Raps and Book Raps: The Binna Binna man Word Bank


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The Binna Binna man Word Bank

Author: Meme McDonald and Boori Monty Pryor
Publisher: Allen & Unwin, 1999
Cover and text photographs by Meme McDonald. Cover reproduced
with kind permission of Allen & Unwin.

Girragundji is the boy's totem. In Aboriginal society you would be given your totem at birth. Your would be given a totem depending on your mother's and father's totems, and your language. For example, I would take my totem from my mother, whose totem is the black snake. I would either be given the black snake totem or something related to the black snake. This meant that I had to protect my totem, so that it protected me. I would not be allowed to kill or eat my totem.

Boori's language words	Meaning	Aboriginal words eg Wiradjuri language
eungee/hairyman	spirit/quinkins	birik ghost, spirit wandang a bad spirit
migaloo	Non-Aboriginal all Aboriginal languages have a word or words for non-Aboriginal people, men or women.	gabaa is said to have come from the English term government.
jalbu	Woman - all Aboriginal languages have a word or words for term woman.	Inarr woman Inarrgang girl Migay girl, woman marriageable young woman Migay-gang young woman unmarried
murris	Aboriginal people all Aboriginal groups in Australia had their own language name.	The Aboriginal nation that I belong to is called the Wiradjuri. In NSW we have around 70 Aboriginal language groups/nations.
mooyu	bottom	buubuul or dhuula
dhunghai	take off, to go	yanaay
yumba	aunty's hut	balaan aunt, guunji - hut
boodgies	farts	buurray
beargin	don't know
gulmra	toilet	giliwaa geel, guunang
yidinji	next door tribe	garriya
munyard	bush murri	ngaarrabang poor thing, poor fellow
nungas	Aboriginal people	buudhang, koori also means the colour black
wongy	nuts	gwaangi mad silly
yibulla	Watch	ngaaga
bibras	clap sticks	barrgan, balgaang boomerang used as clap sticks
whitefulla medicine	grog/alcohol	weejali
durries	smokes	biyaga tobacco, buundha cigarette

Meanings of other words used throughout the story		Listed below is a list taken from the book, these words are spoken and written in Aboriginal English
Mission/Reserve	most Reserves or Missions have Aboriginal names	whitefulla	non-Aboriginal
deadly	is often used by Aboriginal people to describe something that is great	cause	because
sorry business	refers to times when someone has passed away	fulla	fellow
dot	bottom	sis	sister
Elders	respected people of your nation	mob	group
bullymen	cops	gammin	pretend
small house	lock up	cus	cousin
big house	jail	m'face	my face
Activities Can you find the names of Missions/Reserves in NSW and their meaning? Can you find any other words in Aboriginal English? Write them down with the English version		youse	you people
		gawn	gone
		eh	hey
		aw	oh
		s'pose	suppose

July 25, 2007

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State of New South Wales through the Department of Education and Training, 2007.
This work may be freely reproduced and distributed for personal, educational or government purposes. Permission must be received from the Department for all other uses. Licensed Under NEALS