1441 Nhawiku nhaltjan ŋuli dhu lakaram ŋunhi yothuny ŋunhi ŋayi goŋ-munhdhurrmirr, manymak, ŋunhili yothu goŋ-mundhurrmirriyirri bili ŋuruŋi ŋayi ŋuli ŋunhi nhina ga ŋayaŋuy, ŋunhi ŋayi ŋuli marŋgithirri marrtji nhäma ŋalapalmirriny ga nhaltjan ŋayi dhu djäma ga nhaltjan ŋayi dhu nhina,  ga nhaltjan ŋayi dhu ŋunhiyi märram, mundhurr, ga nhaltjan ŋayi li ŋunhi djamarrkuliy nhäma ga marŋgithirr ga ŋuruŋiyiwal ŋayi ga nhina.

Okay, how can we talk about a child who is gifted okay that child has a gift in her hands, so they live by means of their ŋayaŋu (spirit), as they learn, looking at the elders, and how he will work, and how he will sit, and what he can get there, what gifts, how young children see and learn, he lives by those things. Lawurrpa’s Comment if you are adopted into a fimily or someone who is your own family, grew up within that family you know how you can feel the sense of way we do think act treat you get that feeling from the family that’s the deepest meaning.  You can get that learning part living from the family.

1535 Ga napurru ŋuli ŋunhi nhäma ŋanya, bala bitjana gam’: ‘Yow, dhuwaliyiny yothu ŋunhi ŋäyi chosen-dja’, ga dhuwaliny yolŋu ŋayi  ŋunhi ŋuli balanya nhakun ŋayi djuŋgaya, ya’ balanya.

And we see him/her and we say: ‘Yes, that child is chosen’, and that person is sort of like a djuŋgaya (who takes care and has a responsibility to watch over his mother’s clan business), you see.

1558 Ŋunhi ŋayi ŋuli djäma yolŋuy murruy’murruyyun, ga nhina ŋayi ŋuli, bala walala ŋuli ŋanya ŋurruŋukuman. Dhuwali ŋurruŋu nhawi questions (on the whiteboard) , ga dhuwanydja wiripulil, Yolŋu nhaltjan ŋuli Yolŋu nhawi bitjan ya’, describe ya’ bitjan yolŋuny nhakun wiripuŋuny.

If he is working very hard (murruymurruyyun)  and he continues to do so, then they will choose him as a leader.  That’s the first question on the blackboard. So (the second question) how would be describe that (gifted) person as different?

1636 Ga wiripuny nhakun, nhä ŋayi dhu ŋunhi djamarrkuli marŋgithirrnydja märr ga ŋayi dhu ŋunhi, ŋunhiyi märram leadership ya’ balanya, bili yän mak ŋarraku guyaŋanhawuy. Ga nhä ŋayi dhu role ŋunhili ŋayi dhu nhanŋuwuy ŋayi dhä-manapan.

And also, what will those children learn so that they will take on leadership, that’s my thoughts on the matter. And what role will he take on with respect to himself and other people?

1711 Ga yän muka, dhuwaliny nhakun limurruŋgal gali’kurr limurru ŋuli ŋunhi bitjandhi nhäma Yolŋuny, wiripuny ŋunhili, yän dhuwal rrakal nhakun experience-kurr,  nhaltjan ŋarra gan nhäŋal djamarrkuliny’ schoolŋur, ŋunhi ŋayi gan nhaltjarran ŋuthar, ga nhaltjarr ŋayi gan marŋgithin.

Okay, so that’s on our Yolŋu side, how we see the person, it looks different, this is just my experience, when I used to look at the young kids at school, how they grew up, and how they learnt.

