A package holiday coach tour in August 2024 went from Broome in Western Australia to Perth. One of the places visited was the Pinnacles, in Nambung National Park, south of Cervantes, about half way between Geraldton and Perth.
This would probably be in Amangu country, indicated in green on the map above right.
The Pinnacles are a landscape of limestone pillars in profusion extending for what seems square kilometres, commonly about one metre tall but often larger as in this illustration.
It is not clear how they originated. They are dated at around twenty-five to thirty thousand years old. It is not known how they formed, but one theory is that they are to do with trees—but would massive trees like these have stood so close together?
The Pinnacles Discovery Centre provided much of the expected information about the site, as well as souvenirs to buy, but virtually no information about the Aboriginal people who must have once lived there. As he was leaving the centre, your amateur researcher (YAR) noticed some writing on the upright timbers, or posts, at the front, perhaps intended as a suggestion of the pinnacles themselves.
POST 1
These are the uprights seen on leaving the information centre. Writing on them was easy to miss.
But when this photo was rotated, and greatly overexposed, it became just possible to make out the words:
The words become more obvious and readable after further enhancement.
Post 1: NUNDA KURI - INY YUED BOODJA
This writing, on examination, seemed as if it might be a collection of Aboriginal words.
Afterwards, back with his computer and on opening up the Bayala Databases, YAR was able to deduce the following for the first photograph.
nunda
Australian | respelt | English | EngJSM | source |
"[nonda]" | nanda | "[Brother-Elder]" | brother elder | Curr 1 #24b Ganiyang Barlee [1:356.2:12.2] |
"[nunda]" | nunda | "[[Obj.] (you)]" | thee | BATES #160 Daisy M. 1914 [:5:33.1] [Nyga] |
"Noon-da | nunda | "you." | thou | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:100:17] [Wndi] [WA] |
"nunda" | nunda | "you" | thou | [8] Salvado 1851 [: 451:34] [Ywt] [WA] [1851] |
nunda seemed most likely to be the second person singular pronoun ‘you’—thou or thee.
kuri
"[gooree]" | Guri | "[baby]" | milk [baby] | [3] Lyon 1833 [:207:2.2] [Mng] [WA] [1833] |
"[küri]" | guri | "[Swan district dialect...(kuri: | presently | BATES #160 Daisy M. 1914 [:2:10.2] [Wjk] [WA] [1914] |
"[gori]" | guri | "[I beat just now]" | presently | MATHEWS Some Tribes of WA [:123:19.1] [Mrng] |
"Gooree" | guri | "to rain" | rain | Lyon 1833 Perth Gaz [:56.2:47] [Mng] [WA] |
"Coori" | guri | "Rainbow." | rainbow | SofM 19040222 [7 ColSecWA] [:7.3:36] |
"Go-ri" | guri | "just now." | recently | Symmons Grammar 1841 [:17:14] [Wjk] [WA] |
"Gori" | guri | "just now." | recently | BRADY 1845 [:21:7] [Nyga] [WA] [1845] |
"[gori]" | guri | "[presently]" | recently | Moore 1842 [:26:7.33] [Nyga] [WA] [1842] |
"Ko-re (s.)" | guri | "just now." | recently | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:69:11] [Mng] [WA] |
kuri: apart from the Mirning word (baby, milk) from the far south east towards the South Australian border, this word might have meant 'rain' or 'rainbow', or perhaps that there was rain or a rainbow not long ago ('recently', 'presently').
iny [?]
