ARDS presentation at the NSW Aboriginal Languages Gathering
In November 2022, Gawura, Bulkanhawuy and Lynette from ARDS were invited to speak at the NSW Aboriginal Languages Gathering in Terrigal. They met with language workers from around the state who are working hard to look after their languages.
Milly interviewd Lynette and Bulkanhawuy about the conference.
Milly: Nhaku nhuma marrtji bala NSW-lil? (Why did you go to NSW?)
Lynette: Napurr marrtji NSW-lil bili ŋanapurr ga djälthirr ŋanapurr dhu nhäma nhaltjan walal ŋuli ga marŋgikum djamarrkuḻiny’ walalaŋguwuy walal
mathaw. (We went to NSW because we wanted to see how they are teaching their language to their young people there.)
Milly: Ga nhä nhuma gan marŋgithinany ŋunhili NSW-ŋurnydja? (And what did you learn there in NSW?)
Bulkanhawuy: Ŋanapurr ga nhäma dharrwa mirithirr dhäwu ga rom mala ga matha mala. (We saw many excellent stories, cultures and languages.) Waŋganydja dhäwu ŋanapurr ŋäma miyalkku yan rom. (One story that we heard was for women’s law.)
Lynette: Yow’ marŋgithirr napurr ga buŋgulgu yäku Gulaga buŋgulmirr mala giritjirr walal ga, bili
walal ga ḏälkum rom walalaŋguwuy walal. (Yes, we learnt the name for the ‘Gulaga’ ceremony and they were performing ceremonial dances, because they are strong in their law.) Ga ŋanapurr buku-gurrupan ga walalany mirithirr ŋunhi walal ga melkum walalaŋguwuy walal rom. (And we are thanking them very much that they showed us their law.)
Milly: Ga nhä nhuma maḻŋ’maram dhäwu, latju mirithirr? (And what did you find especially interesting?)
Bulkanhawuy: Ŋarra ga mirithirr marŋgithirr ga buthuru-bitjun rirrakaygu ga dhärukku walalaŋ. (I found it especially interesting to learn and listen to the sound of their language.)
Ga maḻŋ’maram ŋarra manymak mirithirr NSW-ŋur Yolŋuny walalany walal ga biŋga’maram walalaŋ matha mala. (And I found it really impressive that the Aboriginal groups in NSW are awakening their languages.)
Lynette: Yow dhäwuny walal ga lakaram manymak mala nhaltjan walal ŋuli ga djamarrkuḻi’ marŋgithirr wukirriŋur ŋunhal Gumbaynggirr Giingana Freedom School-ŋur. (Yes, the stories they were telling us were all really interesting, especially how the kids are learning in the Gumbaynggirr Giingana Freedom School.)