1738 Bili limurrnydja ŋuli wiripuny lakaram bitjan ŋayi dhuŋa yän yolŋu, djamarrkuli. Yaka marŋgi ŋayi ŋunhi, marŋgi ŋayi already limurruŋgaldja gali’ŋur, ga ŋayi nhawinha gali’ŋur balandawalnydja nhakun, ŋayi ga mirithin nhawi djälthin ŋayi dhu marŋgikum. Ŋunhi ŋayi ŋunhi nhakun gadaman’tja yothu, nhanukala balandawalnydja gali’ŋur, ŋayi yanbi ŋunhiyin, djambatjnha ga ŋunhiyi ŋayi yolŋuny, ŋunhi walalanydja ŋuli bitjandja djarr’yun Yolŋuny ŋäpakiyny, ŋunhi nhä baladawalnydja gali’ŋur.

Because we may think that he doesn’t understand (the balanda way). But he does really understand, but he is already knowledgeable on our Yolŋu side, and on the Balanda side, he was very keen to learn.  And if he’s a gadaman’ (sharp) kid on the balanda side of things, he thinks, he’s djambatj (smart), and he’s the person the Balanda choose, looking from their Balanda side.

1820 But limurr ŋuli nhakun gali’ŋur, limurru ŋuli märram bitjandhi nhakun barpuru limurr gan waŋanhamirri. Ga manymak, (nhawiku nhakun nhaltjan ŋuli dhu rom gäma), nhaltjan ŋali dhu nhäma ŋunha ŋayi dhu balanday rom gäma, litjalaŋ nhakun Yolŋuw litjalaŋgalaŋa djäma walal djamarrkuliw, yow.

But we on the Yolŋu side, we always get them, like we were talking about yesterday. Okay, so how can we see how balanda can bring a policy (rom gäma) with our children, in the same way the Yolŋu work with our own children?

1843 Ŋarrany ga djälthirr, ga ŋarraku ŋayaŋu, ŋalimurr dhu guŋga’yun dhukarrkurr limurruwuy djamarrkuli’nhany, nhakun Yolŋuy. Mirithirri yan ŋanya gakal’lil gäma balayi, ga ŋanya dhu ga ŋunhi guŋga’yun, ga teachersku balanya bili. Bili ŋarra li ga ŋunhi djälthirri bitjan gam’: Limurr dhu bukmakkum manapanmirr balanda ga Yolŋu, yolŋuwnyda djamarrkuliw, ŋunhanydja schoolŋurnydja,

I want, my ŋayaŋu (inner feeling), is that we will help our children on the path, we Yolŋu. Bring him strongly to that gakal (role) and help him, and that goes for the teachers too. Because this is what I want: We will all come together balanda and Yolŋu for the Yolŋu children, at school

1920 Ga try ŋäŋ’thun balanyayi mala rulaŋdhun dhipal limurruŋ, yalala ŋayi dhu yindithirrinydja ŋunhi djamarrkuliny, limurr dhu walalany bulu further study gurrupan nhakun, nhakun dhuwalatjan nhakun, nhawikurr, through university dhuwal nhakun, walal ga djäma, gutharramirriy ga bulu nhawiyi garrkaraŋdhu ga Michael Christie.

And try to make that happen so that when they grow up, we will give them further study, for example through this university, where John, Waymamba and Michael are working,

1949 Yow ga djäma guŋga’yun dhipali limurr dhu ga support mirithirr ga djamarrkuliny’. Walal dhu marŋgithirri through dhuwalatjan nhakun, bili dhuwalatjan limurruŋguny ga märrma’ walala marŋgi-gurrupan dhiyalnydja nhakun, dhuwalatjan yän limurr dhu ŋunha governmentnha fight nhakun bulu mirithirr walalaŋ marŋgithinya.

So work to help there and give good support for the kids; they will learn this way, because here we are giving them two things: here, and continue to fight for help from the government.

2010 Ga mirithirri limurr dhu ŋunhala banydji ŋändi ga bäpanha ga nhawi waŋa guŋga’yunmirri, ŋunhi dhu raypirri’yun ga marŋgikuŋ walalany djamarrkuliny, ŋunhal wäŋaŋur, ga ŋunhal ga schoollilnydja marrtji, walala dhu balanyakurr marŋgithirr.

So we need very much the mothers and fathers, to talk and help each other, raypirri (discipline) and teach those kids at home, and when they go to school, they will learn through that Yolŋu way.