"Ein-ya (v.)" | inya | "I, (see \“ngan-ya.\”)" | I | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:36:5] [Wndi] [WA] [1840] |
iny: if this was a word on its own, this might have been the first person singular pronoun ‘I’. However, perhaps, given what might be a hyphen before it, -iny was intended to be part of kuri- iny, yielding the following doubtful results:
"gurinyinga" | gurinyinga | "Hungry" | hunger | MATHEWS Aboriginal Tribes W.A. 1901 [:222.1:17] [Kija] [] [1901] |
"{corrinyup (querup)}" | guriny-ab | "{lot of brush kangaroo}" | scrub- plenty | [11 (a)] Hassell, A.A. [:316:3.1] [Krng] [WA] [1894?] |
"Kuria" | guriya | "Friends, mates" | friend | BATES #7 Eucla XII 2A 4 Betrothed 72227 [:8:18] [Mrng] [WA] [] |
yued
Yow-art" | yawad | "Kangaroo, male" | kangaroo | Symmons Grammar 1841 [:6.1:28] [Wjk] [WA] |
"Yow-art" | yawad | "a male kangaroo." | kangaroo | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:138:6] [Nyga] [WA] |
"yewart" | yuwad | "kangaroo" | kangaroo | [7] Stokes 1846 [:301:28] [Wjk] [WA] [1846] |
"yuat" | yuwad | "no" | no | [8] Salvado 1851 [:335:28] [Ywt] [WA] |
"[youat]" | yuwad | "No" | no | Curr 1 #20 Parker [1:341.2:7.2] [Wjk] [WA] |
"Yu-at-jil" | yuwad | "Never" | no-ITNS | Symmons Grammar 1841 [:23.1:33] [Wjk] |
yued: possible meanings are ‘kangaroo’ and ‘no'.
boodja
"pudger" | budya | "ground" | earth | [21] Coyne 1980 [:277:36] [Nyga] [WA] |
"bugiar" | budya | "ground" | earth | [8] Salvado 1851 [:277:30] [Ywt] [WA] |
boodja: from plentiful examples there seems no doubt that this means ‘earth’, or ‘ground’, although there are single records for each of ‘go’, ‘grass’, ‘palm’ and ‘presently’.
There were many more posts at the front of the building, so YAR took photographs of all those with writing on them, having to scramble into the bushes to do so. All of the following photographs have been rotated, to make the writing on them easier to read.
The two posts nearest the walkway are illustrated alongside.
However, to make the following explanation easier to understand, the posts in front of the information centre are numbered from left to right, and are considered from the far end, working step by step back to those illustrated here.
POST 2
This post is the furthermost left of the posts with inscriptions.
Post 2: GIDGI DILYARI
gidgi
"Gid-ji" | gidyi | "A spear, wooden barb" | spear | Symmons Grammar 1841 [:5:36] [Wjk] [WA] [1841] |
"Gidji" |
gidyi | "a spear; the native spear is furnished with a wooden barb, and pointed like a needle." |
spear |
BRADY 1845 [:21:2] [Nyga] [WA] [1845] |
"Gidge" | gidyi | "spear." | spear | Lyon 1833 Perth Gaz [:52.21:51] [Wjk] [WA] [1833] |
"[Gidji]" |
gidyi |
"[Spear, fishing]" | spear spear scraped |
Moore 1842 [:159:34.21] [Nyga] [WA] [1842] |
gidyi: ‘spear’
dilyari
"jilyara" | dyilyara | "bee" | bee | [24] Hassell, Edney [:213:1] [Krng] [WA] [c.1930] |
"jilyara" | dyilyara | "bee" | bee | [23] Buller-Murphy [:213:2] [Wndi] [WA] [n.d.] |
"Djil-yoor" |
dyilyur | "a small species of mouse that burrows in the ground, eaten by the natives." |
mouse |
GREY 1840 2nd edn [:29:3] [Nyga] [WA] [1840] |
"Djil-yur" |
dyilyur | "A small field- mouse, eaten by the natives." |
mouse |
Moore 1842 [:30:5] [Nyga] [WA] [1842] |
"Jilyarrbi" | dyilyaRbi | "native currants" | currant | BATES #7 Eucla XII 2A 4 Betrothed 72227 [:11:30] [Mrng] [WA] [] |
dilyari: While there are no exact matches there appear to be two possibilities for this entry on the Pinnacles posts: dyilyara ‘bee’, and dyilyur ‘mouse’. The ‘currant’ example seems unlikely.
