GANBULAPULA
GANBULAPULA The story of the land around the Old Dhupuma College Gumatj Matha Based on a story originally told at Gu`ku`a, by Dja`a`i\ba. Transcription, editing, maps and translation by Raymattja Marika-Munu\giritj. Other consultants were Rirraliny Yunupi\u-Dhamarra]dji, Yirrinyina Yunupi\u-Dhamarra]dji, B^lun Yunupi\u, {a[ay\a Marika, Dhu\gala Marika, Dhuwanydjika Burarrwa\a-Marika. Yirrkala Literacy Resources Development Unit
GANBULAPULA Language: Gumatj All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without written permission of the publisher. NT Department of Employment, Education & Training, Literacy Resources Development Unit Yirrkala Community Education Centre First published 1985. Revised edition 2006 Published by the Literacy Resources Development Unit Yirrkala 2006. Yirrkala CEC, PO Box 896, Nhulunbuy, NT 0881 Tel 08 8987 1988 Fax 08 89871725 ISBN 0 86409 832 4
Dhuwalanydja nayambalk garma, dhiyala walala yukurrana giritjinanydja, ga... ga... ga... ga..., \unhanydja {atjala\una. Dhuwalanydja [iltji marrtji \orra, ga \urruna \unhi, bala batjiwarr yukurra dhunarrana, wiripu mak nhuma mar\gimirri \uriki batjiwarrwu. This place is a ceremonial ground, where they used to dance, all the way across to {atjala. Here where the bush is, and across to the point where the track goes down through the escarpment, perhaps some of you know that track. Mokuywa Ganbulapulawa, Murayanawa. ulikurrunydja \ayipi wanuwanuyurruna, dhupu\ala, wambal-\upara dhuwala burwu ga[ayka. Garma \ayi dhuwala w^\anydja. It belongs to the spirit man Ganbulapula, or Murayana. Through that land he traveled alone, looking upwards for honey, following the stringybark flowers. This is a ceremonial ground. 1
2
unhala \ayi garathinanydja bu` manydji, djambatjthu \ayi dharpu\ala. Be\urunydja \ayi mo]u\una [uwa=thurrunanydja, ga wa][ina [uwa=thurrunana. Bili \ayi dharpu\ala m^]a, \unhala \irrima\ura Garra=a\ura. Ga \unhana \ayi wa][ina, gal\a-garamirrinydja, ga Wa][a\urana; y^na \ayi marrtjina \ayambalk bumara mu`kurryu wa][ayu. Ga djamarrku`i - yalkthurruna \ayi. Ga \unhana \ayi gal\a garamirrinydja Dhuruputjpina, Wa\arr\u, Barr\gu`-warr\gu`\urana. Ga \unhana \ayi yukurra dhili\iny-yolthirrinydja Barr\gu`\urana, raypiny\urana. Over there a shark was wounded, he speared it with a harpoon. Then the culprit ran up from the shore and away inland. Because he speared the shark, there at a place called Garra=a. And then the shark ran, wounded, to Wa][awuy. and just made the place with her head. And she gave birth to her children. And there she is wounded, at Dhuruputjpi, Wa\arr\u, Barr\gu`-warr\gu`. And there she remains buried in the fresh water at Barr\gu`. 3
Djambatjthu \ayi dharpu\alanydja \anya, ga wa][inana: Go! uparra \arranha dhipala! arra dhuwala guyurrwiyurrwi! bitjarra \ayi \ayawurkthurrunanydja, bala wa][inana. Ga dhuwalana lili \ayi wa][inanydja, ga dhuwalana \ayi \irrima mulkana. Wanha\uwuy \ayi \unhi Ganbulapulanydja? urukuwuy djunama, Gupapuy\u. Bili \ayi garathina \unhala Garra=a\ura maranydjalk. Dharpu\alanydja, djunama wa][inana. Go! Dhipala \arranha \uparra, ulpanlili, Ga]amiyayu! arra dhuwala guyurrwiyurrwi! bitjarra. Ga \ayi gal\a garamirrinydja maranydjalk dhuwalana Dhuruputjpina. He speared her with a harpoon and ran off: Come on! Chase me! I m the travelling man! he said this, and then ran off. And he ran this way, then he arrived at this place Gu`ku`a. Where is that Ganbulapula from? From over there, a Gupapuy\u man. Because that shark was wounded at Garra=a. He speared it, then ran off. Come on! Chase me this way, to ulpan, and Ga] amiya! I m the travelling man! he said. And the shark with the spear stuck in is at Dhuruputjpi. 4
