that we are also part of living creation. Adapting the knowledge from our old people will help us know more of what we haven't come across yet. We need to clarify what learning is important and which learning is not relevant to learn. Too many things detract from our real life making us feel weak from learning and sharing with others, the good experiences.

Sharing yams
Sharing Yams
Permission to use Batchelor Press

Eastern Warlpiri; skin name games; maths concepts; verbs

Ḻarrum nha ga ŋorra Science

Dhiyaŋ wäŋay ga ŋayatham dharrwa mirithirr ŋunhi djamarrkuḻi' dhu ga marŋgithirr ŋunha ḏiltjiŋur ga ŋunha gapuŋur ḏilkurr ga nyumurrku. Balanya nhakun gälkalwu limurr dhurrpaw marŋgithirr, wanha nhanŋu wäŋa nha ŋayi ŋuli ga ḻuka nhämunha nhanŋu ḻuku ga nhäthinya ŋayi rumbal. Dhuwandja mirithirra guŋga'yunamirr yolŋuwdja djamarrkuḻi'w marr ga walal dhu ga djambatj marrtji wanhal walal dhu ŋunhiyi mala maḻŋ'maram. Dhakay ŋäma walal dhu wanhaŋur ga waṯa biw'yun ga gumurr nhäma dhu waltjan gurrunhawuy. Maŋutji-ḻakaram dhu rumbalyu limurruŋgul ŋunhi ŋayi dhu wäŋa gurrmuryinyawuy ga ŋulwitjdhiyawuy ga bulu wiripu mala.


Science Ḻarrum nha ga ŋorra

Experiencing through the eyes at unknown things is very important for people whether we are young or old. This knowledge is shared as are the skills individual children need when they are just young. The opportunity is there for people to adapt to what is real life. With yolŋu we live with it and it is all around us in our environment, learning everyday, experiencing it everyday face to face from the elders which really helps our children to know what lays ahead of them, and who will be the head person to take and share that knowledge with young people. Our elders have the ownership for each of the clan groups and they are very careful what they offering and people need to be part of the learning process.


Rarranhdharr


Manikay Songs

Djamarrkuḻi'ny ŋuli marŋgithirr manikay. Ŋunhi walal ŋuli nhina ŋurru manikay mirri wal yolŋuwal marr ga walal dhu marrtji manikay yutuŋgurr ŋämabala marŋgithirra ŋurikiyi manikaywu mala. Ga walal dhu walal dhu ga ŋäma wanhal ŋayi dhu ŋunhi manikay ŋurryirryun ga wanhami ŋayi ganarrtham. Ŋanharay manikay ŋuli djamarrkuḻi' ganydjarryu marŋgithirr.







Djitamapuy Dhäwu – Milmilanywuŋu( story about yams)
Permission has been given to use this part of the audio from
the DVD Dhäwu ga manikay yuṯaw djamarrkuḻiw’ by ARDS


Songs Manikay

Every clan group has their own song cycle (manikay) which links into different food (ŋatha) that grows in the bush. All students learn through listening to the songs when they are just young and they learn where the songs start and where they finish. By listening to a person singing they learn the songs quicker. The children copy and listen many times. They sit with the person who knows that song cycle, and the children learn by listening to that person. Passing this knowledge to our young is very important and they practice singing songs that tell stories so that individual children can identify themselves, who they are and how manikay relates and links with other (clan) Bäpurru groups; Dhuwa and Yirritja, the two moieties.


Culture Knowledge

Children learn through listening to the stories that are told by the elders in the community. They learn by visiting the actual places to see how each bush food looks like in their environment. They learn about the leaves of gulaka, the different types of gulaka - i.e djitama and gulaka leaves look alike but djitama has fur and tastes different to gulaka . They are prepared differently. Every Yolŋu child learns by describing who has rights getting bush foods like gulaka , djitama, bawaŋ and other foods. Children learn how to relate to people and their kinship where they identify laws and behaviour with the relationship of gulaka. All bush foods are either Dhuwa or Yirritja. Children already know the story about gulaka, where to find it, what time of the year to collect it and how to collect them. There are songs and dances for gulaka from different Bäpurru. You must learn about food and places restrictions for either females or males. There's always reflection on how children learn and childhood pathways for learning. Children learn from the beginning as babies through the watchful eyes of the elders.



Roŋiyi nhäṉu nha nhuma marŋgithirr (EVALUATION)

Roŋiyi nhäŋu ga guyaŋi nhä mala nhuma marŋgithirr ŋunhi ŋayi guŋga’yun nhumalany.

  • Djamarrkuḻiny ŋuli marŋgithirr buthuru-bitjunaray, nhänaray bala marrtji balayi wäŋalil dharaŋaraw.
    Young people learn by listening, seeing and visiting the places where the food grows.
  • Ŋaḻapaḻyu yolŋuy dhu guŋga’yun limurruny (yothuny, maralmaral, yawarriny ga wiripu mala) marr limurr dhu dharaŋan nhäpuy walal ga marŋgithkum limurruny.
    The elders (ŋaḻapal) teach and help the young people the knowledge they need to learn and understand.
  • Makmakthurr ŋurukiyi romgu ga malthurr dhunupaw yan marŋgithinyaraw.
    You have to have respect and follow the right ways of learning.
  • Bukmakthu bäpurruy ga dhuwal wawun rom ŋayathan nhaku malaŋuw ŋunhi ga dhiyak waŋay ŋayatham.
    All clans hold this ownership and law making them responsible for their own land and what their own land holds.