Wardaman Words

The following Wardaman words need to have some consistency so that the spelling can be taught. Many of the spellings in A grammar of Wardaman : a language of the Northern Territory of Australia by Francesca C. Merlan Wardaman, written in 1990 are different from more recent publications and different from Web sites for Wardaman and Bill Harney.

binji - stomach

bunjan - white ochre

bulanin - period

bulin bulin - hawk

Bunnanggai ya - clan country

Gandawal - mother kangaroo

Gin.gina - Lily's bush name

girribug (pronounced girribook) - pheasant coucal

Gorondolmi - Rainbow Snake from Dreamtime

gulbun - Moon's seman

gulgan - chicken hawk

gumbij - clapsticks

Ingallari - reek which runs to Aroona creek from near Walabuna site

Ingelledi - same creek

Jabadee - old woman from Jiggaigarn clan country

Jalijbung - the Dreaming place of Nimira Gandawag's six wives

Janama - male skin for Mumendadguni males, right (straight) skin for Nawala

Jarrugja - waterhole place where Gorondolmi laid her eggs

Jiggaigarn - clan country

jirri - pink iridescent clay

jorlborrman or jorbolman - butcherbird

Malaga - old man

Maralabena - spiritual woman

marbun - cut marks on skin another word for womens' cuts on skin

marrgi - vulva or vagina

margarrlala - white feather

milirri - yamstick

Madburrongo - (sounds like Mudburrongo) Dreamtime Creation Dog (thought to be thylacine)

Mudgiwun - my daughter Pauline bush name

Mulurru - old woman

Mumendadguni - clan country

Muy Muy - clan country

Myralala - waterhole in Mumendadguni country where everyone camped for mordu

Nabajiji - Queenie's 'bush name'

nabulu - milk

Narwala - female skin name

Nardi - night sky spirit

nidbun - cicarda

Nimirra - female skin name

Numbin - female skin

warrija - crocodile

yabba - circumcision

Yidugun - mother-in-law

yijor - sub incision

Yimidunni - female skin from Nimira

Yimij - male skin for Basil or from Yiwalari skin

Yimmima - Lily's second mother or second wife of Jimmy Wurrguru

Yirrmillimin - stranger people from Murin Batah country

Yiwalari - Moon's skin and straight skin for Nimira

Yualanjarri - mother-in-law of Moon, Gandawag or

Yungarri - old man from Jiggaigarn clan country

yunumburrgu - male kangaroo