Painting by Mu\gurrawuy Yunupi\u 5
Ga dhiyakuwuynydja Ganbulapula, b^purru Gumatj ga ~amamirri. Bili dhuwalanydja \irrima Gumatjku ga ~amamirriwu ga Wangurriwu. Ga nhumanydja wiripu-gu`kuny tja Yirritjaku][itjthu, \uli rramba\i \ilimurru, dhipala miyaman manikay. Nh^ku \ilimurru \uli miyamandja dhipala? Bili Ganbulapulanydja dhuwala \ilimurru\gu\u bukmakku\u, nh^munha wu\u b^purru wu\u, miyamanara: Gumatjku\u, Dha`wa\uwu\u, Ma\galiliwu\u, Ma[arrpa, ~iya`anmirri, Ritharr\u, ~amamirri, Wangurri, Warramiri ga Gupapuy\uwu\u. Ga Gumatj Dh^-dhu[ilili ga Dh^-gupalili, ga balakurru bili, \ilimurru \uli wi[ipiya kurra \ayawarkthunmirri. Balanyara \ilimurru\gu \uli romdja \orra. And for this place, Ganbulapula belongs to the Gumatj and ~amamirri clans. Because this land belongs to the Gumatj, ~amamirri and Wangurri clans. And you other Yirritja clan groups, along with us, we all sing songs to this place together. Why do we all sing to this place? Because the singing of Ganbulapula is from all of us, from many clans: Gumatj, Dha`wa\u, Ma\galili, Ma[arrpa, ~iya`anmirri, Ritharr\u, ~amamirri, Wangurri, Warramiri and Gupapuy\u. And the bottom Gumatj and top Gumatj, and through this way, we all talk the same language. That s the way our law stands. 6
urrunydja \unha {atjala\ \irrima. Waymamba marrtji \unhanydja \orra, Ya`iya`i, Burrkun. Bu[u=thurruna balakurrunydja, Rupu yukurrana marrtjina, ga Guwak ma][a. unhalanydja \ayi \^thina, ga buku-yu=athirri \ayi yurru \^thi \uli ya, mokuynha `akarama yu=anha. unhala \ayi \^thinanydja, {atjala, ga yurruna \al yurruna [any[anydhu\ayuna yukurra, Murupa\una nh^ma, W^mba]a, Dh^wurralku. Wiripu mak nhuma mar\gi batjiwarrwu. Ga \ayi wa=uyunydja batjiwarr marrtjina bumara, yarrupthurruna Yukuwarra. Ga`arra \unhinydja marrtjina mu\dhurruna, Malupi\u, {iwu`[iwu`. Balku\uru \ayi yarrupthurrunanydja, wa=u Wangurri, y^ku Balku. unhalanydja, bala djambina \ayi wa=u ~amamirriyinana, y^ku ama`iya na, }anydjakanydja. That point over there is {atjala. The sacred string Waymamba, Ya`iya`i, Burrkun lies here. They went together the possum and koel making the track. There the koel cried, and it will continue to mourn and cry to tell of a new death. There he cried, at {atjala, then he will climb up and call out the news of death, at Murupa, W^mba]a, Dh^wurralku. Some of you might know of this track. And the dog made the track down through to Yukuwarra. It went down to Ga`arra, Malupi\u, {iwu`[iwu`. Down from Balku he came, the Wangurri dog called Balku. There he changed into the ~amamirri dog, called ama`iya, at }anydjaka. 7
Ga rirrakaynydja \urrkama Dji]imbililyu, Galkurandhu, Bandharrinyayu, dhuwalanydja y^ku malanynha \irrima. G^thu wuy, Yirririnya, Marathuway, Gulpil\a, Ma[anhuwiliya, {uy\uwuy, Matharra, Bu`tjam murru. Yurru dhuwala retjany tja yukurra, gorruma {uy\uwuynydja, dhuwalinydja \ayi yukurra nhina Wunha\u. Nhanbala dhuwalinydja \irrima. Dhipu\uru \ayi yukurra guykthundja, Bi[imbi[a yunydja, Ba][almi. Wiripu gu`kmi] \unhi retja puy ya, \unhiyi nhan\u \irrimanydja. And the sound echoed at Dji]imbilil, Galkuran, Bandharrinya, these are the names of the places. G^thu wuy, Yirririnya, Marathuway, Gulpil\a, Ma[anhuwiliya, {uy\uwuy, Matharra, Bultjam murru. And there is a patch of jungle there at {uy\uwuy, where there lives Wunha\u the python. That is his land. From here, he, Bi[imbi[a, or Ba][almi, spits up rain clouds. That is the special python which belongs in the jungle, that s his area. 10
