GANBULAPULA. The story of the Land Around the Old Dhupuma College

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3 GANBULAPULA The story of the Land Around the Old Dhupuma College Told by : Djaloliŋba Vunupiŋu Rirraliny Vunupiŋu Ŋalpinya Vunupiŋu Virrinyina Vunupiŋu GumaŊ hatha ISBN : X Printed and Published by : Yirrkala Community School Literature Production Center

4 This story was told on tape by Djalaliŋba Yunupiŋu. Transcription, editing, maps and translation by Raymattja Munuŋgurritj. Other consultants were Rirraliny Yunupiŋu Dhamarraŋdji, Yirrinyina Yunupiŋu Dhamarrandji, Bälun Yunupiŋu, Qadayŋa Marika, Dhuŋgala Marika and Dhuwanydjika Burarrwaŋa Marika.

5 ix Dhuwalanydja wäŋa garma, dhiyala walala yukurrana giritjinanydja. Ga ga. ga ga ŋunhanydja Datjalaŋuna. Dhuwalanydja (JHtji marrtji ŋorra, ga ŋurruna ŋunhi, bala batjiwarr yukurra dhunarrana, wiripu mak nhuma marŋgimirri ŋuriki batjiwarrwu. Mokuywa Ganbulapulawa, Murayanawa. Balakurrunydja ŋayipi wanuwanuyurruna, dhupuŋala, wambal-ŋupara dhuwala burwu' gadayka. Garma' ŋayi dhuwala wäŋanydja. This place (where Dhupuma College was) used to be a ceremonial ground. This is where they danced. From here... to Datjala. through the bush, to the point where the track goes down the escarpment, perhaps you know that track. It belongs to the spirit man called Ganbulapula. also known as Y&ŋuŋ1t}1, and Murayana. Through this land he travelled, looking upwards, Following the stringy bark flowers looking Tor nauve honey. This land is ceremonial ground.

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7 Ŋunhala ŋayi garathinanydja Bul'manydji. Luŋguyu ŋayi dharpuŋala. Bala ŋayi moŋuŋuna duwatthurrunanydja, bala wandina duwatthurrunana Bili ŋayi dharpuŋala mäna, ŋunhala wäŋaŋura Garrataŋura. Ga ŋunhana ŋayi wandina, galŋagaramirrinydja, ga Wancjaŋurana; yäna ŋayi marrtjina wäŋa bumara liyayu wandayu. Ga djamarrkuh'- yalkthurruna ŋayi. Ga ŋunhana ŋayi galŋa garamirrinydja Dhuruputjpina, Waŋarrŋu BarrŋguJwarrŋgujŋurana. Ga ŋunhana ŋayi yukurra dhiliŋinyyulthirrinydja Barrŋgulŋurana, raypinyŋurana. Over there, a shark was wounded, he speared it with a harpoon. Then the culprit took off into the bush. He had wounded the shark at a place called Garrata. And the shark took off, wounded, to Warsawuy. There she formed the landscape with her head (just like In the dance the Dhuwal'mirrl people do). And she gave birth to her children there. And that's where the wounded shark now remains, at Dhuruputjpl, at Waŋarrŋu, at BarTŋguJwarrŋgul. So that Is where she has made her home, buried inside the fresh water.

8 Luŋguyu ŋayi dharpuŋalanydja ŋanya, bala wandinana: "Go! Ŋuparra ŋarranha dhipala! Ŋorra dhuwala guyurrwuyurr!" bitjarra ŋayi waŋananydja, bala wandinana. Ga dhuwalana lili ŋayi waŋdinanydja, bala dhuwalana ŋayi wäŋanydja mulkana. Wanhaŋuwuy ŋayi ŋunhi Ganbulapulanydja? Ŋurukuwuy bala, Gupapuyŋu. Bill ŋayi garathina ŋunhala Garrataŋura maranydjalk. Dharpuŋalanydja, bala wandinana: "Go! Ohipala ŋarranha ŋuparra, Ŋulpanlili, Ganamiyayu! Ŋarra dhuwala guyurrwuyurr!" bitjarra. Ga ŋayi galŋa garamirrinydja maranydjalk dhuwalana Dhuruputjpina. He had speared it with a harpoon, and ran off!: Come on, you can't catch me, I'm the travelling man!" that's what he said, and ran off. And he ran up this way until he arrived here (where the Dhupuma College used to be). Where is Ganbulapuls actually from? He's from over there, a Gupapuyŋu man, because the shark was wounded at Qarrala. And Ganbutapula ran off saying 'Come on, come here and chase me to the open plains at Ŋulpan and Ganamtyay/u. I'm the travelling man himselfl", like that. And the wounded shark ended up at Dnurupuŋpl.

