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| Spotlight |
Julaymba (Daintree)
Nyulu balkjajin (He was born)
Marrjangan (In the rainforest)
Bada bada (Under the arms)
Jukungun (Of a big old tree)
Wawu bajangan (By the river)
Julaymba (Julaymba)
Dungan dungay (On its way)
Jalunbu (to the sea)
Ngunyin yakan (They cut the birth cord)
Kajan jukungu (In ceremony And tied it to that tree)
Jankiba (Jankiba)
Jankiba (Jankiba)
Kari milka wulay, (Living (in) my memory)
Ngamu kankalinji (Mother and child)
Yungan (Were forced to go)
Birrir jirrimandi munji (To the island of the palm)
Ngunyin yakan (They cut the cord)
Bubumun juku mun (To his land, to his tree)
Ngunyin yakan (Cut the cord)
Kuku ngamumu (To his mother tongue)
Jankiba (Jankiba)
Jana yunu wawu (They changed your life)
Waluinduman (Changed your life)
Waluinduman (Changed your life)
Wujaljiku (Forever)
Jankiba (Jankiba)
Yunu wawu buyun ban (They maimed your life)
Ngunyin yakan (Cut the cord)
Naybumunji (With a six year knife)
Nyulu Jankiba (So Jankiba)
Juma Bayanbuku dungan baja (Was mission bound)
Dinkarman yinyayku (Till he became a man)
Kirraji dankiku (Worked hard there)
Walayman (Earned his share)
Kuku warrmba-bungan baja (Found his language again)
Nyulu wawa jirrday bajaku (But when he went)
Bubungu bundayanka (To live his dream)
Bubu maninka juku maninka (Buy back his land, his tree)
Nyungun majanka Balkan (He was told)
Yundu kari yalamaka (You can't do that)
Yununku wawukari (You're not wanted here)
Nyulu nyungu kankalkankal (So he gathered up)
Yubaku kunjan (Us kids one day)
Wubulku kunjan (All of his family)
Jananda kuku Balkan (Told the story)
Yuda nyadjin yinya juku (Of his river tree)
Yinya bubu ngayku (The place his heart)
Wawujiday yinanka (Will always be)
Ya yuda kaykay kaykaywarra (Please, children whatever you do)
Yuda jumay manibaja yanya bubu (Take back that place one day)
Yala ngadimuku kuda (And though the years have tumbled by)
Nyungu Juku yingayku jajanay (His tree still stands)
Nyiku nyiku (Today)
Julaymba (Julaymba)
Ngayku bubu wawu bajanga (River of my country)
Julaymba (Julaymba)
Jalunbu dungan dungay (Flowing to the sea)
Julaymba (Julaymba)
Manjalmun (From the mountains)
Jalunbu (To the sea)
Julaymba (Julaymba)
Ngaykunku kari milkawulay (Won't forget me)
Karanba (Bennett Walker)
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Barbara (Lak Lak II) Burarrwanga
My current role
Cultural leader, Principal Bawaka Cultural Experiences
Region
Northern Territory
My background
Barbara Burarrwanga has an Advanced Diploma of Teaching from the Batchelor College. She was a teacher at Yirrkala and surrounding homelands for many years.
Biography
Barbara is now retired from teaching and her family has recently started an eco-tourism business (Bawaka Cultural Experiences) at her homeland, Bawaka which is 90 minutes drive from Nhulunbuy. Small groups of visitors to the homeland participate in a range of cultural activities and are treated like friends rather than tourists. Barbara has been very involved in Goŋwapitja (Womens' cultural practices) at the Garma Festival and she is very keen to share her knowledge and culture with non-indigenous women. She recently hosted Deborah Mailman and Cathy Freeman at her homeland as part of the making of the TV series "Going Bush".
Women's activities offered at Bawaka include:
• Collecting and preparing bush foods
• the preparation of natural fibres (pandanus and tree barks) for weaving baskets, mats, armbands, string making for bags and ceremonial items and the use and preparation of natural dies.
• traditional painting and carving
• a range of bush medicine techniques ranging from massages with gels made from local plants and bush saunas
• Story telling
• Bushwalks
• Dancing and singing
Here is a link to one of my stories
The Makassans and East Arnhem Land
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