2027 Guŋga’yunmirr limurru dhu, ga yaka limurr dhu expectingdja yan nhina nhawiku school teacher-w walal dhu guŋga’yun walalany, ga djäma walalaŋ, ga marŋgikum walalany. Yaka, limurr dhu ŋändiynydja bäpaynyda guŋga’yun walalany. Ŋayi dhu, limurr märr-dharaŋan ya’ bitjan.

Helping each other, and not expecting the school teacher alone to help them, and work for them and teach them. No, we the mothers and father should help them. We need to trust each other you see…

2042 Dhuwanydja wäŋa dhuwandja walalnydja ŋuli ga djäma, dhuwandja guŋga’yunaraw, dälkunharaw litjalaŋ, ŋali dhu djalkiri dälkum dhuwaldja, bili dhiyal ga ŋorra litjalaŋ märrmany’ marŋgikunhawuy, nhakun ŋunha dhu balanda way ga Yolŋu.

So the work that goes on here at the university, this is helpful, to make us strong, making our foundations strong, because here there is for us two learnings, the balanda way and the Yolŋu way.

  2102 Ga balanyayi rrakuŋun dhuwal, ŋali dhu nhawi nhakun rur’maram ŋunhi djamarrkuli’ ŋayi walal dhu dhuwali djaw’yun dharapul-djaw’yun märr ŋayi dhu ŋuthan ga marŋgi, bala ŋayi dhu dhiyal djalkirimirri ga dhärra, nhaltjan ŋayi dhu litjalaŋ djamarrkuli future, ya’ balanya ŋalitjalaŋgalaŋuwu yolŋuw djamarrkuliw, ga balanaya rrakuŋun.

So that’s it from me, it will raise up the children, and take those who are and take the place of the people their elders who die, so he will grow and learn and stand with good foundations, what our children’s future will be like, you see, for our Yolŋu children, and that’s it from me.

3450 Yow ŋarrany dhu lakaram dhäwu, ŋunhi gämurru dhuwal napurru ga nhäma nhawim, gämurru gifted ga talented, nhä nhanŋu munhdhurr nhakun, ga nhäthinya nhanŋu gakal, yothuw.

Okay, I’ll tell you a story, about the thing we were looking at, about gifted and talented, what is his gift?  And what is his gakal (spirit) like?  That kid’s.

3515 Ga nhäthinya ŋayi ŋurru-warryunayŋu yothu dhu ŋuthan yalalaŋumirri.

And how will a young leader grow into the future?

3529 Ga waŋanhamirr napurr gan, ŋunhiyi Yolŋu yothu ŋayi dhu ŋuthan raypirri’mirr buthuru-bitjunamirr, djämamirr, räl-wandirr ŋayi dhu, ga ŋuthan ŋayi dhu marrtji ŋuruŋiyi,

We were discussing this, that Yolŋu child, he will grow with raypirri (discipline), listening, working, he will run helping, and he will grow by means of those things.

3552 yaka yän mulkurr ŋayi dhu marŋgithirri, ŋunha birrimbirrnydja ŋayi dhu maranhan gurrupan nhanŋuwuy ŋayi  märr ŋayi dhu rrambaŋi manymak nhanŋu mulkurr ga ŋayaŋu.

It’s not only his head that will learn, he will feed his own birrimbirr (spirit), so that they will both be good together, his head and his ŋayaŋu (self).

3606 Ga ŋunhi ŋayi dhu ga mulkurr yän marŋgikunhamirr ŋayi dhu birrimbirr nhanŋu nhakun yalŋgithirra, bala ŋayi dhu rirrikthuna, yakan ŋayi li manymakkuman marŋgithirr.

If he only teaches his own head, his birrimbirr (spirit) will become weak and sicken, he hasn’t really learnt well.

3620 Ga nhaltjan limurru dhuwalany nhakun gäma dhuwaliyi dhuwalatjandhi dhukarrkurr ŋuthanmaram walalany, bili wiripuwal ŋuli djamarrkuli marŋgithirr walal ŋuli balyunmirr ga lakaranhamirr walalanhawuynha walal, nhawiŋur  nhakun gundaŋur, maypalŋur, gapu, ŋarrpiya, balanya mala nhakun ŋunhiyi gakal walal dhu märram, beŋuruyi.

