Yowinbunga of Roebourne
Note that there are two original sources for this typescript, 48-212 and 48-213. The first is linked here.
| Aunt | >Ngangardee (mother's sister) >Moogul, moogulyee (father's sister) yoorajee (father's sister) |
| Blackfellow | Maiagoo, maiaga |
| Blackwoman | Munga |
| Boy | Mungoola |
| Brother | Kajja |
| Brother-in-law | Marrgai, margai |
| Daughter | Koondal |
| Daughter-in-law | Yoomunee |
| Father | Mam'ma |
| Father-in-law | Kogga |
| Granddaughter | Ngab'barree, tham'mu |
| Grandfather | Maialee |
| Grandmother | Ngabbaree |
| Husband | Yaggan |
| Man | Mai'agoo |
| Mother | Ngan'ga, ngan'gardee |
| Mother-in-law | Thoa |
| Nephew | Ngajjala |
| Orphan | Booja |
| Sister | Thoordoo |
| Sister-in-law | Boongallee (woman speaking) Yarrungoo (man speaking) |
| 2 | |
| Son | Main'ga |
| Son-in-law | Ngajjala |
| Uncle | Kogga |
| White Man | Murda murra |
| White Woman | War'rooga |
| Widow, widower | Mar'roona, marroo |
| Wife | Yaggan |
| Taking the wrong woman | Moojara Kunjerree munga |
| Ankle | Burdara |
| Arm (left) | Jillee |
| Arm (lower) | Yarrgoo |
| Bald | Burna bulgara |
| Back | Mooroo |
| Beard | Nganga |
| Blood | Morda |
| Bone | Koojee |
| Breast, breasts | Beebee |
| Breathe, to | Nga'ain |
| Calf of Leg | Kool'dha'murra |
| Cheek | Kardara |
| Chest | Kandee, boordoo |
| Chin | Ngarn-ngarn |
| Cry, to | Ngajjee |
| Drink, to | Bin'jarroo |
| Ear | Koorrga |
| Eat, to | Bajjalgoo |
| Elbow | Won'goola |
| Eyebrow | Nyarree |
| Eyelash | Nyar'reemun'dhoo |
| Eye | Thoola |
| Face | Koomba |
| Fat | Jinjee |
| Finger | Marra |
| Finger nail | Mindeeree |
| Foot | Jinna |
| 4 | |
| Hair | Koolgoora |
| Hand | Marra |
| Head | Yoolga |
| Heart | Boola |
| Heel | Warla |
| Hip bone | Milla |
| Jaw | Kar'dara |
| Kidney | Kal'leeber'ree, ngardan yoongoo |
| Knee | Manbooroo |
| Leg | Koojee |
| Lip | Warlee |
| Liver | Ngamarree |
| Lung | Wal'dhan |
| Mouth | Thai'a |
| Nape of the neck | Nan'ga |
| Nose | Moola |
| Rib | Thaanbee |
| Seeing | Naagoo |
| Shoulder | Weerarlee |
| Skin | Kabboorn |
| Sleep | Bamba |
| Sneeze, to | Kanjir |
| Speak, to | Wonga |
| 5 | |
| Tears | Karnda |
| Teeth | Eera, yeera |
| Thigh | Wooloogalla |
| Throat | Ngalyee |
| Thumb | Ngangarin |
| Tongue | Yaldhooroo |
| Vein | Kandara |
| Walk, to | Wokkai |
| Wink, to | Dhoola boggai |
| Animal (generic) | Moola |
| Ant-eater | Jeerelbooga |
| Bandicoot | Koordee |
| Bat | Warra mooroonga |
| Dingo | Moojera |
| Dugong | Nyammana |
| Kangaroo, generic | Mungeroo |
| Kangaroo, Rock | Jardmurra |
| Mouse | Kalloo boora |
| Opossum | Wallumberree |
| Porpoise | Warrungarroo |
| Wallaby | Wajjawarra |
| Spirit dingo | Narra woonja is the totem (Thaaloo) of a Roebourne district Boorong. |
| Bell-bird | Joorderēree |
| Bird (generic) | Moola |
| Bird's egg | Jimboo |
| Bustard, Wild Turkey | Bardoora |
| Cockatoo (generic) | Beerdeera |
| Cockatoo, Galah, grey and pink | Bilago |
| Cockatoo, white, Northern variety | Beerdeera |
| Coot | Kalallee |
| Crane, Blue | Bai'oolarree |
| Crow | Wog'goora |
| Crow, Shrike (Squeaker) | Jarrooroo |
| Cuckoo | Thoolee |
| Curlew | Weeloomurra |
