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