So how are we going to lead this, the path upon which to grow them, because there’s many different ways for them to learn, they invest in their totems and speak of themselves from what?  Like a sacred rock, maybe some shellfish, water, octopus, they will take on those sorts of gakal (identities), from there.

3659 Ga ŋuruŋiyi, gakalyu walalany yurru gämany, ŋuthan walal dhu, märr walal dhu balanya bitjan gärri balandawalnydja nhawilil romlil ŋunhi ŋuthan barrarimiriwnha marrparaŋnha, bili dhiyal walala already marŋgithin.

So those gakal (ancestral identities) will carry them, they will grow, so that they will go into the Balanda culture, growing without fear, courageously, because they have already learnt from this side.

3716 Ga yolthu walalany dhu marŋgikum?  Ga nhaliy? Ga nhaltjan bili walal ŋunhi? Walal dhu marrtji marŋgithirrinydja, yol ŋayi ŋunhi yothu, ga wanhaŋur ŋayi marrtjin, and wanhawal ŋayi dhu marrtji yalalaŋumirri, ŋunhi ŋayi dhu ŋuthandja.

So who will teach them?  And with what? And how will they teach?  They will grow up to know who he is, and where is he coming from, and where will he go later, when he grows up.

3740 Ga ŋarra nhakun ga djälthirri ŋayi dhu school ga education department nhakun dhuwali ŋula dhukarr malŋ’maram ga manapanmirr dhiyakiyi.

So what I want is for the schools and the education department to find that path (of Yolŋu development) and join in with it.

3756 Bili nhumany ŋunhi departmentthu nhäma liya-djambatj yolŋu mathsŋur, wukirriŋur, matha djinbulk ŋayi English-ku waŋanharaw, yurr napurrdja li yolŋuydja nhäma ŋanyany ŋunha ŋayaŋu, ŋayaŋu gurrum’, dhä-yawulu, ga gurrutumirri yolŋu, ŋayaŋu galkunamirri, buthuru-bitjunamirr, ŋunhiyi leader-ny napurruŋguŋuny, leader ŋayi ŋunhi napurru dhu märram, wo leader ŋayi dhawal-guyaŋany.

So you in the department see liya-djambatj (clever) kids in maths, and writing, good speakers of English, but we see children’s ŋayaŋu (personality), quiet ŋayaŋu, gently spoken, who know their kinfolk, patient ŋayaŋu, good listener, they are the leaders in our way of thinking, leaders whom we choose, or born leaders.

3834 Ga dhiyaki ŋarra ga djälthirr, limurr dhu manapanmirr education ga school ga guŋga’yun ŋunhiyi djamarrkuli’ rur’maraŋ märr ŋayi dhu yalala ŋurru-warryun nhanŋuwuy ŋayi yolŋu walalany, yalalaŋumirriy ŋunhi napurru dhu dhiyal murrmurryurr boŋguŋ.  Ga balanya. 3855

So that’s what I want, we will join up witht eh school education people, and help to raise those children up, so he will later lead his own people, later, when we how are here all pass away.  That’s it.

3901 Yow ŋarra dhu nhakun waŋa, bili nhawi nhakun, wiripu ŋuli dhu birrka’yun bitjan ŋunhi yothu dhuwal, ŋayi ga ŋayatham bäyŋu nhakun gakal’mirr ŋayi wo djambatj nhanŋu ga rom ŋorra,

Okay, I’ll talk about this, because you know, some people say that a child doesn’t have any gakal’ (identity) or djambatj (skill)

3919 yän nhakun ŋunhi yothu balanya nhakun ŋayi gämurru’ŋur nhawiŋur wäŋaŋur wo communityŋur, napurr nhäma nhakun yothuny ŋunhi, balanya nhakun, ŋayi gurrutumirri ŋayi nhakun, 3941 ga nhaltjan nhakun ŋayi dhu ga ŋunhal gakal’ nhanŋuwuy ŋayi milkum, yothuy, ga nhaltjan ŋayi dhu balyunmirr, yol ŋayi, wanhaŋuru ŋayi, ga nhaltjan ŋayi ga ŋunhal manapan wiripuwal bäpurru’lil.