| Duck | Koon'dharree |
| Eagle | War'reeda |
| Emu | Jan'goona |
| Shag | Mar'raman'gool |
| Snake | Bal'goonjee (carpet), bajjamulla (magic) |
| Fire | Karla |
| Lightning | Walleebillee |
| Moon | Wilarra |
| Rain | Yoongoo |
| Star | Bin'deree |
| Sun | Yarnda, yanda |
| East | Eerajee |
| West | Woolajoo |
| North | Yabbooroo |
| South | Tchingai |
| When boy is going on his travels | Beerdawonga |
| 2nd Stage | Boggalee |
| Ochred | Murda |
| Blind | Bam'boora |
| Cannibal | Mai'agoo bajjalgo |
| Corroboree | Ban'yeroo |
| Drunk | Boree'jungoo |
| Far away | Warrba |
| Flour | Mardoomurree |
| He | Baloo |
| Her | Baloo |
| I | Ngaia, ngai, ngajjoo |
| Initiate, to | Boggalee |
| Me | Ngai |
| Mine (my own) | Ngajjoo, ngaiyoo |
| My | Ngaiyoo |
| No | Meera |
| Nose-piercing | Beerdawongoo |
| One | Koonjerree |
| Our | Ngallee |
| Sit down | Bar'nee |
| Strangle, to | Man'noogurra |
| Three | Boorrgoo, poorrkoo |
| Two | Kootharra |
| Yes | Ko |
| Afraid, I am not, of you | Ngaia meeta waia nyinda |
| Afraid, What are you, of? | Naala wallee ngooroo nyinda wara |
| Asleep, He is | Baloo bamba |
| All our relations | beerungoo maiagoo boora |
| Bad, That is very | Wailga |
| Brother, He is my | Ngainyoo kajja, ngajjoo kajja |
| Bury him | Tharda jooroo |
| Children, Where are your? | Wanjila nyingoo kumbara |
| Come from, Where do you? | Wanjila ngoora nyinda |
| Come here | Koogai |
| Come, I, from | Ngai ngoorongoo ngoo |
| Coming, They are | Moon'abow |
| Coming with you, I am | Ngal'lee woggai (we two go) |
| Cook that --- | Boondha warra man'ma |
| Country, Where is your? | Wanjee nyingoo ngoora |
| Coward, You are a | Walgaburnee nyinda, waiagurra |
| Daughter, Is that your? | Nyingoo koondal |
| Dead, he is | Nyoondee, nyoondee ngarreegoo |
| Deceiving me, You are | Ngarla wongagoo |
| Dingoes, Are there many? | Marroo moojera |
| Doing, What are you? | Nalla warneegoo nyinda |
| Father, he is my | Ngajjoo mammardinna |
| Find, Where did you, them? | Wanjila nyinna marboorndinna |
| Fire, Make a | Kalla warra man'ma |
| Fire, Make by friction | Jil'loong'arra (rubbing method) |
| Fish, Cook that | Woggaree kumbanma |
| Food, Give me | Yoongooma ngajjoo mardoomurree |
| Food, I have no | Ngai meera mardoomurree |
| Food, I will give you | Ngai yingo yoongeroo karlara |
| Friend, I am your | Ngajjoo maiagoo boorai |
| 11 | |
| Get along | Wokkai |
| Get up | Kalbama |
| Give me | Yoongeroo ngajjoo |
| Go before me | Boolara woggama |
| Go behind me | Bandha woggama |
| Going away, I am | Ngai eejala woggagoo |
| Gone, He has just | Baloo eejala ngoona woggagoo |
| Gone, Where has he? | Wandhanu woggagoo |
| Good, That is no | Wailgo |
| Good, That is very | Wabba, moonga |
| Go quickly | Moordeewarra woggama |
| Go quietly | Nyaanee woggama |
| Go there | Woggama ngoonagurra |
| Here it is | Nooroo ngarreegoo |
| Horses, Bring in the? | Koogai karbanma koor kajjigoo |
| Horses, Did you see the? | Nyinda naggoona yowerda |
| House, Am I near a? | Ngan maia moona |
| Husband, Is that your? | Ngoonoo nyingoo yaggan |
| Husband, Where is your? | Wanjila nyingoo yaggan |