11
Yurru \irrimanydja nhawi, \ayi djinawany tja ma[ayin, dharrpal. Yurru y^nana \arra yukurra `akarama yalala\uwuna, nhumala\guna yumurrku wuna, Yirritjawu ga Dhuwawu. Nh^muny \anapurru Yirritja b^purru. Bili \ilimurru \uli wi[ipiya kurru \ayawarkthunmirri. Balanyara \ilimurru\gu \uli romdja \orra. Yurru nhanbalay dhuwala y^kumirri \irrimanydja Ganbulapulawa. Dhuwala giwitj gali, y^ku Wirrmu\a; ga dhuwala giwitj gali, y^ku Barraya\. Dhuwala \unhi gu`un tja, Rerrwuy, r^kaymirrinydja. Wiripunydja \ayi y^ku Balkuwuy. Ga dhuwalanydja Yirritja w^\a warrpam nhanbalay, Ganbulapulawa. But that land is very secret and sacred. So I am only talking about this for later on, for you young people, Yirritja and Dhuwa. The children of all the different Yirritja clans. Because we all talk the same language. That s the way our culture stands. But this land has a name, and belongs to Ganbulapula. This side is called Wirrmu\a, and the other side is called Barraya. That billabong, Rerrwuy, is full of lily roots. It is also called Balkuwuy. All these Yirritja places are his, Ganbulapula s. 12
Ganbulapula Painting by Mu\gurrawuy Yunupi\u 13
Ga yi[akinydja [o-o-opthurruna bitjarra djunama Yarrapayu, Wurrwu[iyu; \uruku Dhuwawu mokuywu Dhanbulwu, Nye[ilwu. {o-o-o-p, bitjarra. unhawala Yarrapayyu, Dha\ala\al yu, Wi=iyanayu, Wurrwi[iyu. Ga bitjarra \ayi [opthurru Dh^yulkulyu. Buku-ritharrmirriwu, mokuywu Dhuwawu yana. Yi[aki y^na yukurrana \urrka -\urrkanhamina, mar\gikunhamina dju`kthunmina. The didjeridu sounded across to Yarrapay, or Wurrwu[i, for the Dhuwa spirits called Dhanbul, or Nye[il. {o-o-o-p, it sounded. To Yarrapay, Dha\ala\al, Wi=iyana, Wurrwi[i. And it sounded like that across to Dh^yulkul. For the Dhuwa spirits with sheaths of tall spear grass held up from their foreheads. Only the sound of the didjeridu was echoing, signalling back and forth. 14
Ga Yirritjanydja w^\a, \ula\uru li\gu, Malawani\uru (Gundarak), ga y^na li\gu, Gu`ku`a wapthun. Ga gulkthundja yukurra {arwirrmurru, wo Guwatjirimurru. Gar\gana \unhiyinydja marrtji \orra, bu` manydjiwuna. ula\uru Y^\unbi\uru, ga bitjarra djunama \ayi wa][ina Gayirrpu\alayuna, \unhana \ayi dhili\iny-yolthinanydja Gayirrpu\alana. Ga \unhiyinydja [ar =ar wa][irri beku`andji. unha yukurra gulkthundja gandarr\ura, Gu`ku`a, ga Guwatjirimurru, \unhi \ilimurru \uli bu[a -bu[apthun. Ga dhuwala yu=u\gurrnydja \ilimurru\gu, Yirritja. And the Yirritja land is from there at Malwani (airport), and over to Gu`ku`a. And it cuts off at {arwirrmurru, or Guwatjirimurru. And lying there is gar\ga, a shark s track. From Y^\unbi, it crossed that way to Gayirrpu\ala, there at Gayirrpu\ala he remained. So that s where it arrived at its route called [ar =ar or beku`andji. There it cuts off at the middle, between Gu`ku`a, and Guwatjirimurru, where we cross over. And this side of land belongs to us Yirritja. 15
