Forbidden Language of Gippsland
The dialect was forbidden to be spoken and closed to rest of world as it was said to be the work of Satan. The essence of first nation's identity and culture was hidden from the general public in the name god, and items relating to the culture of the people were burned. What remained of the culture only existed in the minds and heart of the tribes at Ramahyuck.
As descendants of the Wurraial tribe incarcerated at Ramahyuck, our wish is to break the silence of past generations and to once again breathe life into our culture through the teachings of the language of Bau-gun.
| Cardinal Direction | Nulit | Nangai | Thang Quai | Muk-Thang |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | Woor-rin-win | Tumb-Brrra | Be-ara | Tar |
| South | Woo-goo-merring | Gatter | Tha | Tat |
| East | Boot-kur-lak | Drt Grauea | Gar-wi | Graua |
| West | Boo-gun | Da-aua | Yack | Yak |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Gooto | One |
| Gunni | Man |
| Jirra | Kangaroo |
| Goola | Koala |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Gootopana Gunni | One Man |
| Gooto Jirra | One Kangaroo |
| Gootopana Goola | One Koala |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Boola | Two |
| Booloomana Jirra | Two Kangaroos |
| Booloomana Goola | Two Koalas |
| Boolooman Gunni | Two Men |
| Yail manda Gunni | Many Men |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Mul | Will |
| Wanga | Go to |
| Mul Wanga | Will go to |
| Worroin | Forest |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Gootoopana gunni mul wanga woroin | One man will go to the forest |
| Boolooman gunni mul wanga gewita | Two men will go to the creek |
| Yaail manda gunni mul wanga garika | Many men will go to the scrub |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Thununa | Going to |
| Ngio or ngi | I or me |
| Thununa ngi | Going to I |
| Thununa ngi woroin | Going I to Forest |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Jibban | Burn |
| Nat | I or me |
| Gallak | Stick or wood |
| Jibban nat gallak | Burn I stick or wood |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Thununa ngi garika jibban nat gallak | Going I to scrub, burn I stick or wood |
| Yaail manda gunni mul wanga gewita | Many men will go to the creek |
| Nundeing maa wango thungunda | Meet at the waterhole |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Nundeing | Meet |
| Maa wango | At the |
| Thungunda | Waterhole |
| Mia | Hut |
| Baanga | Camp |
| Baanda | Sleep |
| Nganak | Eat |
| Bandan | Strike |
| Gri | Canoe |
| Taura | Fire |
| Muyuban | Make |
| Water | Yarn |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Nundeing maa wango banga nat muyuban taura | Meet at the camp I make fire |
| Nundeing maa wango mia thununa ngi baandanweet | Meet at the hut going to I to sleep |
| Nundeing maa wango baanga thununa ngi gwandaban | Meet at the camp going to I to rest |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Wangan | Hear |
| Wang-gan at | I hear |
| Wang-gan-nungang | He hears |
| Wang-gan thana | They hear |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Woorun yan at | I love |
| Woorun yan nungun | He loves |
| Woorun yan karo waro | They love |
| Karnang | English |
|---|---|
| Mungan Nau | Our Father |
| Bau-gun/Baukan | Matriach god of the Gunni |
| Boolumdoot | Son of Baugun |
| Brewin | Evil Sorcerer |
| Biraark | Sorcerer |
| Mulla Mulung | Medicine man/woman |
| Bulk | Black Magic Stone |
| Gweraeil | Chief (Headman) |
| Wait jurk | Aggreived (purveyor of justice) |
| Nungi Nungit | Trial by ordeal, those accused of barn. |
| Barn | Evil Magic Spell |
During phases of continued learning of Karnang language you will learn about relative pronouns, positive pronouns, distributive pronouns, indefinite pronouns, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions and present tense.