| Ill, I am | Ngai weeragoo |
| Kangaroo, Are you hunting? | Nyinna woggama dhoogoodharroo bajjarrigoo |
| Kangaroo, Where shall I find? | Wanjala ngai dhaggaro bajjarigoo |
| Killed, He has been | Balalyee nyoondee ngarreegoo |
| Killed, Who has, him? | Nganna nyoondee gurna |
| Killed, You have, him | Nyinda nyoondee gurna |
| Know, I | Ngai wanyarree |
| Know, I do not | Ngai meera wanyabarree |
| 12 | |
| Lazy, You are | Nyinda wanda wanda |
| Let it alone | Kandha ngarreema |
| Lie down | Ngarreema |
| Listen to me | Wanya barreema |
| Long time ago, That was a | Baldhalyee goora |
| Look out | Paldhai |
| Lying, He is, down | Ngoonoo ngarreegoo |
| Mother, She is my | Ngangardeena ngajjoo |
| Mother-in-law, She is my | Thooajinna |
| Name, What is your? | Nganna nyinda yinnee |
| Natives, Where are the? | Wanjala maiaga booraa barneego |
| Native, Who is this? | Nganna ngoonoo maiaga |
| Noise, What is that? | Ya nalla warnina |
| Relation, What are you to? | Pardangwarra |
| Sea, Am I near the? | Booreea moona barneegoo |
| Sleep, I shall now | Ngai eejala ngarree bamba |
| Slow, You are very | Nyinna wanda wanda |
| Speak, Do not | Meeta wongai |
| Spear, Where is your? | Wanjee na nyingoo koorjarda |
| Stay, you, here | Nyinna ban'nima |
| Steal, From whom did you? | Nganna nyinda moojarna |
| Tell .... to come to me | Wongama ngoona mungai kannungurra |
| Tired, I am | Ngai wailga warneego |
| Track, Where is the? | Wanjee na jinna |
| Tribe, To what, do you belong? | Wanja burdee nyinda |
| 13 | |
| True, That is not | Ngalla wongagoo |
| Understand, Do you? | Nyinda wanya barreegoo |
| Understand, I do not | Nga meeta wanyabarreegoo |
| Want, What do you? | Nallaee nyinda boolbee |
| Water, Give me | Babba ngajjee yoongooma |
| Well, where is the? | Wanjina babba |
| What is it? | Nalla |
| Where are you going? | Wandhana nyinna woggagoo |
| Where do you come from? | Wanjaburdee nyinda |
| Who is that? | Nganna ngoonoo |
| Wife, Where is your? | Wanjee nyingoo munga |
| You and I | Ngallee (we two) |
| Marginal notes original vocabulary. | |
| Willie Arimbek's name | Eereerirringoo |
| half strangling. | Manoogurra |
| small sacred board | Burnangarra bullroarer |
| large & long 'Sacred' board. | Yeenma |
| rain totem | Yoongoo thaaloo |
| Carpet snake totem | Balgunjee thaaloo |
| Magic Carpet snake | bajjeemulla |
| All of you fellows. | Bardungoo mallinga |
| We are brothers in law. | Margaina warra |
| My wife is outside | Ngoonoo barneegoo mandugur |
| Onslow group. | Mindoo roora maiagoo |
| Roebourne group. | Ngallooma |
| Cook that meat | Boondha warra mamua. |
| Wood for making fire upright or drill method | Jilloongarra |
| Spear him. | Thoogoodharroo |
| forbidden (jajjee totems are not eaten for winter & summer | Jajjee |
| Winter | Moothoo |
| Summer | Yoora |
| 2. Various rites, ceremonies, circumcision, etc. practised in district? |
Koorongarraa (singers and musician) Beerdawongoo (nosepiercing) Jalloora or mooja bindera, same as the yarda Nyeedeegurra (old men dancing) |
| 5. Native modes of burial in district? | Head west, feet east, reclining, eyes looking towards sunrise. |
