Learn Wiradjuri: Volume 1 Ngumbaay
By Associate Professor Lynette Riley, Diane Riley-McNaboe
06/03/2022 - updated 01/04/2025
Acknowledgement
This Acknowledgement message is from workbook authors Diane McNaboe-Riley and Lynette Riley;
We acknowledge that the learnings we reproduce here have come from the teachings of our Elders – our grand-parents, parents, aunts and uncles, without whom we would not have the cultural learning we are now able to present to you.
We pay homage and respect to all our Elders on our Countries – we are Wiradjuri and Gamilaroi – and we pay respect to the Elders on whichever Nation and Country you are on today, reading this workbook.
The Wiradjuri language used in this book has originally come from the dictionary developed by Uncle Stan Grant (Snr) and Dr John Rudder, without whom our Wiradjuri language would not have been documented for our ongoing teaching and learning.
The Wiradjuri language for these workbooks has also been developed by Diane Riley‑McNaboe in her learnings and teachings.
The artworks used in this resource for the symbols and tracks have been re‑produced from the artwork used on the Kangaroo Cloaks created by Lynette Riley.
Authors and Artists
Lynette and Diane are Dubbo-born sisters, from both Wiradjuri (Dubbo) and Gamilaroi (Moree) Nations, who have made significant contributions to the continuation, study and celebration of their Wiradjuri Culture. Both are teachers and work predominantly within the field of education (Lynette is at the University of Sydney, Diane is based in Dubbo, and works across schools and community).
They are especially keen to assist young people to engage with Aboriginal culture and to offer possibilities for Aboriginal peoples to access educational opportunities.
About This Resource
This resource has been republished here with permission. SBS is a proud project partner for the Wiradjuri workbooks.
Purpose of this resource
This language resource was developed during the Covid-19 pandemic, which meant so many families were unable to spend time together. We thought it was important to maintain cultural contact. Even though this resource is written using the Wiradjuri language and symbols, we hope that all can enjoy it, and use the activities to connect children, parents and families together, whilst learning a little about Wiradjuri culture, through our language, symbols and tracks.
How to use this resource
The resource is designed to allow the best opportunities to learn Wiradjuri language and culture through games and other learning activities.
We suggest:
- Wiradjuri language words are often in a grey colour – where this occurs, copy out these words (or trace these words if you are using a print out) with a brightly coloured pencil or pen, as this helps to learn the words.
- We suggest the use of a scrapbook to use alongside the workbook, to allow you to keep all your activities and drawings together. Teachers: Use the ‘Download as PDF’ function on all SBS Learn resources to create a printable version. You need to go back to the resource landing (summary) page to find this function.
- Enjoy and have fun!
SBS Learn strongly recommends implementing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Protocols Guide – for Teachers before commencing study of this resource or indeed any content relating to First Nations peoples, perspectives, stories and histories. The Protocols Guide will take approximately 20 minutes to read; implementing the Protocols should happen in conjunction with a whole term or unit of work.
The Protocols Guide is developed for all students and all classroom environments where First Nations content is being studied.
Project special thanks
This workbook series would not have been produced without the sponsorship and support of: Indigenous Studies and Aboriginal Education and the Research Centre for Children and Families, within the Sydney School of Education and Social Work, the University of Sydney; and SBS.
Developed as part of the ARC Linkage project Fostering Lifelong Connections for Children in
Permanent Care (LP180101332). Additional funding contributed by the One Sydney, Many People Indigenous Strategy of the University of Sydney.
For more information contact Research Centre for Children and Families, Sydney School of Education and Social Work rccf.research@sydney.edu.au
Sounds and Words
Wiradjuri have no words which start with the letter ‘h’. Instead we have words which start with ‘dh’ or ‘nh’.
Activity 1: How many English words can you find that start with the letter ‘h’ and then replace them with ‘dh’ or ‘nh’.
For example: hat – dhat or nhat; hop – dhop or nhop.
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________
_________________________ _________________________ _________________________
Greetings
Greetings and Introductions
Being able to follow cultural protocols in greeting people is a very important skill in Wiradjuri culture. The following are appropriate greetings and introductions.
Activity 1: Practice saying the greetings and introductions above.
Activity 2: Write out these Wiradjuri question/statements/sentences to have a conversation with your classmate:
Yaama!
Yiradhu marang!
Ngadhu yuwin __________.
Yuwin-dhu __________.
Dhaga ngindhu-dhi?
Minyang nginhu miyagan yuwin?
Minyang nginhu yuwin?
Dhaga marra nginhu miyagan yanhanha-dhi?
Ngadhu winya-dha __________.
Ngadhu-dhuray miyagan bidhi.
Ngadhu-dhuray miyagan bubay.
