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| Jiwarli Reminiscence Text |
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This is a story told by Jack Butler as he reminisced about his life. It tells of an old man called wangki, a classificatory mimi, or 'mother's brother' to Jack. The old man was blind, and one day he asked Jack to bring him a firestick so he could light his pipe. Unfortunately, the old man made a mistake and set fire to his beard instead of lighting his pipe.
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Jiwarli
Yanyjathu ngunha julyu. Nganaju mate ngunhapa jalikurti. Mimi nganaju ngunha. Ngaliju kumpaartu. Ngatha kumpaartu ngunhapurra. Wangkajarru ngunha nganaju. Ya ngajalajuyi yanamarni ngurra. Ngathayananyjarru wangkayirru ngunhilapa jalikurtila. wangkaja ngatha kala. Nhaawu nhurra kumpinha wangkanhu nganaju yurnirnu. Yinha nhurra parlurarninma payipa nganaju. Ngatha wantharninyja. Yinha payipa nhurrampa. Ngunhapa wangkaja ngathala. Karla wanthanmarni jarnpa juma. Ngulupa mamarnu ngunha payiparru ngatha kumpiniya purluu. Ngulupa warrirru wantharninyja muukarrirarrinhu. Karlathu ngunha warrirru parnangka ngunhipayipala wantharninyja. Wantharninyja japurtalarru. Wantharninyja karlathu ngunha nyirnta ngarnngarntarru. Parrunthu ngatha nhanyanyja japurtajarnparriyarrujarnpa kurlalkurniya yirrarakurrirarru mangangkarru. Ngatha papangkurru puntharninyja pirturarnirnu karlawu. Jalikurti ngunha nganaju ngunhaparru. |
English
There was another old man. He was my mate. He was my uncle. We used to sit. I used to sit. That one said to me: "Hey! Nephew of mine! Come here!" I went to talk to that mate. He said like this. "Why are you talking calling me?" "You fill this pipe for me." I gave it to him. "This is your pipe." He said to me: "Give (me) a little firestick!" He was holding the pipe and I was sitting facing him. He didn't pur (it) [on the pipe] to have a smoke. (He) didn't put the fire on the head of the pipe. (He) put (it) on his beard. He put the fire here on his chin. Then I saw his beard alight with flames going up his cheeks. I doused (him) with water putting the fire out. He was my mate. | |
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