POST 3
Post 3: BUDJA BRIDIYA YAKARN KENDJIL
boodja
boodja: same as in Post 1: ‘earth’, ‘ground’
bridiya
"piraggi" | birady | "light of day, the" | light | [8 (E)] Salvado [:311:19] [Ywt] [WA] [1851] |
"beeritch" | biridy | "day" | light day | [23] Buller-Murphy [:251:33] [Wndi] [WA] [n.d.] |
"beeriche" | biridyi | "Light" | light | Curr 1 #24a Barlee [1:355.1:27] [Knyg] [WA] [1886] |
"[birritch]" | biridy | "[today (to day)]" | light day | [24] Hassell, Edney [: 416:50.2] [Krng] [WA] [c.1930] |
biridy seems to be the most likely match in the databases for “bridiya”, and in this case the meaning would be ‘daylight’.
yakarn
"yuckine" | yagan | "wild dogs" | dog [alien] | [11 (a)] Hassell, A.A. [:195:24] [Krng] [WA] [1894?] |
"yokine" | yugan | "dingo" | dog: | [17] Markey 1942 [:191:50] [NYUNGAR] |
"yakkine" | yagan | "Wild dog" | dog [alien] | Curr 1 #24c Small [1:358.1:4] [Knyg] [WA] [1886] |
yagan seems almost certainly intended to represent ‘wild dog’ or ‘dingo’.
kendjil
"{chenciel, chenchiel}" | gin-dyil | "{all}" | one-ITNS [all] | [8 (E)] Salvado [:200:25] [Ywt] [WA] [1851] |
"cancel" | gan-dyil | "together; jointly" | one-ITNS | [8 (E)] Salvado [: 417:21] [Ywt] [WA] [1851] |
"[karnijel" | ganidyil | "[Truly]" | TRUE | BATES #160 Daisy M. 1914 [:14:23.1] [Wjk] [WA] [1914] |
gindyil: Most of the entries on the Pinnacles posts seem to be about nature but perhaps not this one. gin or gan is ‘one’ and dyil an intensifying suffix, so ‘really one’, and hence ‘all’ and ‘together’. The ‘true’ example might be a quite different word.
POST 4
Post 4: GUIMARA YORNDAN BYOOLA
guimara
guwimara/gwimara: there were no matches for this word, or any examples at all that could usefully be presented here.
yorndan
"yon-dong" | yandang | "iguana, black" | goanna black | [19] Isaacs 1949 [:296:45] [Wndi] [WA] [1949] |
"Yoon-doong" | yundung | "a species of guana." | goanna | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:137:12] [Nyga] [WA] [1840] |
"yorndung" | yurndang | "iguana, short, black" | goanna black, short | [23] Buller-Murphy [:296:48] [Wndi] [WA] [n.d.] |
yurndung: ‘iguana’, ‘lizard, ‘goanna’.
byoola
"[boo-yoo-la]" | buyu-la | "[a gun, (literally) fire and smoke.]" | smoke-xxx | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:59:1.2] [Mng] [WA] [1840] |
"[boolar]" | bula | "{plenty}" | plenty | [24] Hassell, Edney [:352:15.1] [Krng] [WA] [c.1930] |
"bulaa" | bula | "plenty" | plenty | [8] Salvado 1851 [:352:23] [Ywt] [WA] [1851] |
"Bool-la" |
bula | "They two (Brothers, Sisters or Friends)" |
they-two |
BRADY 1845 [:10:21.1] [Nyga] [WA] [1845] |
byula/buyula: The meaning intended could be bula indicating plurality (plenty, they-two). There were no matches for byula, but the first example might have been what the person who inscribed the word on the pole had in mind.
POST 5
Post 5: BOODJA BIGILDA YELLABIDDY
boodja
boodja: same as in Posts 1 and 3: ‘earth’, ‘ground’
bigilda
"[bigal bigal]" | bigal bigal | "[Bruised all over]" | xxx xxx | |
"Begalin" | bigalin | "Burying ground" | cemetery | SofM 19031123 [147 ClSecWA] [:148.3:9] [Nyga] [WA] [1903] |
"[birgala]" | birgala | "Honey (mallee honey" | honey |
bigilda: no examples or close matches to this word could be found. None of the three examples above seem likely to have been intended for use on the Pinnacles posts.
yellabiddy
"Yallabiddy | yalabidi | "Emu" | emu | SofM 19000723 [98.2 Richardson–Gasgoyne |
"yelabiddy" | yilabidi | "Emu" | emu | Curr 1 #28 Gifford [1:378.1:5] [Wajri] [wa] |
yilabidi is a word recorded in the Pilbara region meaning ‘emu’.
