Butchulla Language Hervey Bay

Gularen – worm, Mabi – small black native bee, Mun’dhur – green headed ant
Digging for gularen to use for bait, we found a mabi hive with delicious gil’la (honey). We also found a mun’dhur nest, ouch!

Gabay – yellow native bee, Gi’la’wum’ba – stinging bee, Gir’uwa murang – centipede
Going for a djuree (bush) yanman (walk) nhamga-dhi (looking) for gil’la (honey), we are also watching out for gir’uwa murang scuttling along the dhuu (tree) kan’dir (branches). It’s easier to get gil’la from a gabay hive than it is from a gi’la’wum’ba one.

Yulu – Eel, Yuwang’kan – dugong, Di’bing – fly
The di’bing annoy us while we gurul (fish) for yulu. While we sit in the boat waiting for a bight we watch the yuwang’kan wuuli-mi (swim) by.

Yuen – Lorikeet, Bun’ba – mosquito, Yingu yingu – soldier crab
At low tide all the yingu yingu scurry along the yarung (beach) like a moving blue mini army. Meanwhile yanman (walking) through the djuree (bush) the yuen are wup’paru (loud) protesting while I swat the bun’ba away with a dee’bing (tea tree) kan’dir (branch).

Ying’ka – owl, Bulimbir – butterfly, Yi’lai – crayfish
Setting the dilly’s in the barang barang (early morning) to catch some yi’lai. The Ying’ka watching me from the trees on the bank of the Moonaboola (Mary River). As the dirum (sun) lifts higher in the sky the bulimbir flit from nyarra (flower) to nyarra for their morning nectar.

Wagun – fowl, Bu’yum – witchetty grub, Yer’ing’ba – kingfish, perch, barramundi
Tonight’s wiinj (campfire) dinner is all foraged in the local area, wagun, bu’yum, and yer’ing’ba. There is also declicious nyan’goo (damper made from ground Bunya nuts) and coal roasted goomang (yams).

Waawaa – crow, Binger – jumping ant, Wurung warung – poison fish
Gurul (fishing) amongst the din’djin (mangrove) the only things biting is the wurung warang. The binger are landing on me and biting me more than the gurul, overhead the waawaa are protesting me being there.

Ngurunj – emu, Barum – small black ant, Wunding – prawn
Sitting around the wiinj (camp fire) feasting on wunding, the barum form a line looking for the dulinj wunding (prawn shells). All around the wiinj we can hear the ngurunj yanman (walking) around looking for gun’di’lam (scrub berries).

Murru-guran – ibis, Yarraman – horse, Nalwar – crab
On a crisp cool da’buth’bee (morning) it’s nice to ride the yarraman along the yarung (beach) and watch the nalwar scurry back into their holes, while along the treeline the murru-guran are looking for breakfast.

Munarong – duck, Wo’lan – pretty face wallaby, Milbi – turtle
Wondering along the banks of the Moonaboola (Mary River) a curious milbi sticks its head out of the water to watch the munarong wuuli-mi (swimming) by. Grazing by the water’s edge is a group of wo’lan.