9 Green tree python (wunhonu) Sacred string (Burrkiin, Way mamba, Yaliyali) Spirits travelling along the sacred Wirrmuŋa side of the ridge (Diamond shaped cross hatching indicates land) Dog dreaming track Barraya side of the ridge Night jar crying at the edge of the escarpment Ridge beteween Barraya and Wirrmuŋa

10 Ga dhiyakuwuynydja Ganbulapula, bäpurru Gumatj ga Lamamirri. Bili dhuwalanydja wäŋa Gumatjku ga Lamamirriwu go Wangurriwu. Ga nhumanydja wiripu-gulkuny'tja Virritjakuntjitythu, ŋuli rrambaŋi ŋilimurru, dhipala miyaman manikay. Nhäku ŋilimurru ŋuli miyamandja dhipala? Bili Ganbulapulanydja dhuwala ŋilimurruŋguŋu bukmakkuŋu, nhämunha'wuŋu bäpurru'wuŋu, miyamanara: Gumatjkuŋu, Dhaiwaŋu'wuŋu, Naŋgaliliwuŋu, Madarrpa, Uyalanmirri, Ritharrŋu, l,amami, Wangurri, Warramirt ga Gupapuyŋuwuŋu. Ga Gumatj Dhä-dhugilili ga Dhä-gupalili, ga balakurru bili, ŋilimurru ŋuli waŋganygurru waŋanhamirrinydja. Balanyara ŋilimurruŋgu ŋuli romdja ŋorra. In this particular area, Ganbulapula is from Gumatj and Lamamf clans; since this land belongs to Gumatj and Lamaml and Wangurrl. And you other Yirritja clan groups have links to this land, we all sing to this land together. Why do we all sing to this land? Because the singing of Ganbulapula is from all of us: Gumatj, Dhajwaŋu, flaŋgaltl, Madarrpa, Llya!anmlrr1, Ritharrŋu Lamaml, Wangurrl, Warramlr!, and Gupapuyŋu. And the saltwater Gumatj, and the fresh water Gumatj, this is the way we cooperate and make decisions, that's the way our law stands.

11 Ŋurrunydja ŋunha Datjalaŋ wäŋa. Waymamba marrtji ŋunhanydja ŋorra, Valiyali, Burrkun. Budutthurruna balakurrunydja, Rupu yukurrana marrtjina, ga Guwak manda. Ŋunhalanydja ŋayi ŋäthina, ga buku-yuiathirri ŋayi yurru ŋäthi ŋuli ya', mokuynha lakarama yutanha. Ŋunhala ŋayi ŋäthinanydja, Datjala, bala ŋayi yurru ŋal'yuna jjanyjjanydhuna yukurra, Murupaŋuna nhäma, Wämbana, Dhäwurralku. Wiripu mak nhuma marŋgi batjiwarrwu. Ga ŋayi waiunyunydja batjiwarr marrtjina bumara, yarrupthurruna Vukuwarra. Galarra ŋunhinydja marrtjina muŋdhurruna, Malupiŋu, Diwultjiwu}. Balkuŋuru ŋayi yarrupthurrunanydja, watu Wangurri, yäku Balku. Ŋunhalanydja, bala djambina ŋayi watu Lamamlrriyinana, yäku Ŋamaliya'na, Nanydjakanydja. The tip of the point is called Dätjala The sacred string exists through there where the possum and the night jar made the track. At that place the night jar sang and cried, and it will cry and mourn again to let us know whenever a new death occurs. Over there he cried at Datjala. On that point (where the road goes down the escarpment), it will fly up into a tree, and stretch out the string, ready for the journey. (The spirits of the dead travel along the path of the sacred string.) It takes a journey through the track dreaming to Twin Eagles (Murupa,commonly knownas Geyŋafla). Some of you might know of this track dreaming and some of you may not know. And the dog track dreaming exists through Yukuwarra, from Balkuwuy he made his journey. The dog, called Balku, being of Wangurrt clan, changed to a Lamaml dog (called Ŋamallya or Wäwuluma) when she reached Cape Arnhem.

