dingkar-ø dingkar-angka dingar bundandany


<translate> When Bama first came to the rainforest country of Manjal Dimbi, it was new and strange. They did not know the landscape or what was good to eat or what was poisonous.

Yalayalaku Bama jakalba kadarin madjanga Manjal Dimbinga jana ngangkan ngangkarin bubuku, binal kari bubuku, binal kari wanyu mayi ngulkurr nukanka, wanyu mayi ngulkurr-kari nukanka.


<translate> An old man holding his spear and woomera came to Bama. He had long grey hair and long fingernails. His body shone like lightning.

Nyubun mukul dingkar, kalka, milbayarr maranga kujil kujil, jananda kadan. Nyungu mungka kalbay, bingaji, nyungu biri maranga kalbay, nyungu bangkarr balbajin yala balbay balbajinya.


<translate> That old man's name was Kubirri. He came to teach our Ancestors how to live in a good way in the rainforest country.

Yinya mukul dingkar burri Kubirri, nyulu kadan bama binal-bunganka, wanjarrku ngulkurrku juranku bundarinka madjanga.


<translate> Kubirri taught Bama what was good to eat and how to make poisonous foods eatable.

Kubirringka Bama binal-bungan yinyarrin mayika ngulkurr nukanka yala wanjarrku buyun ngabanka yinyarrinmun mayimun ngulkurr-kari bamanka, ngulkurr-bungankada, bamanka nukajinka.


<translate> Kubirri taught Bama to care for each other and the importance of sharing. He taught them places for Men and the places for Women and places to keep away from.

Kubirringka ngarra Bama binal-bungan wanjarrku jana jananjiku junjuy junjuy wambanka, wanyu bubu yirmbalji, Bama kari yubaku dungarinka, wanyu bubu dingar-dingaranka bural, wanyu bubu jalbu-jalbunku bural.


<translate> One day it came time for Kubirri to leave.

Nyubun wungar dayim kadan nyungunku jananin bawanka.


<translate> Before he left, Kubirri told our Ancestors to look after the children and teach them Bama way.

Kubirri dunganjiiku, nyulu Bamanda balkan jananga yarrkay yarrka ngulkurrduku kujinka, ngarra janangan binal-bunganka wanjarrku juranku bundarinka yala Bama marrimunku.


<translate> Keep your language and culture strong, he said, and listen to the good Elders.

Nyulu jananda balkan, Jananga kuku, jananga ngujakura, junkurrku kujinka yala ngulkurrduku milka janarinka janawunbu Kamba-kambanda.


<translate> Kubirri reminded Bama to be careful and not to let the children wander too far into the rainforest.

Kubirringka jananin milka-bakan mumbarmanka, kari balu jananin yarrkay yarrka jilbaka dungarinka madjanga, kalbayku bayamun.


<translate> Kubirri said, always remember that there are three stones in our Law that never change. We speak the truth. We care and share for our People. This is our Country.

Kubirringka Bamanda yalaman, yurra yanya milkanga kuji, ngananga ngujakura jangkaji Kulurji. Nyubun, ngana yarbarrka kuku manubajaku balka. Jambul, ngana ngulkurrmanka nganawunku jawunkarranka ngarra junjuy junjuy wambanka nganawunji jawun-karranji. Kulur, yanya ngananga bubu.


<translate> Kubirri walked up the mountain and was not seen again.

Kubirri jarra jarranga manjalba jinabu dunganda jana nyungun ngadingka kari nyajin baja.


<translate> For a long time Bama were living good healthy lives in the rainforest. But, some time later they began to hear strange noises at night.

Bama ngadingka ngulkurrku bundarin madjanga, yamba dayim kadan jana yanja walu-yindu nyajin wujurr wujurrbuku. Yinya yanja jana kari jakalba nyajin.


<translate> They noticed that all the animals began to disappear and were becoming very scarce.

