It’s the little Things That I appreciate

*All Wiradyuri Words with English translations are at the bottom of the blog

Hello there, my sweet munchkins.

How are you doing on this rather sunny, but windy day? I hope each of you are staying safe and warm!

I wanted to tell you about the experience that I had with a malangun (little girl), here in the Hunter Valley on Wonnarua Nation. This malangun (little girl) was just the sweetest bubay (little)  ngumbaay (one)  you could ever lay your eyes upon – true gawd!

I have been struggling quite a lot with the restrictions that COVID has brought upon us (and the fact many are not doing as they are told to keep themselves and their wider communities safe). Such struggles include my mental health taking a major decline, struggling not to be angry, not being able to see my family interstate and in lockdown areas, as well as day-to-day restrictions and what it includes. 

I am not doing well with not being able to go to my Country and ‘just be’, doing my thing and surrounding myself in my little cultural bubble. You see, I gain a lot of my strength and am able to re-energise by being on my Country – with my mayiny (people), my Ancestors watching over me. Surrounded by the animals, birds, plants, trees and galing who know me, who I know and who I am able to communicate with by a simple, yet gentle touch.

As I cannot go to my Country, and desperately need to practice Culture and being able to ‘be’ with my country and all she encompasses, I decided to go to a park that is so majestical, yet is out of the way, and so does not have an abundance of people using it.

It was quiet, so quiet at the park. All I could hear as I opened my car door was the wind whispering amongst the trees, the birds chattering up a storm to one another. Otherwise  – complete and utter silence … It was so beautiful and peaceful.

I was just about to start meditating and connecting with gunhi-dhaagan (mother earth) when a car suddenly stopped in the car park and out of nowhere a malangun (little girl) suddenly appeared and headed straight for the swings, followed by a very tired and stressed looking Dad carrying a screaming bali (little baby) … Needless to say, I was unsure how long I was going to last at the park. Still, I decided to still meditate and try connecting with gunhi-dhaagan (Mother Earth).

Once I closed my miil-galang (eyes), started speaking in Language and focusing upon the cells in my body being re-energised, I heard nothing but the wind whispering, the birds quietly talking to one another and it was pure blissfulness.

Fast forward to 20 minutes later, I am on my back, the sun on my face and the feeling of freedom. Freedom from stress, frustration and feelings of helplessness that I had been feeling for a long time. I opened my miil-galang (eyes), to see what was happening around me – as I am taking in the scenery around me I see the malangun (little girl), her babiin (dad) and the bali (little baby). The malangun (little girl) is watching me without watching me, babiin (dad) is feeding bali (little baby) and looking like he needs a very long nap.

I had brought my clapsticks with me to the park, so I decided I would start talking in language and allow my Wiradyuri words to be carried upon the wind, to my Ancestors, my family and my Country. As I am speaking, I am playing the clapsticks softly and allowing the sound to be carried, whilst allowing my giiny (heart) and soul to be healed with the sound. By this time, I have closed my miil-galang (eyes) once again and allowed my words and the clapsticks to speak. I have something or someone watching me, I slowly open my miil-galang (eyes) and I see the malangun (litte girl) has gotten closer to where I am sitting – I look over and yinggirra (smile) at her, she immediately turns and acts as though she is invisible. I close my miil-galang (eyes) once again – after a time, I open my miil-galang (eyes) to see she is sitting quite close to me now, on the grass. I yinggirra (smile) again, she yinggirra-galang (smiles) shyly back. I close my miil-galang (eyes) and hum along to the beat of the clapsticks; I feel her move closer now. Her Babiin (dad) calls to her and says that she is bothering me and to leave me and go play. I opened my miil-galang (eyes), turn to the Babiin (dad) and said, “your little one is fine, she is just curious and she is not hurting anything, I am happy for her to sit with me, if you are okay”. Her Babiin (dad) simply nods and yingirra-galng (smiles), but watching closely. I go back to humming and tapping the clapsticks and occasionally look at the malangun (little girl) and yinggirra (smile). Bubay ngubaay-galang yinggira (Little ones smile) has grown wider in confidence now and she begins humming slowly along with me. After a few more moments, she asks me what I was saying – in the other language that I was speaking before. I smiled warmly at her and told her I was speaking Wiradyuri, explaining it is an Aboriginal language in the central west, and also told her what each word was as I spoke it again.

This bubay numbaay (little one) asked if I could teach her some words – well ngawa (yes), ngawa (yes) I could do just that! My giiny (heart) was jumping everywhere now. I gave her some simple words and she excitedly went over and re-told her Babiin (dad), who was so patient with her running back and forth to re-check the word with me she was saying. After a time, I decided to invite Babiin (dad) and bub over, since bub was now awake from his nap.

Babiin (dad) had begun asking me questions about my language, my culture and such – I answered each question as best I could. The malangun (little girl), now tiring of playing with her bbubay bali dilanag (little baby brother), asked if she could learn to play the clapsticks – of course I said yes!

I cannot begin to convey the happiness on that malangun-galang (little girl’s) face at the sound she could make with the clapsticks. It was as though I had just given her a million dollars – tax free! I really wanted to make that (yingirra) smile stay, so I asked her to play whilst I showed her some basic Aboriginal dance moves. Well, her bubay (little) face lit up like a Christmas tree and soon, we were both dancing our giiny (heart) out. Even bubay bali dilanag (little baby brother) was having a go playing the clapsticks! Laughing his contagious laugh and attempting to talk via his baby babble. Babiin (dad) had taken some videos and pictures to show Gunhi (Mother) all about their adventure at the park.

All bula ngumbaay (three) left the park with yinggirra-galang (smiles)  on their faces, lessons learnt and a freedom and joy that none had experienced in a while due to covid and such.

What did I leave the park with you ask? I left with healing within my soul, a re-energised mind and body, a feeling of love and gratitude for gunhi-dhagan, for the malangun (little girl), her Babiin (dad) and bali dilaang (baby brother)  and, the feeling of absolute and pure joy that I was able to spend time with bula-ngumbaay (three) wonderful souls, I shared and taught my culture, I gave a babiin (dad) a few moments to re-collect himself and I gave myself a reminder that sometimes what you think you need is not always what your soul really needs.

It is a very tough time we are going through, not to mention scary. Please continue to be safe and to do what you are advised. This will allow all of us to be able to have the freedom we desperately desire.

 

As always, I end this with ngurrbul (love)

Yalixx

 

Wiradyuri Words within my blog (you can use these too!)

malangun – little girl

Bubay – little 

Mayiny – people

Bali – little baby

Bubaay-ngumbaay – little one

Dilaang – brother 

Galing – water

Miil-galang – eyes

gunhi-dhaagan – mother earth 

Giiny-  heart

Yinggirra – smile

Yinggirra-galang – smiles

Gunhi – mum

Ngumbaay-galang – ones

ngurrbul – love

Babiin -dad

Ngawa – yes

Bula ngumbaay – three/3

Use these words in a post and tag us (Our Songlines and Yali @ yinaagalang_birrang) – we would love to see you using these words. 

I may even teach you to say these words in the future – who knows 😉 …

 

I acknowledge all Indigenous Countries/Lands that I learn/study about, write upon, walk/stand, study upon and that all readers read upon.

 

Always paying my Yindyamarra to Elders past, present, and future.

Sovereignty has never and will never be ceded.

Always Was, Always will be Aboriginal Land.