12 m < U J CO 11 (V C3 u _ < CX < ill 6Cl

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14 Go rirrakaynydja ŋurrkama Djinimbililyu, Galkurandhu, Bandharrinyayu, dhuwalanydja yäku malanynha wäŋa. Gäthu'wuy, Virririnya, Marathuway, Gulpilŋa, Majjanhuwiliya, Quyŋuwuy, Matharra, Bultjam'murru. Vurru dhuwala retjany'tja yukurra gorruma Quyŋuwuynydja, dhuwalinydja ŋayi yukurra nhina Wunhaŋu. Nhanbala dhuwalinydja wäŋa. Dhipuŋuru ŋayi yukurra guykthundja, Bidimbida'yunydja, Bansjalmi. Wiripu gulkmin ŋunhi retja'puy ya, ŋunhiyi nhanŋu wäŋanydja. The cry of the night jar echoed in all the little patches of rain forest - Dj1n1mb1lil, Galkuran, Bandharrlnya, these are the names of the places. Also Ylrrlrlnye, Marathuway, Gulpilŋa, dacjanhuwlllya, Duyŋuwuy, Hatharra, and Bultjam'murru. At one rainforest called Duyŋuwuy, there lives the green tree python snake dreaming (Wunhaŋu or Btdlmblda). This is his land. From here, also called BarjQalml, he spits up the rain clouds. This is a different sort of snake (different from the lightning snake) which lives in the rain forest; that is where he lives,

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16 Yurru wäŋanydja nhawi, djinawany'tja madayin', dharrpal. Vurru yänana ŋorra yukurra jakarama yalalaŋuwuna, nhumalaŋguna yumurrku'wuna, Virri^awu ga Dhuwawu. Nhämuny ŋanapurru Virritja bäpurru. Bill ŋilimurru ŋuli waŋganygurru waŋanhamirrinydja. Balanyara ŋilimurruŋgu ŋuli romdja ŋorra. Vurru nhanbalay dhuwola yäkumirri wäŋanydja Ganbulapulawa. Dhuwala giwitj gali, yäku Wirrmuŋa; ga dhuwala giwitj gali', yäku Barrayaŋ. Dhuwala ŋunhi gulun'tja, Rerrwuy, räkaymirrinydja. Wiripunydja ŋayi yäku Balkuwuy. Ga dhuwalanydja Virritja wäŋa warrpam nhanbalay, Ganbulapulawa. But the area of land deep inside the rainforest is very sacred. So I am only telling you youngsters about It, for later on. It's for both Ylrrltja and Dhuwa people, but especially for how many of us who are Yirritja. So we become united together and agree together, and tbat's the way It is ror our culture. But this land is already titled, and it belongs to Ganbulapula. This side is called Barra/a and the other side is called Wirrmuŋa The area where the billabong full of lily roots is, is called Rerrwity. It is also known as Balkuwiy. These areas are Yirritja and they all belong to Ganbulapula.

17 PAINTING BY MUNGURRAWUY YUNUPIŊU

18 Ga yidakinydja dupthurra bitjarra bala Yarrapayyu, Wurrwudiyu; ŋuruku Dhuwawu mokuywu Dhanbulwu, Nyedilwu. "Do-o-o-p", bi^arra. Ŋunhawala Varrapayyu, Dhaŋalaŋal'yu, Witiyanayu, Wurrwidiyu. Ga bitjarra bala dopthurru Dhäyulkulyu. Buku-ritharrmirriwu, mokuywu Dhuwawu yana. Vidaki yäna yukurrana ŋurrka'-ŋurrkanhamina, marŋgikunhamina balalili yunmina. The didgeridoo sounded and the echo drifted across to Rocky Point (Yarrapay) to where those Dhuwa spirits called the Dhanbuls, also called Nyedll, perform their ceremonies. "Do-o-o-rpl", that's what it sounded like as it drifted across to Rocky Point. And also over there, to the mouth of the 6iddy's, they signal by the sound of the didgeridoo to other dhuwa spirits who were also performing. These spirits were dhuwa, who danced with sheaths of tall spear grass heid up vertically from their foreheads. (You can still see them dancing in the Dhuwa ceremonies.) Only the sound of the didgeridoo echoed, signalling back and forth.