| 3. Names of weapons, implements, domestic utensils used in district? |
Koorjarda, spear Bilarra spear Maggoondoo spear Meeroo Wokkabburra Yarra shield Yeerangoo, knife Yeerangoo Wirra, kailee |
| 4. Game traps, other methods of capture, description of? |
Boornda - trap Jangoorna - emu, also yallabeera |
| 5. Carvings and paintings on rocks or in caves in district? | Murnee, snakes, kangaroo, emu. |
| 6. Games, corroborees, amusements, - are these symbolical? |
Jalloora koonangoo, quivering, stooping and rising dance. Mamma koonangoo, shield dance |
| 15 | |
| 16. Extent of tribal country, and approximate number of natives in district? | Roeburne natives are neighbours of Onslow, and through their mothers they can go to the Gascoyne and north as far as Port Hedland, and east as far as Nulgadown. |
| 8. Do the tribes meet at any distant places for exchange? | Jeenjee, at Koolimba, Forescue River, a famous bartering place. |
| 10. Is cannibalism known to exist in district? | East of Roeburne, yes. |
| 11. Methods of obtaining water from trees, roots, etc. |
Jarrga, gnarled knob or bole on certain trees which contains water. Mailgana, a white gum tree (roots). |
| 12. Native belief in ghosts, or a future state? | Worrooga, a ghost or white man. |
| 21. Native foods in district? How obtained, prepared, and named? |
Ngalloowain (like grapes) roots Yarrkalain (koolyoo) roots Mardoowarree roots Kajjawarree, like cocoanut, a big thaaloo Kanjee seed, bandoowarra, seeds Jajjee - forbidden. The totem is not eaten for moothoo tijoora. |
| 16 | |
| 1. System of consanguity among natives. How regulated in district? | Yinney-june, a Banaka, married Yinney-abba, a Boorong. Their children were :- Willambong a Paljeri, who married Walbarring, a Kymera. If Willambong had a baby, it would be of the Boorong class and would marry a Banaka. |
| 3. Native marriage laws in district? | A Boorong man marries a Banaka woman. Their child is Kymera. A Puljerri man marries a Kymera woman. Their child is Banaka. A Kymera man marries a Puljerri woman. Their child is Boorong. |
| 3. Native modes of burial in district? Each of Roebourne | In some places (where they circumcise) they take out the forearm bone, clean and scrape it, and carry it about for years, then they break all the other bones and bury the corpse quite flat with its head in no particular direction. |
| 6. Hairdressing, various modes of? | Twisted hair string (pur-rur) is wound round their heads, but no ornaments seem to be placed in the hair. |
| 5. Names of weapons, implements and domestic utensils used in district? | Kyly, walbarn (spearthrower), magundo (spear) yarra (fighting stick), walkiburra (another fighting stick), pardoo (millstones), yandies (scoops for carrying grain), beera (conch shells used for digging, or carrying grain), wommera (also spearthrower), wil-goordoo (spear barbed on one side only). |
| 9. Carvings and paintings on rocks or in caves (if any) in district? | Animal foot tracks, human hands. |
| 11. Native justice, system of (if any)? | They must keep their marriage laws under pain of death. If Paljeri eloped with Paljeri, Kymera must kill them. Their laws are propounded by the old men and women in the camp at night (?) |
