Friday, January 30, 2009

My Aboriginal Story

The Original

The Meaineis called upon Bou-gou-doo-gahdah for a gift
The u e hu came down and the wahroogah sang a song of the bahloo
The beeargahs and the bibbees and the beeleers flapped their wings
Bilbers, Beereeuns, and the Buggoos all danced to the tune
As the Dungle filled to the brim an Euloo wirree filled the sky
When the world lighted the Girrahwee the wahrooganh ran free
The mother’s smiled as the Doonburr mixed itself into Durrie
As the sun shone into the Googoorewon the Gooeea danced around the fire
As the sun set and the Buckandees and the Dingos curled up together to sleep
The Wondahs came out only long enough to bless the earth with a smile and a soft word.

Translated

The girls called upon the rain bird for a gift
The rain came down and the children sang a song of the moon
The hawks and the woodpecker and the cockatoo flapped their wings
Large rats, prickly lizards, and the flying squirrels all danced to the tune
As the water hole filled to the brim a rainbow filled the sky
When the world lighted the place of flowers the children ran free
The mother’s smiled as the grass seed) mixed itself into a bread made from grass seed
As the sun shone into the place of trees the warriors danced around the fire
As the sun set and the native cats and the native dogs curled up together to sleep
The spirits came out only long enough to bless the earth with a smile and a soft word.


Combined

The Meaineis (girls) called upon Bou-gou-doo-gahdah (the rain bird) for a gift
The u e hu (rain) came down and wahroogah (children) sang a song of the bahloo (moon)
The beeargahs (hawks) and the bibbees (woodpecker) and the beeleers (cockatoo) flapped their wings
Bilbers, (large rats) Beereeuns, (prickly lizards)and the Buggoos (flying squirrels) all danced to the tune
As the Dungle (Water hole) filled to the brim an Euloo wirree (rainbow) filled the sky
When the world lighted the Girrahwee (place of flowers) the wahrooganh (children) ran free
The mother’s smiled as the Doonburr (grass seed) mixed itself into Durrie (bread made from grass seed)
As the sun shone into the Googoorewon (place of trees) the Gooeea (warriors) danced around the fire
As the sun set and the Buckandees (native cat) and the Dingos (native dog) curled up together to sleep
The Wondahs (spirits) came out only long enough to bless the earth with a smile and a soft word.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Australian Terms