19 Ga VirriŊanydja wäŋa, ŋulaŋuru liŋgu, Malawaniŋuru (Gundarak), ga yana liŋgu, Gulkula wapthun. Ga gulkthundja yukurra Qarwirrmurru, wo Guwatjirimurru. Garŋgana ŋunhiyinydja marrtji ŋorra, bul'manydjiwuna. Ŋulaŋuru Väŋunbtŋuru, ga bitjana bala ŋayi waŋsjina Gaylrrpuŋalayuna, ŋunhana ŋayi dhf 11i)i ny-y ul th i nany cqa Gayirrpuŋalana. Ga ŋunhiyinydja sjar'iar wandirri Bekujandji. Ŋunha yukurra gulkthundja gandarrŋura, Gulkula, ga Guwatjirimurru, ŋunhi ŋilimurru ŋuli bujja -bujjapthun. Ga dhuwala yuiuŋgurmyd a ŋilimurruŋgu, Yirritja. And the Yirritja land exists from the Airport, right up to Gulkula. And it cuts off at the Glddy's river crossing. There the dhuwa shark made its journey from the little streams at the mouth of the Giddy's (Yftŋunbt) across to the mouth of the Wongga Creek (Geylrrpuŋala). There at the Wongga Creek the shark remained. That area belongs to the shark dreaming. There it cuts off at 6iddy's River where we cross over to the other side. And this side of the land about half way to the Giddy River crossing from Dhupuma, belongs to us Yirritja.

20 Go ŋilimurru mittjinydja mokuy dhiyala bäyma giritjina yukurrana Gulkuja. 6a dhuwalanydja Ganbulpulawu wäŋa beŋuru bili gundarakŋuru, ga ŋunha wapthun Baypaymi (ŋunhi walala yukurra munatha belama). Ga yäna bili ga dhuwala mulka wäŋa Gulkuja. Walala yukurrana giritjinanydja dhiyala, mokuy walala VirriŊakungiŋ- Ga walala, dhuwanydja walala ŋunhala Varrapay ga Dhäyulkul. Dhämbuj ŋunhalanydja ŋal'yurruna, dhiyalanydja, dhuwaŋuranydja wäŋaŋura. Ga ŋayi Yirritja beŋuru bili Djalpurrkitjŋuru, ga dhuwalana lili mulka. Ŋunhanydja Varrapaynydja wäŋa Gunhininhini wandirri, Bandarrbandarr. Dhanbul dhiyalanydja nhinana mokuy Dhuwa. Munbinydja ŋunhala gulkthuna baladayny'tja, Bandarrbandarr ŋunhiyinydja, Wurrwidi. The spirits from our clan performed their ceremony right here at Dhupuma (Oujkuja). And Ganbu lap u la's land also covers the area from the airport across to where they are mining, and right up to old Dhupuma College. They danced here, the spirits from the Yirritja clans. And they, the Dhuwa spirits, danced at the mouth of the Giddy's (DhSyulkul) and at Rocky Point (Yarrapay). There the morning star rose up in the sky, at this place, dhuwa land. The Y irritja land covers the area from DJalpurrkttj (where the Telecom repeater dishes stand near the speedway), until it reaches this area (Dhupuma). Yarrapay is Dhuwa. The Dhánbul spirits occupied that land, and that's where the red nuts called MunDI were collected.

21 DHUWA S YIRRITJA i l i l HOLDINGS ŊAYMIL SHARK DREAMING... DHUWA YIRRITJA NHULUN YIRRKALA GULKULA' / r a r t A.W I -. - T f GAYIRRPUŊALA,P ' u 2 rsra^r

22 You can see Ganbulapula the spirit man in the yolŋu dancing. You will see him when the dancers look up for the bees, shooing the flies away from their eyes with leafy twigs in the Yirritja buŋgul. Ganbulapula is always running, looking up, backwards and forwards, sitting down only for a moment. Dhupuma means to look upwards; the Dhupuma College was named after the Yirritja spirit Ganbulapula and his dance. (The yolŋu world is divided up into two moieties - dhuwaand yirritja.)

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