Ngadhi wirimbildhaany-gu yuwin __________.
Yamandhu marang?
Helpful hint! Use this word bank with the English translations to help you.
An Acknowledgement of County
Being able to follow protocol in acknowledging Country is very important. Aunty Di has provided the following Wiradjuri ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ for your use.
Examples of an Acknowledgement in Wiradjuri –> in English.
Gulbarra Ngurambang-gu –> Acknowledgement of Country
- Yuwin-dhu ______________ –> I’m named ______________
- Ngadhu banhi-gu –> I’d like to
- gulbarra –> acknowledge
- Wiradjuri –> Wiradjuri
- mayiny-galang –> people
- ngan.gu –> whose
- Ngurambang-ga –> Traditional/special country (in)
- nginha –> this
- ngan.girra –> assembly/meeting
- dhurinya –> being
- gayi-dhi –> held-on
- Mandaang guwu ngaanha-gu! –> Thank you for listening!
Wiradjuri vowel sounds:
Activity 4: For practice, write this ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ in your workbooks using the following;
Yuwin-dhu _______________ (insert your name)
Ngadhu banhi-gu gulbarra
Wiradjuri mayiny-galang ngan.gu
Ngurambang-ga nginha ngan.girra
Dhurinya gayi-dhi. Mandaang guwu
ngaanha-gu!
Numbers and Counting
Yamandhu winhanganha! (Did you know!)
Wiradjuri Counting System – Warruyarra – is a base five counting system in which we count in groups of five.
Activity 3: Draw pictures of groups of animals for each number below.
We use our hand/marra and foot/dhina to count fingers/garrigaan and toes/burrami.
Activity 4: Draw pictures of groups of fruit for each number below.
Most Aboriginal language groups count in groups of five.
Some groups traditionally only go from one to four, then lots after that. The main reason is that person/people, places or things/items have an identity, a relationship to things around them and connection/s to Country. So for our people it is our personal relationship which is important, not how many things there are.
Note: Once you get to twenty it is lots – madhu – after that. You do not count more than this as it takes the identity and relationship of things away.
Activity 5: Write the number below in Wiradjuri.
- 15: ________________
- 11: ________________
- 16: ________________
- 13: ________________
- 19: ________________
- 17: ________________
Activity 6: Sing this song, putting in the Wiradjuri number.
Activity 7: Join the English number to the correct Wiradjuri number.
Number activities
Activity 1: Counting 1 to 5/Warruyarra
Write the correct number words in the spaces below. Keep the tall letters tall and the hanging down letters with tails low.
Activity 2: Wiradjuri Number Crossword Puzzle
Activity 3: Unjumble the Wiradjuri number words
Symbols and Tracks
Footprints/baayi or footsteps/baala
Footprints are drawn with the left foot and right foot having an arch on the inside of the foot. Make sure you draw five toes, where the big toe is bigger, and the toes get smaller in size going to the outside of the foot.
If someone is walking, the footprints have to be one in front of the other facing the direction they are walking. Footprints together, as in the image above are standing in the one spot.
Activity 1: Practice drawing your own footprints, can you draw them as if they are travelling and walking in one direction or facing each other, as if talking to one another.
A camp / ngurang
Is three or five circles, one inside the other:
Group Connection Symbols
Mayiny-galang (people) yanhanha (coming) mawang (together) Mambril (symbols)
In this drawing are two Family or Clan groups who have Kinship connections coming together. These family groups have the possum symbol in the centre of the circle – this means they all belong to the Possum Totem.
Travelling tracks/murruway
Three or five parallel wavy lines.
Travelling tracks show where groups are connected or are travelling to see one another. The dots inside the travelling tracks represent a Kinship connection between groups.
Activity 1: Complete a drawing of five different camps. To show the different groups coming together, join them with travelling tracks.
Activity 2: Practice drawing ‘camps’ – three circles inside each other.
Use your school as an example. For example, make each class in your year group or in your school a different camp. They can be different sizes. Then join the groups together who most often work together and join the groups with travelling tracks, which are three parallel wavy lines. See examples in previous sections.
Activity 3: Now you have learnt some Wiradjuri footprints, camp and travelling track symbols – draw groups of people coming together, using all these symbols.
Tell your story of these different groups.
Appendix – Wiradjuri – Sounds at a Glance
Aunty Di’s – Wiradjuri Sounds at a Glance and Word banks
Compiled by Diane Riley-McNaboe – 21/1/2003
EOI for printed copies
Please register your interest for a printed copy of this resource at this University of Sydney link.
Copyright
Copyright: © 2022 Diane Riley-McNaboe and Lynette Riley, and republished here with permission for Special Broadcasting Service Corporation. Title: Wiradjuri Workbooks: Book 1.
Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, electronic or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright owner.
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