Dugong
Told by Nancy Isaac
Recorded by: G. Aklif
Tape Number: Bardi Stories 3
Jiiba jawal biila milonjoonoo, odorr jirra jawal.
This is another story from long ago. It’s about the Dugong.
Mayalago jarrgany ingarramana nyalab amboorinyi jarramba darr inggarrarnana jirr ambooriny Gawirrgoon.
These people cut across from the Mayala island group, and landed here at Gawirrgoon.
Jooljoolngarragid darr ingarranarna ginyingg aamba daag ingirrini boor ingananagoon jirr ginyingg ingarramanabalirr.
Those men went and camped at Jooljoolngarr Creek, and they slept in the sleeping holes which they had put there.
Ginyinggon booroo ginyinggi ilma boorrboorr ingirrinana.
In that place they used to dance ilma.
Barroolooloobirroolooloo jamba ninga ginyingg ilma.
Barroolooloobirroolooloo is the name for their corroboree.
Aranggid ambooriny jirr Iwanyigoon irr ginyingg ngoordinko. Bilarronkidi booroo ingarranana.
There was another tribe on Sunday Island, who lived separate. They lived in the swamp country.
Jarrigid amboorinynim ingarralamankanirr gala min Mayalago darr ingarrarna nyalab.
These people heard them; they heard they came there from Mayala.
Ingarrjarrmin irrgili ingoorroolanirr mararrngan. Bardigid arr ingirrin Joojoolngarrangan.
They got up ready for battle, and went off to Juljulngarr Creek.
Darrgid ingarrarnajirr booljarrjangarr, arra irrmoonggoonirr. Ingorrolboonirrgidirr ginyinggo. Diirdgid ingirrini bardo nyoonoogid darr ingirrarna Balalagoon nankarra.
They came upon them by surprise; they didn’t know that they were coming. They ran off from there till they came to the point at Balalagoon.
Jooboolgid ingirrini barda oorlil ingarrgardin, jagoordgid ingirrini barda anyjimadan Mayalangan.
From there they all dived in and returned to Mayala.
Barninim lool ingarrgardin jambal ingoorroomoogarinyjini jirrirr.
When they dived in they grew flippers.
Irrmarla gidi darr inarn biila odorrmarr injoon. Boonyja bardoonoo gala boonyja odorrmarr injoonoojirr.
Their arms became like dugongs’; their skin became like a dugong’s skin.
Irrmi biila odorrmarr injoon, boonyjagid gala boonyja jirr boonyja odorrmarr ingirrin.
Their eyes were like dugongs’ eyes, until in every way every one of them had become like a dugong.
Ajimorronygid aranga balirr boonyja dirray ingarrbanyjin booroo jirronngan.
Meanwhile the other group had all returned to their home.
Barnanggarr maalbanim odorr gardamba irribin ngamarna. Ooranynim odorr gard irralalan jirrirr bo barda amboorinymarr.
Today the baby dugong still drinks milk, and the dugong women probably still feed their children like people.
Goolarrnim odorrgid gardi irribin ngamarna ginyinggi morr gardo amboorinymarr. Gard irribin ngamarna ginyinggi morr gardo amboorinymarr.
The little dugongs still drink milk the same way like people.
Gala barnkard imbanyi.
That’s the end.