In the beginning, in Buwarraja, the Great Spiritual Ancestors sang the land in Songlines and brought the languages to the people all over the country. As the Songlines ceremonially linked people to their neighbours, Yidumduma grew up learning the languages of the neighbouring tribes. He can speak 3 languages fluently and parts of 7 in total.
Click on Read More & Resources for full video transcripts and further research.
• Language Map
Click here to take you to a detailed ABC interactive version. You will find the Wardaman language in the Fitzmaurice region of north central Australia.
Related Links:
- Aboriginal Heritage Project: Uni Adelaide
Scientific proof of 50,000 years connection to country.
- Exploring Indigenous Language Vitality Global Oneness Project
Language Keepers: The Struggle for Indigenous Language Survival in California
- Celebrating Indigenous Languages: Google Earth
- The history behind Indigenous place names ABC Education
- Native Land Digital is an Indigenous-led nonprofit based in Vancouver, British Columbia, dedicated to providing education about Indigenous peoples, territories, and knowledge systems in North America. Their free interactive platform, Native Land, is both a website and an app where you can enter your zip code or town to acknowledge and learn the names of the original Indigenous inhabitants of the land you live on.
- 50 Words Project A new online resource is educating Australians about how to communicate using Indigenous words in the hopes of maintaining the languages.
There were an estimated 270 Aboriginal language groups and 500-600 dialects or distinct languages in Australia prior to colonisation. Today, 145 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages are still spoken in Australia and Wardaman is one of these but considered endangered with about 8 speakers. Only 18 languages remain strong, meaning they are spoken by people of all ages.
• Wardaman Language Lesson: Intro
Yidumduma teaching some Wardaman words at Menngen community, 2006.
• Creation Story & Flood
Listen to Yidumduma share the first chapter of the Creation Story relating to the flood in full Wardaman language. This clip is from the archive of CAAMA Productions, Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association, and used with their permission. www.caama.com.au/productions
• Language Crisis
Yidumduma discusses with Ernie Dingo the language and culture crisis in his community. This began when the Wardaman were forced from their land in the late 60’s/70’s, ironically with equal wages and rights law. Today about 100 people speak and understand limited traditional language. Only a handful are fluent in full language. Likewise, there is a language crisis for the 30 language groups in the Katherine region. Segment used with permission from CAAMA Productions series Talking Languages with Ernie Dingo. www.caama.com.au/productions
• Walking in: Gornbun-ya Site
Yidumduma teaching Jonas Doctor as they walk into Gornbunya Whistling Kite art site. Here Yidumduma uses Kriol to talk to Jonas, and Wardaman language to talk with the Ancestors as they approach.
• Wardaman Language Lesson: Birds 1,2 & 3
Learn and practice Wardaman words for their beautiful birds in 3 interactive language lessons courtesy of italk.
Read More & Resources
Blue-winged kookaburra gorrgorrman, diamond dove golordog, peaceful dove golorog, galah girrgilang, bar shouldered dove (pigeon) godjogodjog, (blue) crested pigeon ganbarlarla, spinifex pigeon garlawarra, willy wagtail jigirrija, helmeted friarbird (bald faced honey eater) gawurrngari, pied butcher bird jorlborrman, silver-crowned friarbird (crowned honey eater) gerdog, rainbow bee eater jorrerrngman, magpie-lark (peewee) gulirrida, black cockatoo lirragin, sulphur crested white cockatoo menngen, little egret (little crane) jarnarran, brolga (crane) gurdurrgban
Photo by David Lee
Crow wagwag, whistling kite gornbun, brown falcon garrgany, grey falcon barnangga, finch nilngman, northern fantail (little wren) jerrjerrman, nankeen night heron bulagaw, tawny frogmouth (frogface) judiyina, barking owl (log owl) jerregeg, white bellied sea eagle diwana, wedge tailed eagle bulyan, Australian bustard (bush turkey) jegban, channel-billed cuckoo (storm bird) gurragurragban, common koel juwogban, bower bird jorijjorij, bush stone-curlew wiliwuga.
Yidumduma Bill Harney’s vast indigenous science is highlighted here in 20 minutes of bird calls and related wisdom. In one single campfire recording broken into 3 parts, Yidumduma teaches us about 40 birds on his land. Yubulyawan Dreaming Project. 2012.
• Talking To The Ancestors 1
Yidumduma walking into a sacred art site and talking in Wardaman language to the Ancestors who live in the rock art images . This is a shared site along the Victoria River between the Ngaliwurru and Wardaman. The Victoria River is a shared boundary of the two tribes. At the request of the Ngaliwurru elders the rock art images are not shown.
Read More & Resources
• Talking To The Ancestors 2
Yidumduma departing the same art site after visiting in 2005, saying farewell to the Ancestors, singing and thanking them. This is a shared site along the Victoria River between the Ngaliwurru and Wardaman. Yidumduma sings a Warrangin boundary song for the two tribes.
boyjorn boyjorn wunowninjarra…….travelling and singing and walking faster.
juwi….. goodbye
• Sign Language 1
Yidumduma and nephew Jonas Doctor share traditional Wardaman sign language and modern usage from the streets of Katherine. Sign language was handed down from the Dreamtime Buwarraja, to communicate across distances and languages, in ceremony, mourning, hunting and for the deaf. Featuring signs for: initiated men, women, fighting, water, big rain, swimming, wife, tracking, hungry, listen, eat……
• Sign Language 2
Yidumduma Bill Harney and nephew Jonas Doctor share traditional Wardaman sign language and modern usage from the streets of Katherine NT. Sign language was handed down from the Dreamtime Buwarraja, to communicate across distances and languages, in ceremony, mourning, hunting and for the deaf. Featuring signs for: riding, shoeing a horse, sick, doctor, Clever Man (Wizard), white man, ghost, Stolen Generation…
