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Helen talks

Helen Liddy Emorrotjba

Wihya, dipbart-da ga-di-n. Galh-ma gu-yu. Oh yilkgiwu galh-ma ga-ni now. Yow dabaley-dabaley-ma ga-ya gahan wayi-tjjalbu wheel, gorn-gorn-na-gu ali. Ready-ma! Jahan gorn-gorn-na ma-yu-hmin?	No, it (the pause button) comes jumping out. It should come up. Oh okay, it's coming up now. Yes, the little wheels (on the tape recorder) are going around and around, for talking, okay? Ready! What will I talk about now?
Matjjin ga-ya warayh-wu gahan mamin matjjin-gu matjjin-gu all the time warayh ginggu-ga-n-ngana! Warayh-wu-warayh-wu all the time, matjjin-gu. Gorn-gorn-na-gu-gorn-gorn-na-gu all the time yimbayhma yimbayhma, jahan-gu-da? Nungarin gorn-gorn-na gi-ya-ngga-ja-ngana, gawurdu nyenh-na gi-yobe-jan!	That white men pesters us lot for language all the time! Pestering, pestering, all the time, for language. For talking, for talking, all the time, all the time, what for? We should have talked a little bit, and then we should have just sat quiet!
Mahan ga-di-n nganing-gin. Garradin ga-ya gahan joh-ma, jorro-ma ga-rega-n. Gu-ya-miiin Darwin-ga. Motorcar-ya gak… Wihya garra-nehen. Ale? Garra-nehen! Garradin-nehen wihya! Wihya garra-nehen mi-ya-hmin Darwin. Well ngalagunin-yi munyju-nawu now, garradin, mi-ga!	Here comes my grandson. He is bringing back money. He's going to go to Darwin. In a motorcar. No, not without money. Huh? Without money! Without money, no! You can't go to Darwin without money. Well, your mother will give you some money now, and you take it!
You can't wilh-ma Darwin garra-nehen, by and by mangiman-yi ngunyju-ma-yi! Hey hey! Mi-ya gomow! Ring-up guu mangiman-yi ngalagunin-ga.	You can't walk around Darwin without money, or a policeman will get you! Hey hey! You'll go to jail! The policeman will ring up your mother.
"Aaah wayi-tjjalbu, Jerrenbowa ga-yu, gomow giyak ga-ya now, mi-di-nyaaa. Dorroh mi-maaa, gomow-baaa!"	"Aaah, its your kid Jerrenbowa, he's in jail, in trouble with the law. You'd better come and get him out of jail!"
Ngalagunin-yi munyju-maaa gayh-ga. Dorh munyju-ma. Jorro munyju-rehga.	Your mother will come and get you out of there. She'll pick you up and bring you back.
Nungarin whitefella di-nyaaa Burandi-gunda. Jilimakgun nung-gin-yi durdurt bula-ndi. Jewo-ndi now train. Dipbart ma-ny. Di-nya Pine Creek lek ma-ny train-gunda. Neywurnh-na labu-ndi gahan gorooon. Mengeeey bu-ni, nguynguy ngitjjin-ba. Ba-ni-nginy gay-giwu guk-ga, mamin, gahan jilimakgun. Neywurnh-na bunggu-rabu-ndi, ngerrp ma-ny gahan mamin, knife-yi.	There was this whitefella from Burandi. His woman had run off and left him. He followed her now on a train. He jumped on. He got to Pine Creek and hopped off the train. He snuck around looking for her house. He peeped in at night-time, in the dark. Those two were sleeping there, a white man, and his woman. He snuck up on them and stabbed that white man, with a knife.
Durdurt ya-nginy now gahan jilimakgun. Durdurt-da ya-nggi, sister-leying, Mrs. Hall, ya-ngga-jan. Yaha-ny nung "Ah ngan-bu-ni ngerrp-ba, ngerrp-ba ma-yi mamin nganing-gin! Gayh-yi whitefella-yi Billy Moore-yi, Billy Moore-yi mama ni-nginy!"	The woman ran away now. She ran to the sister, Mrs. Hall. She said to her "he cut me, he cut my man! It was that white man Billy Moore, that's who it was!"
And ngal-martdiwa-yi sister-yi, ring-im-up yaha-ny, mangiman now, mangiman-yi labu-ndi. Ni-nginy, labulbul burrng-burrng-nga everywhere ni-nginy gahan labulbul. Gahan now roll-im-up ba-yama-ny. Ba-ga-ndi, hospital-ga wihya, bort-da-yi.	And the old sister rang up the policeman, and the policeman went and looked for him. There he was, with blood flowing everywhere. They rolled him up. They took him to hospital, but nothing, he died.