But that child has gämurru (significance), from his land and community, we see that child, with his kin connections, and how through them that child reveals his own gakal (identity), how he balyunmirr (invest in his ancestry), who he is, where he comes from, and how he connects to all the different clan groups.

4002 Ga wiripu nhakun nhawi yumurrkuw napurr djäl, ŋayi dhu nhäma ga, dhukarr nhäma, nhälil ŋayi ga marrtji, nhä mulkuru ga rom gal’yun ŋayi dhu ga nhäma, rom nhäma, dhuwurr nhäma, ŋuruŋiyi yothuy.

So we want for those children that they will look out, see the path, where they are going, and what foreign ways are creeping in, he will see, see the rom (law), see the dhuwurr (implications), that child.

4028 Bili ŋunhili ga rom nhämany dhuwurr nhämany ŋayi dhu, ŋurruŋuny ŋayi dhu ŋal’yun, dhuli’na-witjun, ŋuruk ŋalapalmirriw, ŋunhi ŋayi dhu nhina ŋalapalmirriwal yolŋuwal walalaŋgal, ga nhawi nhakun ŋayi dhu ga, ŋunhili, taking part as nhanŋu future-w, nhanŋu future leadership-ku ŋuruki yothuw.

So there, looking at the rom (law), the dhuwurr (culture), he will rise up in front, listening to the old people, sitting with the old people, with his Yolŋu elders, and through that, take part as his own future, his future of leadership for that child.

4100 Ga nhäma napurr dhu, marŋgithirr ŋayi dhu nhakun, nhä nhanŋu yuwalk ŋunhiliyi rom ŋayi dhu, nhaltjan ŋayi dhu carrying out boŋguŋ, ŋuriŋiyi bala nhakun, yalala ŋayi dhu ŋuthan, nhä nhakun nhanŋu ga already leadership ŋayi, ŋayi dhu marŋgi nhanŋuwuy ŋayi, ŋunhi yothu.

So we will see, he will learn you see, what his true rom (way) that he will go, how he will carry it out in the future, when he grows, what leadership he already has, he will know himself, that child.

4122. Bili most of all Yolŋu djamarrkuli li ga marŋgithirr, beŋur bala nhä ŋayi ga ŋayatham dhiyaŋ nhawiyu wäŋa-ŋarakay, wakir’yunaray, miyapunu, dhika nhaku walal dhu marrtji, maypalwu.  Ŋunhili ŋayi nhakun ŋurruŋuy ŋunhi marŋgithirr yothu, yan be balaŋ. Ga ŋunhili nhakun limurr dhu bulu nhakun limurrunydja yolŋuynydja walal nhakun guŋga’yun, ŋunhiyi yothuny, djamarrkuliny, ŋunhi walal ga dhiyaŋ-bala ŋayatham ŋunhi munhdurr, ga gakal.

Because most of all Yolŋu children learn from what the landforms hold, from hunting, turtle, whatever they go for, shellfish. That’s what they do their first learning, the children, it’s like that. So it’s there that we adults need to help, that child, those children, who already have that gift and gakal (identity).

4205 Limurr guŋga’yun walalany, yolŋu’yulŋuy limurru ŋalapalmirriy, ga nhaltjan limurr dhu ŋunhal guŋga’yun ŋunha bala ŋunhi, ŋunhi walala ga djorra’ mala djäma, marŋgithinyaraw djamarrkuliw’ wukirriŋur. Ga ŋunhili nhakun limurr dhu manapanmirr, ga guŋga’yunmirr ga carrying out limurr dhu bukmakthu, ga dharaŋan limurr dhu nhäma yothuny ŋunhi ŋayi munhdhurrmirr ga gakal’mirr.

