Methods and Strategies for Methods and Strategies for Reviving Kaurna: the Reviving Kaurna: the Formulaic Method. Formulaic Method.

Dr Rob AmeryDr Rob AmeryUniversity of Adelaide University of Adelaide

& Kaurna Warra Pintyandi& Kaurna Warra Pintyandirob.amery@adelaide.edu.aurob.amery@adelaide.edu.au

Muna Tainga – first stepsMuna Tainga – first steps

• We started out in 1990 with songs (7 out of 33 songs in N, K &Ng Songs)

• From the start they wanted a welcome speech and a school song at KPS

• In 1992, Aboriginal Education requested a Kaurna translation of Tucker’s Mob – too hard

• In 1996, Paul Dixon (chair of KHC) wanted to know if it would be possible for them to conduct their meetings in Kaurna

Towards the Formulaic MethodTowards the Formulaic Method

• Paul’s request got me thinking

• I drafted up two pages of expressions that I thought would be useful in the context of meetings

• I thought about the ways that Kaurna people were actually using the language:

Common Kaurna words and Common Kaurna words and expressions expressions – learnt and used – learnt and used beyond formal Kaurna coursesbeyond formal Kaurna courses

• Ngarpadla ‘auntie’ and Kauwanu ‘uncle’ (corrected from Kauwawa used earlier), yunga ‘older brother’, yakkana ‘older sister’, panyappi ‘younger sibling’

• Salient words – palti, yerta, pangkarra, burka, tarnda, kari etc.

• Greetings – Ninna marni?, Naa marni?• Leavetakings – Nakkota• Welcomes – Marni ninna budni./ Marni naa budni.• Thanking – Ngaityalya• What’s up? – Waminna?

Kaurna Welcome SpeechesKaurna Welcome Speeches

• First speech given in 1989

• Exponential increase• Now almost accepted

protocol• Large public events

(eg Adelaide Festival of Arts)

Kaurna speeches in public Kaurna speeches in public (1991-1997)(1991-1997)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

1 15 9

14

62

104

Number of individuals giving Number of individuals giving Kaurna speeches in a given yearKaurna speeches in a given year

0

5

10

15

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

1 13

57

1214

Opening of Yaitya Warra Wodli Opening of Yaitya Warra Wodli Nelson Varcoe Feb. 1993Nelson Varcoe Feb. 1993

• Gadla Kaurna meyunna Mikawommangga paininggianna yakko ngadlendi. Warlto ngadluko muinmonendi medarnendi. Ngadlu wingko palta paltarendi ngadluko warra. Ngadlu tadlanyanna padlondi warra wanggandi. Ngadlu yurrenna padlondi warra yurringgarnendi. Ngadlu muka mukanna wingko takkandi muka Kaurnarli. Ngadlu padlondi mukabandi warra Kaurnako.

• Ngadlu kundo punggorendi. Ngadlu tudno bidnandi iako. Ngadluko tangkuinya tanendi.

• The campfires of the Kaurna people on the plains around Port Adelaide have long since gone out, but we can still feel the warmth in our hearts. We long for our languages again. Our tongues long to say the words. Our ears want to hear the words. Our brains still think as Kaurna brains. We want to remember the Kaurna language.

• Our hearts are heavy, we have long been waiting for this occasion. Our dreams are becoming a reality.

Minimalist Kaurna speechMinimalist Kaurna speech

• Meyunna! Na marni purrutye?• Ngai narri Lester Irabinna Kudnuitya Rigney.• Ngai wanggandi “Marni naa budni Kaurna yertaanna.

Irandi yerta!”• Ngaityo yakkanandalya, yungandalya.

• Ladies and gentlemen, are you all good? (ie hello)• My name is Lester Irabinna Rigney.• I say “It’s good that you (all) came to Kaurna country.

Exclusively Indigenous (ie sovereign) land” (ie welcome)• My dear sister(s) (and) brother(s). (ie thank you)

Kaurna SongsKaurna Songs

FuneralsFunerals

• Hymns

• Prayers (Lord’s Prayer)

• Condolences

• Liturgy

• This employs a range of speech formulas

Kaurna HymnsKaurna Hymns

• Tattayainkialya – The Old Rugged Cross

• Inbariadlu Yangadlitya – Till We Meet Again

• Paia Paianda – Amazing Grace

• Yiityu Ngadluko Yungaworta - What a Friend We Have in Jesus

• Ninnandi Wilta - How Great Thou Art

• Ngaityo Kanggallanggalla - 23rd Psalm

Kaurna Sympathy CardKaurna Sympathy Card

[FRONT COVER]

YAKKA ALYA. ‘We’re sorry’

[INSIDE][INSIDE]

[Ngarpadlalya] [NAME] taikurtinna kuma.Auntie- dear__INSERT NAME___ family too(to the family of Aunty ___________)

Ngadlu tangka waiendi naalitya natta naa wakkaringga tikkandi.

Ngadluko taikurringga kuinyo murka.‘We feel sorry for you all for your loss at this time. We share your grief.’

Towilla bukkiana meyunna naalityangga tikkandi.‘May the spirits of the ancestors be with you all.’