POST 6
Post 6: KWELENA MAMBAKORT WOCOL
kwelena
"kwillen-ah [[sic]]" | gwilin-ag | "porpoise" | porpoise | [15] Hammond [:353:27] [Pjrp] [WA] [1933] |
"kwillen,ah" | gwilin-ag | "porpoise" | porpoise | [16] Hammond [:353:33] [Nyga] [WA] [n.d.] |
"quilinock" | gwilin-ag | "oak, river" | oak river | [11 (a)] Hassell, A.A. [:338:37] [Krng] [WA] [1894?] |
gwilina: there are no totally convincing matches for this, leaving ‘porpoise’ to be slightly favoured over ‘river oak’ as the possible intended meaning in this instance.
mambakort
"Mumbroo" | mambaru | "A man's knee" | knee | SofM 19040130 [181: ColSec WA] [:183.3:32] [Wjk] [WA] [1904] |
"Mumbekine" | mambigan | "Large hill and spring" | wellspring | SofM 19031123 [147 ClSecWA] [:149.1:16] [Nyga] [WA] [1903] |
mambagurd: no close matches could be found in the databases, so the suggestions of ‘knee’ and (water) ‘spring’ are guesses, with the second being slightly more likely.
wocol
"War-gyl" | wagal | "Frog" | frog | Symmons Grammar 1841 [:6.1:22] [Wjk] [WA] [1841] |
"Wau-gul" | wagal | "an imaginary aquatic monster ..." | monster [freshwater] | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:125:16] [Nyga] [WA] [1840] |
"wargyl" | wagal | "carpet snake" | snake carpet | [22] Gray 1987 [:232:26] [Nyga] [WA] [1987] |
"wocal" | wagal | "snake" | snake | [8] Salvado 1851 [:384:10] [Ywt] [WA] [1851] |
"waggile" | wagal | "snake" | snake | [7] Stokes 1846 [:384:21] [Wjk] [WA] [1846] |
"waugul" | wagal | "evil Spirit." | spirit | BRADY 1845 [:44:10.1] [Nyga] [WA] [1845] |
"[Waugal]" | wagal | "Spirit, evil" | spirit evil | Moore 1842 [:160:11.3] [Nyga] [WA] [1842] |
"woacol" | wugul | "mallee, silver" | mallee silver | [11 (a)] Hassell, A.A. [:318:29] [Krng] [WA] [1894?] |
wagal: the most likely intended meaning is ‘snake’, or something nasty, with a couple of other possible meanings added.
POST 7
Post 7: WARDANG MARANY YOKA
wardang
"[wadong]" | wadang | "[Vanga destructor; butcher-bird.]" | birdtype [butcherbird] | Moore 1842 [:97:17.2] [Nyga] [WA] [1842] |
"War-dang" | wadang | "Crow" | crow | Symmons Grammar 1841 [:6.1:13] [Wjk] [WA] [1841] |
"Wardang" | wadang | "a crow" | crow | Lyon 1833 Perth Gaz [:60.21:20] [Mng] [WA] [1833] |
"wardang" | wadang | "Crow" | crow | MATHEWS Some Tribes of WA [:126.1:2] [Mrng] [WA] [1909-10] |
"War-dung" | wadang | "a cow." | crow | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:124:8] [Nyga] [WA] [1840] |
wardang is predominantly a ‘crow’.
marany
"marran" | maran | "lobster (freshwater, fairly large)" | crayfish freshwater | [23] Buller-Murphy [:314:24] [Wndi] [WA] [n.d.] |
"marran" | maran | "crustacean, large fresh water" | crayfish | [24] Hassell, Edney [:247:47] [Krng] [WA] [c.1930] |
"marign" | maran | "grub" | grub | [23] Buller-Murphy [:104:50] [Nyga] [WA] [n.d.] |
"[marrain]" | mara-n | "[By and by fetch water]" | take | BATES #7 Eucla XII 2A 4 Betrothed 72227 [:14:4.2] [Mrng] [WA] [] |
"[maran]" | maran | "[pull out]" | take | [8 (E)] Salvado [:356:5.21] [Ywt] [WA] [1851] |
"Mär‘ain" | maran | "vegetable food of all kinds" | VEGfood | BATES #160 Daisy M. 1914 [:3:26] [Nyga] [WA] [1914] |
"Maryn" | maran | "vegetable food" | VEGfood | BRADY 1845 [:29:8] [Nyga] [WA] [1845] |
maran: there are several possible meanings but the most likely, for inclusion on the Pinnacles posts, might be either ‘crayfish’ or ‘vegetable food’ (as opposed to ‘meat’ food).