Australian Slang Terms

http://www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html

Aboriginal Terms

Birrahlee-baby
Corrobree- Aboriginal dance

Bahloo, moon.
Beeargah, hawk.
Beeleer, black cockatoo.
Beereeun, prickly lizard.
Bibbee, woodpecker, bird.
Bibbil, shiny-leaved box-tree.
Bilber, a large kind of rat.
Billai or Billay, crimson-wing parrot.
Bindeah, a prickle or sinall thorn.
Bingah wingul, needle bush, a tall thorny shrub.
Birrahgnooloo, woman's name, meaning "face like a tomahawk handle."
Birrahlee, baby.
Birrableegul, children.
Boobootella, the big bunch of feathers at the back of an emu.
Boolooral, an owl.
Boomerang, a curved weapon used in hunting and in warfare by the blacks; called Burren by the Narran blacks.
Bootoolgah, blue-grey crane.
Borah, a large gathering of blacks where the boys are initiated into the mysteries which make them young men.
Bou-gou-doo-gahdah, the rain bird. Like the bower or mocking bird.
Bouyou, legs.
Bowrah or Bohrah, kangaroo.
Bralgahs, native companion, bird.
Bubberah, boomerang that returns.
Buckandee, native cat.
Buggoo, flying squirrel.
Bulgahnunnoo, bark-backed.
Bumble, a fruit-bearing tree, sometimes called wild orange and sometimes wild pomegranate tree. Capparis.
Bunbundoolooey, brown flock pigeon.
Bunnyyarl, flies.
Burreenjin, magpie, lark, or peewee
Budtha, rosewood-tree, also girl's name.
Byamee, man's name, meaning "big man."
Comebee, bag made of kangaroo skins.
Comeboo, stone tomahawk.
Cookooburrah, laughing jackass.
Coorigil, name of place, meaning sign of bees.
Corrobboree, black fellows' dance.
Cunnembeillee, woman's name, meaning pig-weed root.
Curree guin guin, butcher-bird.
Daen, black fellows.
Dardurr, bark, humpy or shed.
Dayah minyah, carpet snake.
Dayoorl, large flat stone for grinding grass seed upon.
Deegeenboyah, soldier-bird.
Decreeree, willy wagtail.
Dheal, the sacred tree of the Noongahburrahs, only used for putting on the graves of the dead.
Dinewan, emu.
Dingo, native dog.
Doonburr, a grass seed.
Doongara, lightning.
Dummerh, pigeons.
Dungle, water hole.
Dunnia, wattle.
Durrie, bread made from grass seed.
Eär moonän, long sharp teeth.
Euloo marah, large tree grubs. Edible.
Euloo wirree, rainbow.
Galah or Gilah, a French grey and rose-coloured cockatoo.
Gayandy, borah devil.
Gidgereegah, a species of small parrot.
Girrahween, place of flowers.
Gooeea, warriors.
Googarh, iguana.
Googoolguyyah, turn into trees.
Googoorewon, place of trees.
Goolahbah, grey-leaved box-tree.
Goolahgool, water-holding tree.
Goolahwilleel, top-knot pigeon.
Gooloo, magpie.
Goomade, red stamp.
Goomai, water rat.
Goomblegubbon, bastard or plainturkey.
Goomillah, young girl's dress, consisting of waist strings made of opossum's sinews with strands of woven oppossum's hair, hanging about a foot square in front.
Goonur, kangaroo rat.
Goug gour gahgah, laughing-jackass. Literal meaning, "Take a stick."
Grooee, handsome foliaged tree bearing a plum-like fruit, tart and bitter, but much liked by the blacks.
Gubberah, magical stones of Wirreenum. Clear crystallised quatty.
Guddah, red lizard,
Guiebet, a thorny creeper bearing masses of a lovely myrtle-like flower and an edible fruit somewhat resembling passion fruit.
Guinary, light eagle hawk.
Guineboo, robin redbreast.
Gurraymy, borah devil.
Gwai, red.
Gwaibillah, star. Mars.
Kurreah, an alligator.
Mahthi, dog.
Maimah, stones.
Maira, paddy melon.
May or Mayr, wind.
Mayrah, spring wind.
Meainei, girls.
Midjee, a species of acacia.
Millair, species of kangaroo rat.
Moodai, opossum.
Moogaray, hailstones.
Mooninguggahgul, mosquito-calling bird.
Moonoon, emu spear.
Mooregoo, motoke.
Mooroonumildah, having no eyes.
Morilla or Moorillah, pebbly ridges.
Mubboo, beefwood-tree.
Mullyan, eagle hawk.
Mullyangah, the morning star.
Murgah muggui, big grey spider.
Murrawondah, climbing rat.
Narahdarn, bat.
Noongahburrah, tribe of blacks on the Narran.
Nullah nullah, a club or heavy-headed weapon.
Nurroo gay gay, dreadful pain.
Nyunnoo or Nunnoo, a grass humpy.
Ooboon, blue-tongued lizard.
Oolah, red prickly lizard.
Oongnairwah, black divcr.
Ouyan, curlew.
Piggiebillah, ant-eater. One of the Echidna, a marsupial.
Quarrian, a kind of parrot.
Quatha, quandong; a red fruit like a round red plum.
U e hu, rain, only so called in song.
Waligoo, to hide. A game like hide-and-seek.
Wahroogah, children.
Wahn, crow.
Wayambeh, turtle.
Waywah, worn by men, consisting of a waistband made of opossum's sinews with bunches of strips of paddymelon skins hanging from it.
Weedall, bower or mocking-bird.
Weeownbeen, a small bird. Something like a redbreast, only with longer tail and not so red a breast.
Widya nurrah, a wooden battleaxe shaped weapon.
Willgoo willgoo, pointed stick with feathers on top.
Wirree, small piece of bark, canoe-shaped.
Wirreenun, priest or doctor.
Womba, mad.
Wondah, spirit or ghost.
Wurranunnah, wild bees.
Wurrawilberoo, whirlwind with a devil in it; also clouds of Magellan.
Wurranunnah, bee.
Wurrunnah, man's name, meaning standing.
Yaraan, white gum-tree.
Yhi, the sun.
Yuckay, oh, dear!

