Jiwarli Ethnographic Text


 

This text describes how the old people used to speak to jiriparri (echidna) before killing it. When an echidna is disturbed it curls up into a ball, using its spines to protect itself. The old people would talk to the echidna and tell him to uncurl so that they could give him chest cicatrices (ceremonial scars).



Jiwarli

Nhukuramartuthu ngurrunyjarri julyumartu ngunha nhanyaartyu jiriparrinha puniyanha. Ngurntirarri jakuparlarru parnajipi ngunha warrirru nhanyapuka. Ngurrunyjarrilu yarnararnilaartu ngurntapuka ngunha nakuparla. Wangkirarringu. Yarnararrima nhurra. Ngatha nhurranha murrurrpa manara. Kunyarnurru ngunha kumpanhu. Jiriparri ngunha kurlkanyunthurru yarnararrira. Yarnararrira parnarru thangkalpuka wurungku wirntupinyangurru pirrurru yanararri thikaru.

English

The knowledgeable grey-haired old men used to see echidna going along. Echidna will curl up no w. He will lie curled up and (you) can't see his head. The old men used to turn him over on his back so he would lik curled up. (They) would say. "Lie on your back. I'll get you cicatrices. I'll get you cicatrices." They tell lies now. Echidna will lie on his back pleased. He will lie on his back and then they hit him hard on the head with a stick and kill him to go and eat the meat.







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