Ga \ilimurru mi=tjinydja mokuy dhiyala b^yma giritjina yukurrana Gu`ku`a. Ga dhuwalanydja Ganbulapulawu \ayambalk be\uru bili gundarak\uru, ga \unha wapthun Baypaymi (\unhi walala yukurra munatha belama). Ga y^na bili ga dhuwala mulka na \irrima Gu`ku`a. Walala yukurrana giritjinanydja dhiyala, mokuy walala Yirritjaku][itj. Ga walala, Dhuwanydja walala \unhala giritjina Yarrapay ga Dh^yulkul. Dh^mbu` \unhalanydja \al yurruna, dhiyalanydja, Dhuwa\uranydja \ayambalk\ura. Ga \ayi Yirritja be\uru bili Dja`purrkitj\uru, ga dhuwalana lili mulka. unhanydja Yarrapaynydja w^\a Gunhininhini wa][irri, Bandarrbandarr. Dhanbul dhiyalanydja nhinana mokuy Dhuwa. Munbinydja \unhala gulkthuna bala[ayny tja, Bandarrbandarr \unhiyinydja, Wurrwi[i. And the spirits from our clans were dancing here at Gu`ku`a. And Ganbulapula s land goes from there, the airport, and across to Baypaymi (where they are mining). And all the way across to Gu`ku`a. They were dancing there, the spirits from Yirritja clans. And they, the Dhuwa spirits, were there dancing at Yarrapay and Dh^yulkul. The morning star rose up, there, at Dhuwa land. And the Yirritja land is from Dja`purrkitj until it reaches here. Over there at Yarrapay, around Gunhininhini and Bandarrbandarr were living the Dhuwa Dhanbul spirits. They were collecting munbi berries when they were in season at Bandarrbandarr, Wurrwi[i. 16
17
You can see Ganbulapula the spirit man in the Yol\u 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 bu\gul. 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 this Yirritja spirit Ganbulapula and his dance. (The Yol\u world is divided up into two moieties, Dhuwa and Yirritja.)
PRINTED BY YIRRKALA CEC S LITERACY RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT UNIT
This work is from the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages www.cdu.edu.au/laal. If you have any questions or wish to access information concerning this work, please contact us at livingarchive@cdu.edu.au. Use of this work is subject to the User License Agreement available at http://www.cdu.edu.au/laal/permissions/ This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial No Derivs 3.0 Licence Australia which appears as follows: This licence allows users to share, copy and redistribute the work in any medium or format provided they: (i) give appropriate credit, provide a link to the licence, and indicate if any changes were made to the work. Users may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests that we endorse the user or their use; (ii) do not use the work for commercial purposes; (iii) do not distribute the modified work if they remix, transform or build upon the work, and (iv) do not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything that the licence permits. The full terms of the licence can be found at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/au/legalcode. The creators of this work assert their moral rights to: be identified and named as the creators of this work. This means that if you reproduce the work, you must identify these creators; take action if this work is falsely attributed as being someone else s work; and take action if this work is distorted or treated in a way that is harmful to their honour or reputation. This means that the creators of this work have the right to object to distortion, mutilation or other modification of, or derogatory action in relation to the work. If you share this work, you must identify the creators named in this work and on the Living Archive of Aboriginal Languages website and abide with all other attribution requirements under the Creative Commons licence. Note that any action that is in breach of the moral rights of the author will give rise to a right of the creators to take legal action under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Do not remove this notice www.cdu.edu.au/laal Tel: (08) 8946 6876 livingarchive@cdu.edu.au