Gahan whitefella ni-nginy yurrh-ma maguuu wel-ba. Ni-nginy yurrh-ma, gakgalak, nungarin nungarin nungarin. Lagiban-buga-yi ba-nawu-jan danganyin, maguuu-gunda. Ba-rabu-jan. Bunggu-rabu-jan nguynguy dangany-gu. Danganyin ba-nawu-jan. Tea boil-im ba-yama-jan nung. Ni-nginy nooow. Mabipbaran ni-nginy. Oh dawu mayh-ba ya-nginy.	That other white man went and hid in a cave. He hid there for quite a few months. Aboriginal people used to give him food, from over that way. They used to look for food at night, and give it to him. They boiled tea for him. There he was now. He was there for a long time. His beard grew very long.
Wilh-ma ya-nginy Darwin-ga. Wilh. Darwin police station-ga mangiman-gu yaha-ny, "Ngagun now, nga-bu-ni ngerrp-ba gahan mamin. Nga-bu-ni gahan mamin, nganing-gin jilimakgun ga-ndi. Jilimakgun nganing-gin ga-ndi."	Eventually he walked to Darwin. He walked to Darwin police station, and said to the policeman "It was me now, I killed that white man. I killed him because he had taken my woman. He took my woman."
"Jahan-gu-bi ngerrp-ba ngi-bu-ni?" yaha-ny nung mangiman-yi.	"Why did you stab him?" asked the policeman.
"Oh, gahan mamin lihwa. Nga-gorndo-ny-hmin gahan jilimakgun. But durdurt ga-ndi ngani. Nga-ba-jewo-ndi, ngerrp nga-ma-ny gahan whitefella."	"Oh, that white man was no good. I wanted to keep that woman. But he took her from me and ran away. So I followed them, and I stabbed that man."
Yow. Ga-ndi now. Ya-nginy now gomow-gu ba-ga-ndi, jail. Bort-da-yi now that mamin mabipbaran. Ngambo.	Yes. The policeman took him now. He went to jail, they took him to jail. He's been dead for a long time now, that white man. Poor thing.
Oh what neyenggun matjjin? Wihya now matjjin-nehen nga-yu. Nga-yebe-jan. Nga-di-nya bush-gunda, nga-ya-nginy mahan Pine Creek. Nganing-gin-buga warri-buga nga-ba-ga-ndi school-ba. Jowk-ga nga-ba-bu-ndi school. Woerrkge-ma nga-ya-nginy Ah Toy-leying. Warri-buga wal ba-yama-ny. Nganing-gin marluga jotjjo bort yaha-ny ngani. Warri-buga-ndi now, ngan-bula-ndi warri-buga-garang. Warri-buga neyenggun bulu-buluman ba-ya-nginy ngani, boarding school-ga, Queensland-leying. Ba-di-nginy jorro-ma bulu-buluman now.	Oh what other story can I tell? No, I don't have any other stories. I came from the bush, to this place Pine Creek. I took my children to school. I sent them to school. I was working at Ah Toy's. The children grew up. My old husband died on me. Children now, he left me with children. Some of my other big children left me; they went to boarding school in Queensland. They came back really big now.
Warri-buga ga-ba-ga-n now. Nungarin-yi ga-ga-n, larima nugan, nungarin lalang. Nungarin-yi ga-ga-n nungarin lalang. Neyenggun-yi ga-ga-n, nungarin lalang, nungarin nubuny.	They have their own children now. One has two boys and a girl. One has one girl. Another has a girl and a boy.
Neyenggun-yi ga-ga-n nungarin lalang, wayi-tjjalbu. Wujinyhma nga-bu-ndi bak-ga lawar. Bort-da-yi gahan ngal-martdiwa now. Ngal-gawu-mang nganing-gin. Bak nga-bu-ng now, Wujinyhma ngaha-ny nung, yow.	Another has one little girl. I gave her the name Wujinyhma. The old woman who had that name has died now. She was my grandmother on my mother's side. I named the little girl Wujinyhma.
Uncle-yi Benbo-yi yaha-ny nganung "Yilkgawu, mi-bu bak-ga lawar, ngekgo-giwu-yi. Gorro wirrp mi-ma, gahan. Ngerrwort mi-ma, mi-ma-ja lawel ngerrwort mi-ma gorro"	Uncle Benbo said to me "Okay, we'll give her that name, us two. Later we will wipe it. We will swap names, later on we will swap the names."
Gokgo wait now borroju no I don't know what time gu-ba-ma-hmin wirrp-ba. Ngal-martdiwa ga-na-n now warren. Nu-bort guu-hmin Benbo, gu-ga gahan lawar wirrp-ba-nehen-yi.	I'm still waiting for them, I don't know when they'll wipe that name. The little girl is becoming a woman now. Paddy might pass away, and we still won't have wiped that name.