yoka
yage: there is little doubt that the meaning intended is ‘woman’, or ‘wife’.
POST 8
Post 8: MURDITJ DJINA KERA NYINGARN MANAIJ
murdidj
"moorditch" | murdidy | "hurry up" | hurry | [22] Gray 1987 [:293:41] [Nyga] [WA] [1987] |
"mordit" | murdid | "possum mouse" | possum mouse | [11 (a)] Hassell, A.A. [:354:30] [Krng] [WA] [1894?] |
murdidy: the best match for this word is ‘hurry’, but this is unlikely to have been intended for use on the posts at the Pinnacles, making murdid: ‘possum mouse’, perhaps a local animal, more probable.
djina
"Jee-na" | dyina | "the foot." | foot | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:53:12] [Nyga] [WA] [1840] |
"jinna" | dyina | "Foot" | foot | MATHEWS Some Tribes of WA [:125.2:4] [Mrng] [WA] [1909-10] |
"jen-na" | dyina | "foot" | foot | [19] Isaacs 1949 [:268:45] [Wndi] [WA] [1949] |
dyina: ‘foot’—very little doubt about that.
kera
gira: ‘smoke’ is perhaps more likely the intended meaning given that there were slightly more examples of ‘smoke’ than the single example for ‘fly’.
nyingarn
"ninghan" | ninGan | "porkupine (sic)" | echidna | [17] Markey 1942 [:131:8] [Nyga] [WA] [1942] |
"ngungan" | ngungan | "I (first person, singular)" | I | [15] Hammond [:296:15] [Pjrp] [WA] [1933] |
"ngungarn" | ngungan | "Sun" | sun | Curr 1 #22 Scott [1:347.1:24] [Pjrp] [WA] [1886] |
"ng-yan-gan" | ngyangan | "whiskers" | beard | [16] Hammond [: 438:27] [Nyga] [WA] [n.d.] |
ninGan: ‘echidna’ is the closest match, and perhaps it it should be a local animal might be the most likely of the words to have been selected for use on the Pinnacles posts.
manaij
manady: there seems little doubt that ‘whatever cockatoo’ was the intended meaning.
POST 9
Post 9: YONGKA KAMPIKURA
yongka
"yon-ga" | yunGa | "kangaroo, boomer" | kangaroo | [19] Isaacs 1949 [:301:36] [Wndi] [WA] [1949] |
"yonker" | yunGa | "kangaroo" | kangaroo | [23] Buller-Murphy [:301:26] [Wndi] [WA] [n.d.] |
"yongar" | yunga | "kangaroo, male" | kangaroo male | [8] Salvado 1851 [:302:14] [Ywt] [WA] [1851] |
"yūngar" | yunga | "natives" | man | BATES #160 Daisy M. 1914 [:2:27.3] [Nyga] [WA] [1914] |
"Yung-ar" |
yunga | "people, the name by which they designate themselves." |
man |
BRADY 1845 [:49:13] [Nyga] [WA] [1845] |
"yongar" | yunga | "blackfellow" | man | [8] Salvado 1851 [:218:28] [Ywt] [WA] [1851] |
yunGa: There are multiple entries for both ‘kangaroo’ and ‘man’ meanings. The Nyungar language group is not alone in this. The same occurs with guri (DanGadi, NSW), mari (Kamilaroi, NSW), wala (Margandy, Qld), waru (Arabana, SA), wura (Bangala, SA), yura (Yilba, Qld) and probably others.