Juma jana ngarra nyajin minya minya wubul walu-kari-manijin bubumun. Manu bubanku minya minya bawajin bubungu.


<translate> Bama could feel someone watching them all the time.

Jana jibabu nyajin nguba dubu jananin miyilda kujinya.


<translate> They remembered Kubirri's words to keep close to the fire at night.

Kubirringa kuku jananda milkanga kadarinda, "Yubaku bayanga bundarika wujurrbuku."


<translate> Bama began to see a strange animal with the body of a man, the wings of a flying fox and large pointed ears and teeth like a dingo.

Bama juma nyajin ngarrbal minya, yinya minya bangkarr yala bama, nyungu nangki yala kambi, dukul, milka, dirra yala murramu.


<translate> The Bama knew it was Wurrumbu, the flesh-eater.

Bama binalda yinya dubu Wurrumbu, nyulu minya nukanya.


<translate> One day just before dark a young boy left the fire and wandered off into the forest to look for his father who was out hunting.

Nyubun wungar, wujurr kadanjiku nyubun warru bawa madjanga dungan walu-wukurrinka nyunguwunku nganjananka. Nyungu nganjan kalkaji jakalba madjanga dungan minyaka.


<translate> The boy soon became lost and the forest grew very dark.

Yinya warru juma nubijin madjanga, madja jinbalku nguwul-nguwulman bajaku.


<translate> Bama all became frightened for that boy and were yelling out to him, "Yundu wanjabu, nganjinanda kaday, bayanba, bayanga."

Bama wubulku wawu-buyunmarin nyungunku, warruku. Jana nyungundu yirrkan baja, yirrkan baja, "Yundu wanjabu, nganjinanda kaday, bayanba, bayanga." Yamba nyulu jananda kari kadan baja.


<translate> But all the Bama heard was the whooshing sound of Wurrumbu's wings.

Yamba jana manu yanja nyajin Wurrumbumun nangkimun.


<translate> Wurrumbu was following the boy's cries and swooped down and snatched him up and the night became very quiet again.

Wurrumbungku warrungu badi-yirrkanya wukurrin-wukurril, nyulu bada nangkibu warrin nyungundu warrundu. Nyungun karrbanda. Nangkibu warrin baja warrunji.


<translate> Early next day, a man who was out hunting for honey climbed a tree and when he looked up at the gorge he saw Wurrumbu standing up on the cliff.

Warngku yindu, yalibalaku, nyubun bama mayika kujaka nubin-nubil. Nyulu jarra jukungu dakan mayika yamba nyulu Wurrumbu nyajinda janjananya kala kalbayku jarra-jarranga ngamaranga.


<translate> Wurrumbu was holding that young boy high up just below the bluff and no-one could help that young boy.

Wurrumbungku yinya warru kujin-kujil. Bama yamba-kari dunganka Wurrumbundu nyungunji kuniwanka, warru maninka nyungundumun. Jana wubulku yinyilmarin Wurrumbunku.


<translate> That young boy was gone forever.

Yinyaynka warru kunban janandamun wuljaljiku.


<translate> After that, Wurrumbu came every night.

Wurrumbu wujurr yindu-yindu jananda bamanda kadanya jananin buyun-damanka.


<translate> Wurrumbu would swoop down at night and snatch away anyone who had strayed too far from their campfires.

Kaki Bama wujurrbuku jilba dunganya madjanga kalbayku bayamun Wurrumbungku bada nangkibu warrinya nyungun karrbanya.


<translate> Bama became very frightened and did not know what to do.

Bama wubulku yinyilmarin bajaku, jana binal kari wanjarrmanka.


<translate> One afternoon while preparing the campfires and getting ready for another night, the people heard someone calling out, "Yurra bama, minya minya, wangkar manjalba ngaykundu kadarika."