Naako taikurtinna worta Your relatives (extended family)

Statements of AcknowledgementStatements of Acknowledgement

• KWP received a request from Catholic Education for a Statement of Acknowledgement– Ngadlu tampendi Kaurna meyunna yerta

mattanya Womma Tarndanyako.– ‘We recognise (that) Kaurna people are the

landowners and custodians of the Adelaide Plains.’

Similar request from AnglicareSimilar request from Anglicare• Original Anglicare Wording:• “We acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional owners

of this land. We acknowledge their living culture and unique role in the life of this region”

• Kaurna translation:• Ngadlu Kaurna meyunna tampendi. Parna yerta mattanya

bukkiunangko. • Ngadlu tampendi Kaurna meyunna burro purruna. • Pangkarra Womma Kaurna, Kaurnakundi yerta.• Literal translation of Kaurna version:• We acknowledge the Kaurna people. They are the land owners

from a long time ago.• We recognise (that) the Kaurna people are still alive (ie have

survived)• The territory of the Kaurna Plains is exclusively Kaurna land.

The Formulaic MethodThe Formulaic Method

• Introduce the language in whole utterances• Three principles:

– Begin with the most useful utterances– Begin with the shortest utterances – Begin with the ones that are easiest to pronounce

• It doesn’t matter is the surrounding utterances are in English

• Don’t insert Kaurna words into English sentences

Useful One-wordersUseful One-worders• Ne! ‘yes’, Yakko! ‘No!’, Madlanna ‘nothing’, Wointye

‘maybe’, Ko ‘OK’• Question words: Wa? ‘where?’, Wanti? ‘Where to?’,

Wadangko? ‘Where from?’, Waminna? ‘what’s up?, what’s going on?’, Ngaintya? ‘what?’, Nganna? ‘who?’, Ngando? ‘who did it?’, Ngangko? ‘Whose?, Whose is it?’

• Exclamations: Paitya! ‘Deadly!’, Yakka! ‘Yuk!’, Paia! ‘expression of admiration’, Yakkaalya ‘I’m sorry!’

• Thanking: Ngaityalya ‘thanks’• Leavetaking: Nakkota! ‘See you later!’ Madlari

‘finished’

Useful One-worders ctdUseful One-worders ctd

• Commands: Nakkondo! ‘Look!’, Yurringgarninga! ‘Listen!’

• Don’t commands: Warratti! ‘Be quiet!’, Waietti! ‘Don’t move!’, Tauaringutti! ‘Stop quarrelling!’,

• Let’s: Nattadlu! ‘Now let’s …’, Padniadlu ‘let’s go!’ Ngarkadlu ‘Let’s eat!’

• One word answers: ngai ‘me’, ninna ‘you’, wodlingga ‘at home’ etc.

Useful two-wordersUseful two-worders

• Greetings: Ninna marni?, Niwa marni?, Naa marni?

• Parni kawai! ‘Come here!’

• Ngai padnendi. ‘I’m going’

• Bakkadla parniappendo! ‘Pass me the salt!’

• Wa nurlitti? ‘Where are the keys?’

Useful longer utterancesUseful longer utterances

• Marni naa budni! ‘Welcome!’

• Kaurna meyunna yaitya mattanya Womma Tarndanyako. ‘Kaurna people are the owners/custodians of the Adelaide Plains’

• Marni ngai kudnawodlianna padnendi? ‘Can I go to the toilet?’

Talking with ChildrenTalking with Children

• At a workshop in 2000 we devised a range of expressions needed by parents and caregivers for use with babies and young children– Pinyattalya ‘sweetie’– Ngannaitya ninna murkandi? ‘Why are you

crying’

• We included some of these within our Learner’s Guide

LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS• Endearment - expressing affection• Positive reinforcement• Warnings• Placating, reassuring, comforting• Calling, beckoning, attention seeking• Naming and Categorizing• - Body awareness, parts & functions• - Introducing Kin• Commands• Verbal games - eg. same & different• Greetings• Leave takings• Counting• The Environment - weather & seasons• Places & Placenames

• (from Amery & Gale, 2000: 20)

• LANGUAGE SITUATIONS•• Feeding & Mealtime (& Cooking)• Bathing• Getting Dressed & ready to go out• Nappy changing & Toilet training• Sleep time & Story time• Play - around the house & in garden• Kindy & Early Childhood Centre• School - in classroom & yard• Outings - going for walks & in car• Crying Baby & Sickness• Shopping• Sport• Dealing with Pets and Animals

• (from Amery & Gale, 2000: 20)

Football ExpressionsFootball Expressions

• Mekuamarti! ‘May the Crows pick out your eyes!’

• Karndo kundarna! ‘Let lightning strike!’

• Parni tattondo! ‘Kick it here!’

• Burnbondo! ‘Tackle him!’

• Paitya! ‘You beauty!’

• Ngaintya nindo yailtyatti? ‘What were you thinking?’ etc

Piri-wirkindi - FishingPiri-wirkindi - Fishing

• Wa kuyawodli? ‘Where’s the fishing spot?’

• Kuya paiandi? ‘Are the fish biting?’

• Ngatto kuya manki. ‘I’ve got one’

• Pa paintya! ‘He’s a beauty!’

• Yakka! Tailtyalai! ‘Oh no! I lost him.’

• Muinmo kiwidi? ‘Any more squid?’

• Wa kuyabirri? ‘Where’s a fishhook?’

• Tukkuintyerla? ‘Is it too small (undersize)’