Bundjalung Words for Animals

April 04, 2020 1 Comment

Here is a list of animals found in the wider Bundjalung region and their language translations.

All these words and others on our website come from a “Dictionary of Western Bundjaung”  compiled by Margaret Sharpe, and takes in these main dialects; Birihn ( Rapville), Gidhabal (Woodenbong), Wahlubal (Tabulan), Wehlubal (Baryulgil) and Wudjebal (tenterfield) (in places we have left the origin of the term so as to give more information available and sometimes even the name of the person who contributed to that word or story)

As we know, what we now take in as Bundjalung Country covers a much larger area with many more dialects, for more information on this, see our post on Bundjalung nation.

I hope the sharing of some language on our website encourages people to use it and especially with children so we can help maintain the survival of it.

If anyone has words from other dialects within the Bundjalung they would like to share ….please feel free to contact us anytime 

Enjoy and happy learning!

 

Ant, green- jilgir

Ant, little black gudjalany

Bull-ant gumuhm

Bandicoot yaguhy

Bandy-bandy Snake Vermicella annulata gamba(h)n-gambahn

Bat (generic) bilihny

Bat, fruit-, flying fox giraman

Bee, black native juluhngay

Bee, honey gudji

 Bee, large, Jumbalung

Blue Tongue, sleeping lizard gubagan

Brolga (poss.), crane, poss blue crane (white-necked heron) buhrawahl

Bustard, scrub turkey wagun/wahgun

Butcher Bird, Pied Cracticus nigrogularis or Grey C. torquatus wudj-wudj Gd, wudwud Cas

Carpet snake gabul, gabul-gabul

Cat, native bandjim

Cat, tame or domestic (from English) budjigehn Wa Gd Cas, budjigan Holm:Logn, budjigan, budjagan Bj

Catbird, jigay

Caterpillar, juhgar Cas

Caterpillar sp. warihnggal, waringihn, waring-warehng Wa

Centipede, bayahr

Chook, joogi joogi

Cicada, generic (Gd) yirimbahm

Cow, bulang (meat)

Crab mulayin Cas

Crab sp., small, also place name jabi-jabi Hanln

Crab, little rock- bangu-bangu (banggu-banggu) Hanln

Crab, sand- winyam Watsn Hanln

Crab, soldier- bungu-bungu Watsn

Crab, sp. of mud-crab jubi, jubeh Watsn Nerang Mestn Hanln

Crayfish buragin Richmd; ningi-ningi Bray; galum (galuhm?) AT:O’Conn, mulany Wa, Gd:UClarnce shrimps, B eel

crayfish, freshwater, lobby bimbim Hanln

Crayfish, yabby mulayim

Dingo (also wild dog some lists) yurginy, warigal

Dog dabay

Dragon-fly nguruny-nguruhny Wa Gd

Dragon, Bearded, bearded jew lizard, frilled lizard (zoologists claim none in this eastern area) nyaram Culhm Holm Gresty Hanln (bluetongue, loosely used for Jew Lizard)

Dragon, Eastern Water- Physignathours leseuerii magil

Duck, Pacific Black Anas superciliosa mahr

Duck, wood (Maned Duck) Dendrocygna eytoni (Watsn) gambawir, gambirwir, gambabin

Dugong yungan

Echidna, porcupine bunihny Culhm Holm Alln Watsn M:Fingl Mur Gresty Hanln M:Fingl, gagu(h)r Beaud; jana-jana, jena-jena Bj

Echidna quill bimbar

Eel, freshwater jahgany

Fish, jalum

Fish, catfish wajing

Fish, cod junam

Fish: flathead dagan Hanln

Fish: jewfish bihgun, buygan

Fish: taylor or tailer, poomboy fish bumbah, bumbay

Fish: trevally jambi(y)n, janbi(y)n (poss janybiny)

Fish: whiting juhdjan

Fowl, domestic, chook, hen jugi-jugi

Frog (generic) jarahny Wa Gd, jahrany (poss dahrany) Alln Watsn, jarahny, wangwang Cas

Frog, big brown (Culhm) wandjal Culhm Gresty Talleb

Frog, small green tree yirihny

Glider, Feather-tailed bilihng Gd

Glider, sugar, squirrel jihbur Culhm

Goanna, dirawong, Numahl

Goanna, sand gidibee

Jellyfish, birin

Kangaroo, goorman

Kangaroo, wallaby gulambi

Koala burbi,  budabe

Lobbie, yabby, crayfish mulany, mulayim

Locust, gidingbam

 

Mosquito ginyin

Mouse, rat gundur

Mullet gudjam

Oyster mung(g)ul

Paddymelon, Gidabam

Pipis, dugunam Bj; bindjagun

Platypus, Jingbung

Possum, guyahny

Quail duluhbir

Shark sp. jargan/ jahgan

Shark wadjam

Sheep, jimbung

Snake, carpet gabul, yumba

Snake, green yihrany Wa

Snake, black with red belly (poisonous) guguyay, gungguyay

Snake, brown badjahr

Stingray ngumban.gan

Tadpole yungguluhm

Turtle, binging

Freshwater Turtle ganaybang

Whale, shark, magic fish, mermaid, bunyip, mythical monster wardjam

Wombat, goorambi wadambe

Worm, earthworm julga

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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