Wungar nyubun, yilayyilaymanda, jana bama baya jakalmanba, yinduylku wujurrku nganday-bunganka baja. Jana bulu nyajin yirrkanya, "Yurra bama, minya minya, wangkar manjalba ngaykundu kadarika."


<translate> Bama looked up, it was Kubirri. He was standing high up on the mountain calling to the People to come and join him.

Jana bama wubulku wangkar nyajin, jana Kubirri nyajinda janjananya jarra-jarranga manjalba, jananda yirrkanya murumarinka nyungunji manjalba.


<translate> I am stronger than Wurrumbu, I will protect you, he said.

Nyulu jananda yalaman, "Ngayu jarra junkurrji Wurrumbunku, ngayu yurranin ngulkurrduku kujil, nyungundumun."


<translate> The shy little Kadar crept up close and stood at the feet of Kubirri.

Jana minya minya Kubirrinda dungarinda. Kadar yubaku nyungundu kadan, janan karangalba nyungundu jinanga.


<translate> Kurriyala the carpet snake went up. Julmbanu the kangaroo. Kurranji the cassowary. Ngankin the echidna. Walkar the goanna. Bakamu the pigeon all went up and stood beside Kubirri.

Kurriyala, Julmbanu, Kurranji, Ngankin, Walkar, Bakamu jana wubulku jarra-jarranga manjalba dungarin karangalba nyungundu Kubirrinda janarinka.


<translate> But all the Bama watched and talked amongst themselves. Some wanted to go up, but were told not to because it was getting too dark.

Yamba bama jananin minya minya, Kubirri, miyilda nyajin, jana jananjiku balkawan, kanbal jananji yalaman, "Nganjin wawu nyungundu, Kubirrinda, dungarinka" yamba kanbal yindu yalaman, "Bubu jarra nguwul-nguwulmanda bama baraldarr dungarinka nyungundu."


<translate> But when it became really dark still, no Bama had gone to stand beside Kubirri.

Bubu nguwul-nguwulman bajaku, yinyaynka bama kari dungarin karangalba Kubirrinda janarinka.


<translate> That night Wurrumbu had come back again.

Yinyamba wujurrbuku Wurrumbu jananda kadan baja.


<translate> Bama woke up early next morning and looked high up on the mountain.

Warngku yindu Bama yalibalaku warngkumun wandirin, jana wangkar jarra-jarranga manjalba nyajinda.


<translate> Everything was as it was the day before but Kubirri, all the animals and Wurrumbu had all turned to stone.

Junjuy Junjuy wubulku bundarin, yala jakalbaku, yilayku, yamba Kubirri, Minya Minya, Wurrumbu, jana wubulku jangkamarin.


<translate> Our ancestors believe as long as the Kubirri rock stands there will always be food animals for Bama and our culture will remain strong.

Nyiku Bama yarbarrka yanya kuku nyajinya, yalayala Kubirri Jangka Manjalba Dimbinga janjanay, minya minya yinyambarr yarbarrka bundari, bamanka. Ngarra jananga ngujakura yarbarrka junkurrji bunday.


<translate> Even today, Bama are always troubled by that Dubu at night because they did not listen to their Elder Kubirri and had decided not to go up the mountain.

Yamba, nyiku, jana yarbarrka wawu-buyunmarinya, wujurr wujurrbuku, Dubuku Wurrumbunku jana kari nyajinya janawunbu kambanda Kubirrinda jana kari dungarinya jarra jarranga manjalba bundarinka Kubirrinji.


<translate> Bama believe when the rock falls their time is up and Wurrumbu will be released to do his worst.

Bama yanya kuku nyajil, kaki yinya jangka daray manjalmun, Wurrumbu jangkamun wandilda, nyulu buyun damalda baja bamanda.


<translate> Today we have to do our best to keep healthy and keep our language and culture strong.

Nyiku, ngana ngananinku ngulkurrduku kujil, ngananga kuku, ngujakura junkurrduku kujil-kujil. Yanya Kubirringa kuku ngananka.