Reply to Josh and Shane's 1\25\09 reading

Josh's Writing

I like the "short and sweet" explanations of the different subjects. The pictures are very cool and seem to fit the subjects that they are displayed with. Each subject is discussed with a personal feeling. I was not aware of many of the thins Josh discussed.

Shane's Writing

I like the way Shane went in depth with his reading without loosing the "short, easy to follow" element of the report. I found it interesting about the way the Aborigines lived. One thing that I did not know that I thought was cool was the waves of immigrants described.

1\25\09 Reading

Students in Australia are much like we are. They are required to attend school until they are fifteen or sixteen. Unlike us though, getting to school can be the real adventure. Some kids have to travel some fifty miles to the schools if they live in the urban areas. Small schools are scattered around the sparsely populated areas where there are anywhere from eight to nine kids. Even those kids are considered lucky when the kids who live in the outback take their lessons from their teacher over the radio.
http://www.australia.com/things_to_do/outback.aspx



Australian is considered both one of the most musicale and one of the most difficult to understand. English there is not exactly like English here due to the intermingling of English words with those of the Aboriginal language. What can really make understanding their language difficult is their typical accent, which tends to be flat and nasally. The rest of the world got a good taste of the language when the Australian soldiers in World War 1 would march around singing the humorous marching song "Waltzing Matilda".

Australian writers were highly influenced by British writers, writing wholly in the British style to begin with. The first true Australian literature were in the form of “Bush Ballads”. One such ballad in the earlier discussed “Waltzing Matilda” written by A. B. Paterson. Literature involving fictional travels in the “bush” and the lives of the convicted colonists of Australia. Writers who were most famous in these styles were Henry Handel Richardson, Alan Moorehead, Patrick White, Jon Cleary, Ruch Park, Morris West, Shirley Hazzard, and many others. Australians hold the spot as being among the largest Buyers of books in relation to their population.
More than eighty percent of Australians live in urban areas and one third of all Australians live in only two cities, Sydney and Melbourne. The rest of the population is distributed between the other state capitals, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, and Darwin. Unlike U.S., Australian cities tend to grow outward rather than upward. Seventy percent of Australians own their own home. Residents of coastal cities are normally within walking distance of a public beach.
The simple beginnings of Australia add to their easygoing lives today. Though Australians tend to get smaller wages than their American counterparts and tend to pay more for necessities, they tend to enjoy a higher quality of life .