We Yolŋu should help them, we adults, and how we need to help them over there where they work with books, for teaching the children in school. That’s where we will come together and help each other and carry it out, all of us, and recognise those children we see as having gifts and gakal (ancestral identities).

4235  Ga bumak limurr dhu nhakun, be limurr marŋgithinyawuy rom ga ŋayatham, ga ŋayi yothuy ŋuruŋiyi, ga ŋali dhu guŋga’yunmirra, ŋunhili, ga liŋgun. 4250

So we should all together, of course we have our our Yolŋu rom (theory) of learning, and so does the child, and we should help each other, on that, that’s all.

4300 Yow, yumurrku, a child is already, knowledge dhanal ŋayatham yumurrku’yu, ga as they grow up ga bala nhan ŋätjil rakaram discussionŋa ga learning stream, ŋarruŋa yaka always open for to receive yuta, yuta ŋarru mäyam yaka yolŋuyu ga ŋätjil rakaraŋ mumalkuryu, mulkurr ga ŋayaŋu waŋganydji ŋarru.

Yes, children, a child,  those children already have knowledge, and as they grow up and (as I said earlier in the discussion), the learning stream is flowing, always open to receive the new, the Yolŋu will take on the new, (what my momalkur said earlier in the discussion) the mulkurr (head) and the ŋayaŋu (spirit) need to come together as one.

4404  They come to a certain age, yumurrku where they make their decisions, wanhalaya dhanal ŋarru nhänharami who they are, where they stand. That’s when they decide what to do.

They come to a certain age those young people, where they start to make decisions, where they look at themselves, who they are, where they stand. That’s when they decide what to do.

4435 Ŋalma dhanaliny dhu ga mäyam, dhaŋum mäyam dhawuru banha mainstreamŋuru, and their foundations stand strong for who they are, already, gain knowledge dhawuru bala, still learning both sides yaka, balancing nhanany banhayany, dhuka malŋ’thuman bilanya banham mala-djarr’yun ŋarru, a true leader dhanal Yolŋu dhawatthun, yothu.

We receive them, and when they come over from the mainstream, and their foundations stand strong in who they are, already, gaining knowledge from over there, still learning both sides, balancing them, finding a path, like choosing, that’s how a true Yolŋu leader will emerge, from a child.

4528 Dhuka nhäma, mala-djarr’yun, guŋga’yundawu bukmakku, yaka yana in the family, ga banhayam mittji, banha bukmakkun bitjarr the whole community.

Look at the path, make decisions to help everyone, not just your own family or your clan group, but for everyone, for the whole community.

4554 Ga Yolŋu walal ŋuthan bilanyami, ŋayaŋu banhaya yolŋuwu, ga mulkurr ŋarru waŋgany-manapanmi. Nhan ŋarru ŋarruŋam, bärrkulil dhaŋum.

So Yolŋu grow up like that, the ŋayaŋu (spirits) of Yolŋu, and their heads becoming one.  Then that person can go far.

4615 Bitjan be yan ŋalma ŋarru balyunmi ŋalmapinya ŋalma bili ŋalmaliŋgu, ŋayaŋu däl, nhä malaŋuny banha nhä walŋan ŋalmaliŋguma ŋoya. Banha nhan area ŋalma ŋarru like empowering ourselves ŋalma ŋarru balyunmim, ŋalma ŋarru däl djinal gali’ŋa, bayaŋu ŋunham problem, dhaŋum gali’ŋa.

So that’s how we have to balyunmi (invest ourselves in our ancestral identities), because our ŋayaŋu (spirits) are strong, all those things which lies there in our lives. In that area, that’s where we should be empowering ourselves in our balyunmi (ancestral investments), if we remain däl (strong, hard) on this side, there will be no problems on that side.

4703  Ga djinaŋum ŋayaŋuyun, ga djälnha banhalaya, doturrkthu ŋalma ŋarru rakaram, warkthuwan ŋarriyan dhawitjaya dhukarrmurrum, mäyaŋun  ŋunhaya, ŋalma ŋarru mäyam. Yow. 4721.

So with this ŋayaŋu (spirit), and this desire, our hearts will speak, go do work follow that path, take that way, we will take that way. Ok.