| 8. Diseases peculiar to natives of district? | Skin diseases, rheumatism and lung diseases. Their ages don't extend over 65 years or so (?) |
| 13. Native remedies for wounds, sickness, fever, etc? | Hot ashes, the young tender shoots of the Eucalyptus are boiled and the rheumatic points are rubbed with the juice. Also used for bathing the eyes; before boiling was known amongst them they bruised the leaves and applied to the affected parts (?) only since white settlement, no Vessels far boiling - no boiling water known. |
| 17. Native names of tribes in district? | The name of the Sherlock district Ballamongerry. The tribal name is Ngalooma. |
| 18 | |
| 11. Do the tribes meet at any distant places for exchange? | Yes, shells and flint hammers were exchanged for kyleys and spears. |
| 12. Native food in district? How obtained, prepared and named? | Palgoos, yams, bookadjie (roots of bulrushes), berries, jeema (wild currant), kulba (wild cherries), walyarra (long pod with seeds), badjela (similar to pomegranate), warrombo (another species of pod), columburr (a kind of nut, like zamia), ngaburda (native rock melon), munjimurra (another kind of wild gooseberry), tabbori (wild fig). |
| 13. Is cannibalism known to exist in district? | Yes. (Mrs. Mears says that there are really bad families, every member of which has bad instincts, useless beings too and treacherous, just the same as white families.) Mrs Mears mother & father. first white mother in Roebourne in the '41's, Meares family she's represented in area (1940) |
| 26. Any idea of a deity? | Juno is the evil spirit. They have no good spirit. |
| 27. Native belief in ghosts, or a future state?? | Yes, in ghosts, usually enemies. |
| 16. What beliefs have the natives in witchcraft, sorcery; and is there a "boylya" or sorcerer, among the tribes? | Mammangurra (father of all). He had charms which he charmed away the illnesses with. Every group has its sorcerers |
| 17. Is there a gesture language amongst the natives? | Yes. |
| 19 | |
| 1) 'Straight Marriage | |
| Yowinbungoo Roebourne area | |
|
m. Wajjee Kaimera of Yeeramukkadoo Roebourne die f. Koojawallara Paljari of Bajjinakoole (?) Yeergilyee m Boorong. Yowera f Banaka no issue |
|
| 'Winoha' or "Mootch" or Wrong Marriage of name Windooroo (onslow) Pedigree | m Weena Kanneia f. Karraboorda Paljeri |
|
Boonangurra m Boorong Yoongoo Thaaloo rain, totem Thalbajooroo m Boorong. Yoongoo Thaaloo = ? name forgotten Banaka. no issue. |
|
| II | Boonangurra m Boorong Warrgulalloo f. Kaimera (Mootch Marriage) no issue |
| 20 | |
| 2) Roebourne m. Jinnaburda Paljiri = f Mooralain Kaimera | Warrinbungoo f Banaka Warering f Banaka Mibburn f Banaka Waggnibungoo m Banaka Balgoonjee carpet snake Jajjidrungoo m Banaka Thaaloo totem Koorabungoo m Banaka Balgoonjie Thaaloo Yowinbungoo m Banaka Balgoonjee Thaaloo |
| II | Yowinbungoo m Banaka Balgoonjee Thaaloo Peeree f Kamiera "mootch" marriage wrong no issue |
|
Warrinbungoo f Banaka Nyeelilbirdi m. Boorong. One girl d. |
|
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