Aaah jahan neyenggun matjjin? Matjjin-nehen now nga-ya. Nga-ya-ngga-jan bush nga-yebe-jan, station-ba. Marluga-yi nganing-gin-yi jotjjo, Mick Liddy nung-gin gahan lawar. Nirra-mang mayh-gorden-gu, warri-buga-gu nganing-gin-gu. Yow. Nungarin, jilminy lujip ngaha-ny. Yow. Mayh-gorden-di ga-ba-ya marnmarn. Larima lalang, larima nugan, ga-ba-ya. Ngi-ni-nginy bush-leying. Buluman ba-nanda-yi school-gu, jowk ngan-bu-ng.	Ah, what's another story I can tell? I don't have any more stories. I used to live in the bush, on a station. With the old man my husband, Mick Liddy was his name. He's the father of my children. Yes. One I had to bury as a baby. Yes. But this lot, they're still alive. Two girls, and two boys. We used to sit down in the bush. When he saw that they were big enough, Mick sent them to me to go to school.
Pine Creek-ga nga-ni-nginy now. Ngi-ni-nginy-buga. Nonggega now nyongh-nga ni-nginy, lem di-nginy Pine Creek-ba. Ya-nggi hospital-ga, gawor bort yaha-ny ngani. Gayh-ba jardup-ba ngi-bu-ni, Katherine.	I came to Pine Creek. We all came. One now got sick, and had to come to Pine Creek. He went to hospital, but died on me in the afternoon. We buried him in Katherine.
Nganing-gin-buga warri-buga now ba-ya-nginy school then, Queensland. Boarding school ba-ya-nginy. Gitjjiya now bulu-buluman ga-ba-ya now. Nungarin nga-ga-n, larima school-teacher. Nungarin motorcar mechanic.	My children went to school then, in Queensland. They went to boarding school. Now they have grown up. Two of them are school teachers. One is a motorcar mechanic.
Nungarin ya-nginy stock inspector gabaa. Fix-im-up yaha-ny, nendo, bulikgi, needle bunggu-nawu-jan, lewa-yan T.B.-gu. Ah watj-ja bu-ji-na bulikgi. Ngerrp-ba ma-jan. Du-jan motorcar-ya, oh helicopter-yi. Du-jan motorcar-ya, lamang, bulikgi, guyh ge-jan. Everywhere ya-nginy. Lamang, du-jan gahan now bulikgi. Everyone's station ya-ngga-jan. Ni-nginy, magu Gove gabaa-hmin. Ni-nginy there. Ni-nginy. Larima bowp-ba, bowp-ba ni-nginy gayh-ba. Wayi-tjjalbu labingan ga-ga-n now, lalang. Nung-gin jilimakgun woerrkge-ma ga-ya, Amungal. Pub-leying gayh-ba ga-yu, woerrkge-ma. Yow.	One was a stock inspector, they say. He worked with horses and cattle. He used to give them needles, looking for T.B. When the cattle were no good, he would kill them. He went round in motorcars, or a helicopter. He herded up the cattle. He went everywhere, treating the cattle. He visited everyone's station. He was over at Gove, they say. He was there for two years. He has a little baby now, a girl. His wife works at Adelaide River. She works at the pub there. Yes.
Jahan neyenggun matjjin maha-hmin? Gena ga-di-n mahan wahan buluman meleee-ma ga-di-n. Yow. Ma-ya-hmin gorrh-ma menuny gawor. Man-ga-hmin menuny, nganing-gin-yi gayh-yi. Ga-yu-hmin Kybrook, ngaba-yi, menuny.	What's another story I can tell? Black storm clouds with lots of rain are coming this way now. Yes. Maybe I will go fishing this afternoon. Maybe my son will take me. He might be at Kybrook, my son.
Mahan neyenggun nganing-gin lalang ga-ya gapbut, Batchelor. Ga-ga-n nung-gin lahan, jorro ga-ga-n. Bam-bam gu-ge, jorro gu-di. Gayh-gorden now warren nung-gin lalang, ga-ga-n jorro-ma, school-gu. Nubuny, ma-gondo mayh-ba. Ga-ya school mayh-gunda. Katherine ga-ya. Bus, early-bela ga-ma-n. Gawor jorro ga-di-n, nganung.	This other girl of mine will go to Batchelor tomorrow. She'll take her swag back there. She'll leave it there, and she'll come back. She'll take these girls of hers back for school. But the boy, I'll keep him here with me. He goes to school from here. He goes to Katherine. Early in the morning he gets the bus. In the afternoon, he comes back, to me.
Larima nga-ba-gondo-n mayh-ba, nu-jabutj. Ga-ba-yu-giwu mayh-ba nganung. Nga-ba-gondo-n. Yow.	I keep two of my grandsons here with me. They stay here with me, and I look after them. Yes.
Earlyyy-bela dawh-ma ga-di-n, ga-ba-ya bus-ga. Ga-ba-ya Katherine school. Jorro ga-ba-di-n gawor. Yow.	Early in the morning, the bus comes, and they get on it. They to school in Katherine. They come back in the afternoon. Yes.
Yilkgawu now? Mamak now!	All right now? Goodbye!

Pine Creek, 22 January 1997.

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