Australian Authors

Australian Authors

Anderson, Jessica
Armanno, Venero
Astley, Thea
Bacia, Jennifer
Bail, Murray
Barrett, Robert G.
Birmingham, John
Boyd, Martin
Brett, Lily
Broderick, Damien
Carey, Peter
Cato, Nancy
Chambers, Joy
Cleary, Jon
Condon, Matthew
Courtenay, Bryce
Cusack, Dymphna
Dark, Eleanor
Dessaix, Robert
Douglass, Sara
Drabble, Margaret
Drewe, Robert
Earls, Nick
Flanagan, Richard
Franklin, Miles
Garner, Helen
Grenville, Kate
Hall, Rodney
Hardy, Frank
Harper, Beverley
Hartnett, Sonya
Henderson, Sara
Herbert, Xavier
Hewett, Dorothy
Hospital, Janette Turner
Idriess, Ion
Ireland, David
Jacobs, Anna
James, Clive
Johnston, George
Jolley, Elizabeth
Kelleher, Victor
Keneally, Thomas
Koch, Christopher
Lawson, Henry
Lindsay, Joan
Lindsay, Norman
Long, William Stuart
Lunn, Hugh
McCullough, Colleen
McKie, Ronald
Macklin, Robert
Malouf, David
Marshall, Alan
Masters, Olga
Miller, Alex
Modjeska, Drusilla
Mor, Caiseal
Morgan, Sally
Morrissey, Di
O'Grady, John
Park, Ruth
Porter, Hal
Reilly, Matthew
Richardson, Henry Handel
Rudd, Steele
Sallis, Eva
Shute, Nevil
Siemon, Rosamond
Stead, Christina
Stow, Randolph
Stuart, Vivian
Tennant, Kylie
Upfield, Arthur
Walker, Lucy
West, Morris
White, Patrick
Wilding, Lynne
Winton, Tim
Witting, Amy
Zusak, Markus

Australian Authors and Australian Books
http://www.middlemiss.org/lit/lit.html

Australia What I know

I went to Australia with the international club in June. We flew into Brisbane and traveled up the coast to Frasier Island and then went down the entire length of the coast to Sydney. I know that Australia began as a penal colony for England. The criminals that were sent to Australia were often sent there for such minor crimes as stealing a bag of flour. People who commited such minor offences, were set to labor in Australia for a certain period of time. If they behaved themselves during their sentenced time, they were granted areas of land as their own. The land is inhabited with many different types of animals. The Tasmanian devil is one of the native predators, as are the crocodiles, other reptiles, and birds of prey. Most of the predatory animals there were introduced by the Europeans, such as the Dingo. Australia holds the highest level of poisonous creatures in the entire planet, and the only poisonous mammal, the Platypus. The Platypus and Ekidna are the only mammals that lay eggs and both reside in Australia. Australia's animal life is very special because they have the marsupials and is the only place to find marsupials, excluding the Opossum. Marsupials are classified by the pouch that the mother's carry their young in. Probably my favorite marsupial in Australia would have to be the little, fuzzy, cute, adorable, Sugar Gliders. I personally own two sugar gliders, Louie and Chupi. These are my babies. We got Louie the spring of my seventh grade year. About a month later we got Sirius. Sadly Sirius died and Louie started to get depressed so we got Chupi to keep him company. Louie is the fat one who eats too much and Chupi is a scaredy cat. Louie has had two near death experiences with our border collie, Sadie. The flag is actually pretty special. The English flag replica in the top left corner of the flag signicant Australia's ties to England. The cross with four stars to the right of the flag is a star consolidation that Australians often use to guide themselves. The stars are special in their design though, and the number of points on them; six of the points represent the six "states" of Australia and the seventh point represents the territories of Australia. When we were in the bus traveling, our tour guide and bus driver were from the Sydney area. They began telling us all these stories about the fierce competition and suspicion between Queensland and New South Wales. As we were coming up to the border between these two states our tour guide told us that we were going to need to hold our passports up against the window so that their electronic scanners could read our passports on the boarder. As we approached the border there were at least thirty US passports pasted against the windows on the left side of the bus. As we pass the boarder sign saying, "Welcome to New South Wales" our tour guides cell phone rang and he told us that we had to pull over. "There was a problem reading one of the passports. The police will be here soon to check it out." So the bus driver pulls over and we sit on the side of the road for a good five minus before anything happens. Our tour guide and bus driver began to laugh and we pull out. They had pulled off the best practical joke I have ever seen. In fact, there was absolutely no checks that were being preformed and the call to our tour guides phones had actually been made by the bus driver. WE were truly had.