Perhaps this gave rise to the term ‘old man kangaroo’.
kampikura
"gambigorn" | gambigurn | "frogmouth, tawny" | birdtype [mopoke] | [18 (x)] Serventy [:269:42] [Nyga] [WA] [1948] |
gambigura: The photograph is not clear, appearing to read KAMPTKURA. There are no examples for this, the closest being gambigurn: Tawny frogmouth’.
POST 10
Post 10: WARDANG WETJ DJIDI DJIDI DURT
wardang
wardang is predominantly a ‘crow’: same as on Post 7.
wetj
"wedge" | widy | "Emu" | emu | Curr 1 #32 Chester [1:390.1:5] [Krng] [WA] [1886] |
"Widgi" | widyi | "an emu." | emu | BRADY 1845 [:45:7] [Nyga] [WA] [1845] |
"widji" | widyi | "Emu" | emu | MATHEWS Some Tribes of WA [:126.1:9] [Mrng] [WA] [1909-10] |
"widji" | widyi | "Emu" | emu | MATHEWS Some Tribes of WA [:126.1:9] [Mrng] [WA] [1909-10] |
widy is with little doubt ‘emu’.
djidi dyidi
"chitty chitty" |
dyidi dyidi | "shepherd friend (wagtail)" | wagtail [shepherd's friend] | [11 (a)] Hassell, A.A. [:374:17] [Krng] [WA] [1894?] |
"chitie chitie" | dyidi dyidi | "willy wagtail" | wagtail willy | [21] Coyne 1980 [: 442:52] [Nyga] [WA] [1980] |
"jit-te-jit-te" | dyidi dyidi | "willy wagtail" | wagtail willy | [18 (c)] Serventy [: 442:48] [Wjk] [WA] [1948] |
dyidi dyidi is the bird ‘willy wagtail’.
durt
"toort" | durd | "river broom bush" | bush river broom | [21] Coyne 1980 [:362:10] [Nyga] [WA] [1980] |
"dort" | durd | "hollow" | hollow | [24] Hassell, Edney [:290:41] [Krng] [WA] [c.1930] |
"toort" | durd | "dog" | dog | [21] Coyne 1980 [:256:2] [Nyga] [WA] [1980] |
"Toort" | durd | "Dog" | dog | Nind, Scott 1831 [: 49.1:37] [Mng] [WA] [1831] |
"Toort " | durd | "Dog" | dog | SofM 18970430 [106.7: Suttor-King Geo Snd] [:106.7:27] [Knyg] [WA] [1897] |
durd: the principal meaning is ‘dog’.
POST 11
Post 11: KULYANG YORNA DJUNYAI
kulyang
"calyung" |
galyang | "teal, chestnut (also grey teal)" | birdtype [teal, chestnut] |
[18 (v)] Serventy [:405:16] [Krng] [WA] [1948] |
"kulyang" | galyang | "Black duck" | duck black | |
"Gal- yang" | galyang | "Wattle tree, gum of" | resin [wattle] | Symmons Grammar 1841 [:7.2:11] [Wjk] [WA] [1841] |
"Kail- yung (v.)" |
galyang | "the black wattle, the gum produced by the tree." | resin [blackwattl e] |
GREY 1840 2nd edn [:58:9] [Wndi] [WA] [1840] |
"galyang" | galyang | "Ti-tree" | tea-tree | MATHEWS Some Tribes of WA [:126.9:27] [Mrng] [WA] [1909-10] |
"Gal- yung" | galyang | "the wattle tree." | treetype [wattle] | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:40:14] [Nyga] [WA] [1840] |
"Gal- yang" | galyang | "Wattle tree" | wattle | Symmons Grammar 1841 [:7.2:10] [Wjk] [WA] [1841] |
"kile- yung" | galyang | "acacia sp. of - black wattle" | wattle [black] | [7] Stokes 1846 [:198:22] [Wjk] [WA] [1846] |
"koolyoon g" |
gulyung |
"Bark" | bark [wattle, resin] | Curr 1 #24b Ganiyang Barlee [1:357.2:10] [Wndi] [WA] [1886] |
galyang appears to mean predominantly ‘wattle’ or tea-tree, effectively the same thing; or possibly wattle resin or wattle bark. There are also meanings for types of duck.
