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Kariyarra

 

The People and their Traditional Country

In 2002 there were estimated to be less than two fluent Kariyarra speakers left in the Pilbara. There are many more Kariyarra people who have a passive understanding of the language. Other people identify as being of Kariyarra heritage and do not speak the language or speak other languages after marriages into other language groups. Kariyarra people have a very close relationship with Nyangumarta people and intermarriage is very common.

 

The Kariyarra people traditionally lived around the town of Port Hedland area in the north-west of Western Australia; from Port Hedland west to the Sherlock River and south to the Yule River. The Kariyarra country is bound by Ngarla country to the north, Nyamal to the east and Ngarluma to the southwest.

 

Raylene Gordon has worked with Wangka Maya to produce Kariyarra resources

Language Resources and Recordings

Many Kariyarra community members have contributed to the recording of this language, including Raylene Gordon, Nyaparu Lockyer, Diana Robinson, Elsie Williams and Norton Williams (dec), among others.

 

The earliest recordings of Kariyarra were in 1953 by Tindale, 1964 by von Brandenstein and Klokeid 1967, Brandt in 1970 and Thieberger in 1990. In 2001, Wangka Maya Language Centre published the Kariyarra Wordlists and Sketch Grammar and a book of Kariyarra Texts, including stories, songs and hymns with English translations. Wangka Maya continues to work with the Kariyarra community to record their language.

 

Language Information

Kariyarra is part of the Pama-Nyungan language family; a large group of languages spread over much of the Australian continent. It belongs to the Ngayarta subgroup of languages along with Nyamal, Palyku, Banjima, Kurrama, Yindjibarndi, Ngarluma, Ngarla, Martuthunira, Nhuwala, Jurruru and possibly Yaburarra. The Kariyarra language is closely related to Ngarluma, with which it shares a substantial amount of vocabulary as well as grammatical and phonological features. Some linguists regard Kariyarra as a dialect of Ngarluma.

 

Kariyarra is a highly endangered language.

 

Past spellings and names of Kariyarra include Kariera, Kariara, Kayera, Gariera, Kaierra, Karriarra and Kyeara.

 

Cooking kangaroo tail on Kariyarra country

Written Examples of the Kariyarra Language

 

Ngunharra kurlkawanarra karriku kartangka malungka.

That donkey is standing in the shade.

 

Wayipa nyinta ngunharraku ngarrikalku.

Hey! Have you got that thing?

 

Ngayi nyingku murlayi pangkana.

I brought you some meat.

 

Wapanma ngunharraku jukukurta.

Give her some fruit.

 

Manga jarrkuwarrangarni thijarrinha ngurrangka.

The woman and child waited at the camp.

 

Kariyarra Wordlist

ant pinta, waruma mine ngajarntu
anthill mungku mosquito kunyayi
baby kurlukurlu mother nhangka
bat waramurrungka mouse kalunyja
blue tongue lizard thaliwarru mudlark yilinypirrira
brolga yarnkarra one kunjima
bullock karlajangu owl kirrkirr, kurrkurr
camp ngurra parrot, green palyarra
cat ngawungawu pelican thurtarrarra
catfish thayangku pig pikipiki
centipede minarrangu poor fellow marajunu
crow wakurra, wangkina rock marnta
dingo mujira shade marlu
doctor maparnkarra sheep kukurnjari
dog wanyja sister, older thurtu
donkey kurlkamirrka, kuliyamirrka snake warlu
duck kartantarri snake, green kulipirri
eagle warinypirna snake, water` palkunji
echidna jirriwiny, jirripuka spider kanparra, karrapa
egg jimpu spinifex paru
emu jarnkurna star (7 sisters) pintirri
fish yurta sun yarnta
flea murrunypari tail karnti
fly warrayi them nyintakura
frog jarrkurran this nyinta
girl mirrka, manga tick pithan
goanna pirrikalara tree warnta
grasshopper pinpila turkey partukalara
grubs parti turtle ngartapirri
him, her nuthu wallaby marntanyu, warntiya
horse yawarta where wanyjarla
ibis jitu white cockatoo pirtirra
joey kurlukurlu willy wagtail jitijitira
kangaroo (hill) wijunu willywilly warnangkura, winingarra
kangaroo (plains) palkarrangungu woman manga
leaf pirrirra, pirtitha, parrka word, talk wangka
lice kulu you (sg) nyinku
lizard kalyarti yours nyinkujarthu
magpie kurrpathuthu, kurrparnti zebra finch nyimari