4730 Djamarrkuli ga nhina dhiyaŋ bala ga ŋäthil gan nhinan, balanya bili yän gadaman’ mala, gali’kurr marŋgithinyakurr, romgurr, Yolŋukurr ga balandakurr.

Children living nowadays and in earlier times are there, gadaman’ (clever) kids, on the knowledge side, in the rom (culture), both Yolŋu and balanda.

4651 Yurr dhiyaŋ bala nhakun ga märr-dhumbal’yun dhiyaŋu education department-thu balanday romdhu. Yolŋu djamarrkuli ŋunhi walal ga nhina dhiyaŋ bala märrmay’ romdhu, waŋganydja yolŋuŋur, yolŋukurr romgurr, raypirri’ ga märram, gakalgu ga marŋgithirr, djambatjku ga marŋgithirr, gondhanaraw ŋathaw, warrakangu, djulam’ ga malŋ’maram, djudapthunamirr, yuluttjunaraw märranharaw, gakal’kurr.

But at the moment the education department is pretty confused in the Balanda rom (way of doing things).  Yolŋu children who are sitting these days for two laws, one through the yolŋu side through yolŋu rom (law), getting raypirri’ (discipline), learning about gakal (identity), learning to be djambatj (good hunters), fetching food, getting meat, working out a djulam’ (strategy) and find those things which are hiding, creep up to get them, through gakal (becoming like totems).

4838 Ga ŋunha ŋayi gan marŋgithirr yolŋu balandakurr gali’kurr, nhaltjan ŋayi dhu balandaw romgu marŋgithirr. Marŋgithirr ŋayi dhu romŋur nhanŋu, ŋunhi ŋayi ga balanday gapman’thu gurrupan, survive dhu dhiyal Yolŋu balandaŋur worldŋur, mak gumurrŋur.

And if a Yolŋu has been learning through the Balanda side, how will he learn the Balanda rom (world).  He will learn from his own rom (way), and what the Balanda government gives, that yolŋu will have to survive in the Balanda world, or ‘front’.

4905 Ga gumurr-watthuna dhumbal’yun ga, ga yan bi ga yolŋun, yolŋun dhumbal’yun yanbi Yolŋun dhuŋa, mak ŋayi ga dhumbal’yun gumurr-däl ga malŋ’maram schoolŋur mala, balanda area-ŋur, mak ga dhumbal’yun wo mak ŋayi marŋgi, yurru teachingpuy dhikayi balandawun romdhu manda ga djulkmaranhamirri Yolŋu ga balanda rom.

So he gets stuck, confused, doesn’t know what to do, the yolŋu is stuck as if he is stupid, maybe he is confused and finds the school business hard, the balanda area, maybe that kid is confused, but maybe he quite a clever kid, but the teachingpuy (pedagogy) through the balanda rom (practices), the two miss each other, the Yolŋu and the balanda rom (ways of teaching).

4937 Yan ŋarrakuny guyaŋanhawuy ŋarra ga bitjan, dhikayi mak manda dhu marŋgithinyamirr bala-räli’yunmirr, ŋayi dhu, napurrdja yolŋuny baman’ larruŋal nhumalaŋgalaŋuw balandaw romgu, nhe napurruny marŋgi-gurrupar, ga yothukuŋal nhe napurruny, ga napurr nhokuŋun marŋgithin romgu mala balandaw, schoolkurr gali’kurr, nhaltjan nhumalaŋ napurr märr-nyilŋ’thun ga dharaŋan nhumalaŋ yanbi rom, ga nhumalaŋguwuy yan rom dhu ga yindithirr, djämakurr malakurr, nhämirr nheny dhu marŋgithirr napurruŋguny romgu?

I was just thinking, maybe those two can learn of each other, back and forwards, they will, for a long time we yolŋu have been searching for your Balanda law for a long time, you taught us, and made us like babies, and we learnt from you your balanda rom (way), through the school side, how we must bend to you, and supposedly understand your rom (ways), and only you rom (culture) will get bigger, through work and jobs, how about you learn something about our rom (law)?

