Nyungar Wangkiny (Glossary)

Nyungar wangkiny or language, and the commitment to it, is central to Nyungar identity. As Nyungar language was not written prior to colonisation, there are many spellings of the word Nyungar itself (e.g. Noongar, Nyoongar) and many other Nyungar words.

Nyungar language is evident in place names, street names, plants and animals found throughout Nyungar boodjar. Nyungar words such as ‘gidge’ for spear have also been incorporated into the Australian-English language, Nyungar have remained faithful to our Nyungar wangkiny despite regressive policies and practices imposed upon us.

Nyungar wangkiny assists in restoring and preserving Nyungar ways of expressing culture and experience.1  As stated by the late Ballardong man Ralph Winmar (1996), Elder and “Keeper of the Stories”, “Nyungar language has a harmonious quality, and it is a real treat to hear two fluent speakers in conversation.

There are often multiple names and/or multiple spellings of similar names. For example, ‘whale’ is written as mamang, mamung, mummung, mammang, mamong, meemonga or namang. As Nyungar was not a written language before colonisation, these spellings represent variations in the interpretation by various recorders of the pronunciation of a given Nyungar word. The pronunciation itself may also have varied from place to place or clan to clan. Here we include one spelling for each similar sounding name; hence for whale we present ‘mamang’.

There may also be names for a single species that are quite different. These different names could represent different stages in the life cycle, different sexes, different features of the species’ lifestyle or regional variations in usage. For example, for humpback whale we found the names recorded as goonga goombar (carrying a large neck or back), booga bidern (back of whale a creating trail in water as it jumps, i.e. breaching) and bugal-el-ngor (literally hillock on back) (personal communication, Clint Bracknell and Len Collard).

This glossary is organised alphabetically for easy reference. Select or scroll through the following letter groups to find words:

A-D

Swipe to see more
Nyungar English Pronunciation Audio
Bain Pigface (coastal plant)
Balga Blackboy (plant)
Bamba Stingray
Barndee Bream (fish)
Beeliar The suburb of Beeliar
Bidi Trail
Birak Season December and January (The first Summer)
Boodjar, or boodjera Country or land
Boodjar-gordo An island
Booga bidern Back of whale a creating trail in water as it jumps i.e. breaching
Booka Coat
Boolyada One who possesses magic
Boorda Valley
Boornyarri Man's name
Booyee Rock
Booyeembara Booyeembara Park
Borda borda Later on
Born or mardja Bloodroots (plant)
Bugal-el-ngor Literally hillock on back
Bulland Blue Crane, White-faced Heron, Grey Heron
Bullung Pelican
Bunuru Season February and March (The second Summer)
By-yu Zamia season or fruit
Coolbellup North Lake (the name Coolbellup now also refers to a whole suburb)
Coomarl Brushtail Possom
Daap Knife - ceremonial
Dalagooroo The sound of the wind blowing
Derbal Nara Cockburn Sound - Derbal means estuary and Nara means salmon
Derbal Yaragan Swan River
Derbow Dive or stoop
Deree Trumpeter (fish)
Djakat Roots
Djeran Season April and May (The Autumn)
Djidi-djidi Willy Wagtail, Chitty Chitty
Djilba Season August and September (The second rains)
Djubak Orchids
Djuk; also weelarra, waang Sandalwood
Dogee Rain
Doordajee Doordajee She is going to have a baby
Dowak Short heavy stick
Dutark Whiting (fish)
Dwert Dingo or dog

E-J

Swipe to see more
Nyungar English Pronunciation Audio
Gaba or gabbee Water
Gabee-wodin The main ocean
Gidgee or gidge Fishing spear
Gilbitch Parrotfish
Gilgie Freshwater crayfish
Gilgit Nyunakil Fishing Boat Harbour  
Gnarnk Bloodline
Gnoort Horse
Gooiara Sand
Gooya Burrowing Frog
Goonga goombar Carrying a large neck or back (Humpback Whale)
Gwaga Quokka
Jeeriji Zamia (plant)
Jenna koorliny Walk
Jennark Spirit
Jimbar The jimbar was like a dinosaur, as big as a dinosaur
Joobaitch Nyungar man

K-L

Swipe to see more
Nyungar English Pronunciation Audio
Kaanya Spirit
Kaarda Goanna
Kalkarda Mullet (fish)
Kambarang Season October and November
Kara Milkmaids (plant)
Kardagurt Shag / Pied Comorant
Kardang-gurrung WA Dhufish
Karreel Estuary Cobbler (fish)
Katitjin Knowledge
Katta Hill
Keirp Water
Kerbein Coastal Sword Sedge (plant)
Kieler Dolphin
Kodj Stone axe
Kodger cuttuck Pink snapper (fish)
Kooboorl kooboorlor koombar kumbariny That means the belly is getting big
Koorannup Spirit place across the sea
Koormul Possum
Koorndan Shame
Kooyal Frog
Kulbardi Magpie
Kuljak Swans
Kura Long time ago
Kura yeye boorda From the past today and into the future
Kurrlonggur Children
kurrlonggur ngarnk Child's mother
Kyli Boomerang

M-N

Swipe to see more
Nyungar English Pronunciation Audio
Maaman or Maam Male - also father
Maaman mar Sea breeze
Maar-book The firmanent - also used to denote air
Makuru Season June and July (The first rains)
Mamong Whale
Mar Wind
Meeandip Garden Island
Meeka Moon
Meeka-derbaga The moon is set
Meen Roots
Mia Shelter hut camp
Miro Spear thrower
Moodjar Christmas Tree
Moort Family
Nanga-banya A hot or sweating sun
Nanga-ngnardog The sun is set
Nangar The stars
Ngoorndiny A Resting place - of the Waarkle
Nyilla-nyilla Mistletoe (plant)
Nyingar Echidna
Nyitting Cold time or Dreamtime
Nyungar or Noongar People

O-Z

Swipe to see more
Nyungar English Pronunciation Audio
Waakal or Waarkle or Waugal Dream time rainbow serpent
Wadjemup Rottnest Island - Place of the Emus
Walgen Rainbow
Waitch Emu
Wardan Sea
Wardan gaba boodjera Sea side
Wardong Crow
Warra Bad
Wedjela or wedjella White person
Whadjuk The people of the Swan coastal plain. Could refer to Weitch, or emu
Wonna Women's digging stick
Woonda Shield
Woordanung Spirit place across the sea
Woorriji Lizard
Wort buranginy To pinch or grab the throat
Yondock Ancestral Crocodile
Yonka or yonga Kangaroo
Yorga Female
Yorga mar Easterly land breeze

 

Contact

Address

City of Cockburn
Whadjuk Boodjar
9 Coleville Crescent,
Spearwood 6163

PO Box 1215, Bibra Lake DC,
Western Australia, 6965

Office opening hours:
8.30am to 4.30pm
Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays)

Language Support

Fire Danger Rating

Social Media

Cockburn Nyungar moort Beeliar boodja-k kaadadjiny. Koora, yeyi, benang baalap nidja boodja-k kaaradjiny.
Ngalak kaditj boodjar kep wer kaadidjiny kalyakool yoodaniny, wer koora wer yeyi ngalak Birdiya koota-djinanginy.

The City of Cockburn acknowledges the Nyungar people of Beeliar Boodjar. Long ago, now and in the future they care for Country.
We acknowledge a continuing connection to Land, Waters and Culture and pay our respects to Elders, past and present.