yurna
"Yur-na" | yurna | "Guana" | goanna | Symmons Grammar 1841 [:6.1:26] [Wjk] [WA] [1841] |
"Yur-na" | yurna | "a species of guana." | goanna | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:140:3] [Nyga] [WA] [1840] |
"yor-na" | yurna | "iguana, bobtail" | goanna bob-tail | [19] Isaacs 1949 [:296:46] [Wndi] [WA] [1949] |
yurna is an iguana, skink, lizard or goanna.
dyuni
"chunhei" | dyunayi | "hair" | hair | [11] Hassell AA 1894 [?] [:279:42] [Nyga] [WA] [1894?] |
"Djan-ni" | dyani | "Banksia bark" | bark [banksia] | Symmons Grammar 1841 [:7.1:4] [Wjk] [WA] [1841] |
"Jan-ny" |
dyani | "bark, (principally used in the north of Perth.)" |
bark |
GREY 1840 2nd edn [:53:5] [Nyga] [WA] [1840] |
"[juni]" | dyuni | "[Play, to, playing] (just playing)" | xxx | Bates #8 Section XII, 2A, 5 [Eucla] 17-28 [:23:24.32] [Mrng] [WA] [1904] |
dyani is ‘bark’; ‘hair’ might be conceptually related, as a growth on a body: person or tree.
POST 12
The post nearest the walkway was the following:
Post 12: KAYA WANDJOO YUED KAALIP
kaya
"Ki-a" | gaya | "a northern word for an emu." | emu | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:63:12] [Nyga] [WA] [1840] |
"Ky-a" | gaya | "(Northern dialect.) An emu." | emu | Moore 1842 [:64:7] [Nyga] [WA] [1842] |
"kaia" | gaya | "Fire (Henry)" | fire | BATES #7 Eucla XII 2A 4 Betrothed 72227 [:6:8.2] [Mrng] [WA] [] |
"{Kai-a}" | gaya | "{Yes}" | yes | MATHEWS Some Tribes of WA [:124:1.12] [Mrng] [WA] [] |
"kiar" | gaya | "can; could" | yes | [23] Buller-Murphy [:232:14] [Wndi] [WA] [n.d.] |
"caya" | gaya | "yes" | yes | [8] Salvado 1851 [: 449:33] [Ywt] [WA] [1851] |
"kaia" | gaya | "yes" | yes | [13] Rae 1913 [: 450:11] [Mng] [WA] [1913] |
The principal likely meaning for gaya is ‘yes’, with ‘emu’ as a possibility. ‘Fire’ was also noted.
wandyoo
"Wân-ja" | wandya | "leave" | depart | Symmons Grammar 1841 [:16.2:2] [Wjk] [WA] [1841] |
"Wanja" | wandya | "... To leave; to quit." | depart quit | Moore 1842 [:100:9] [Nyga] [WA] [1842] |
"Wun-ja" |
wandya | "to leave, to quit, (sometimes in the preterite in the sense of completed, as \“Goree wunjaga,\” I have just left it, or done it.)" |
depart [quit] | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:132:5] [Nyga] [WA] [1840] |
wandyu: depart, leave, quit, abandon
yued
"yuat" | yuwad | "no" | no | [8] Salvado 1851 [:335:28] [Ywt] [WA] [1851] |
"[yuat]" | yuwad | "[No]" | no | BATES #160 Daisy M. 1914 [:14:20.2] [Wjk] [WA] [1914] |
"yuat" | yuwad | "no" | no | [13] Rae 1913 [:335:31] [Mng] [WA] [1913] |
yuwad: ‘no’
kaalip
"Kallip" |
galib | "a knowledge of people, and localities as …" | country [aware] |
BRADY 1845 [:26:10] [Nyga] [WA] [1845] |
"[kal- leep]" | galib | "[my land]" | country | GREY 1840 2nd edn [:59:10.12] [Nyga] [WA] [1840] |
"Kallip" |
galib | "Denoting a knowledge of localities ...." | country aware |
Moore 1842 [:54:7] [Nyga] [WA] [1842] |
galib appears to mean ‘country’ and possibly knowledge of awareness of it.
JEREMY STEELE
12 September 2024
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