5024 Ga dhiyali ga nhina, djamarrkuli ŋuthan, ŋalapalmirr, talented yan balanya bili balandaŋur romŋur, ŋayi dhu gol, educationgurr golkurr ŋuthan, yan warray, ŋunha  ŋayi dhu be a, become a doctor, ŋayi dhu become a scientist, become a lawyer, or whatever ŋayi dhu become. Balanya bili yan gali’ŋur yolŋuŋur romŋur napurruŋ ga, napurruŋ ga teacher mala ga doctor mala liya-gadaman’mirr mala nhina, ŋunhi napurruny walal li ganha romgu marŋgi-gurrupan.

So here there are, kids growing up, getting bigger, talented in the balanda rom (way), he will go to school, grow through balanda education, right up until he will become a doctor, a scientist, a lawyer, whatever he becomes. It’s the same on the side of Yolŋu rom (culture), we have our own teachers, and doctors, liya-gadaman’mirr mala (clever people), who have been teaching us our own rom (law).

5105 Ga education märrma’ŋur gali’ŋur ŋayi ga yolŋu nhina, napurrdja, waŋganydja yolŋukurr gali’kurr. Ga waŋganydja balanda’kurr gali’kurr.  Yet napurr ga balandalildja gali’lil wapthun, napurr ga gumurr-gatthun, ga dhumbal’yun, failing napurr dharrwa mala, schoolŋur napurruŋ djamarrkuliny. Ga ŋayi ga balanday märram

So yolŋu sit with two educations, we have one on the yolŋu side, and there’s one on the balanda side.
Yet if he moves to the balanda side, we get caught finding it hard, and unable to progress, they are failing at many things, our children in school. He the balanda gets it, (and progresses)

5127 . Mak dhikayi ŋayi dhu balanda rom manda dhu ga Yolŋu rom dharaŋanmirr. Nhe dhu räli Yolŋulil wapthun balanda ga marŋgithin napurruŋ romgu. Ŋunhi napurruŋgun, rum’rummirr rom, ga question mala napurr dhu, yaka napurr dhu ga ŋäŋ’thun ŋunhal goduŋur garma’ŋur mala gakal’mirriŋur romŋur.

 Maybe the balanda and the Yolŋu ways can recognise each other. You balanda should come over on to our side and learn about our rom (ways).  Our rom (way) is a respectful (rum’rummirr) way, and as for questions, we won’t ask a question in the middle (depth, inside) of garma (the open areas, where there is gakal rom (ancestral identities are being performed).

5156 Yän napurru dhu ga marŋgithi bala,  yän marrtji marŋgithirr, malŋ’thun ga yän, yaka marrtji dhä-birrka’yun ŋalapalnha.  Ŋayi napurruny dhu ga marŋgi-gurrupan. Ga dhiyal bala balandaŋur romŋur ga bitjan waŋa: ‘Dharrwa dhu ga ŋäŋ’thun question mala, ga ŋäŋ’thun marrtji marŋgithinyaraw, yothuy dhu ga ŋäŋ’thun ŋalapalnha.’ Ga walalnydja balaŋ ŋayi yolŋuwaldja romŋur, ga yaka manymak ŋayi dhu ŋäŋ’thun. 

We just learn, we just learn as we go, it just appears to us, not going questioning the old people. They will teach us. But now in balanda rom (way) it says: Ask many questions, and ask in order to learn, children should ask old people.”  But if they were doing it the Yolŋu rom (way), it’s not good for him to ask.

5225  Mak nhe dhu balanda rom marŋgithi napurruŋ. Waŋganydja ŋarra dhu bitjan waŋa gam’; Nhä mak nhuma ga ŋanapurruny djändja-gurrupan djamarrkuliw napurruŋ mala education cheating gurrupan? Ga dharrpan mala nhumalaŋguwuy nhuma balandaw? Djamarrkuli märr ga napurr dhu yaka Prime Ministerthirr?

So maybe your balanda ways should learn from ours.  I’ll say one thing: “Are you   shortchanging us? Are you cheating us with the children’s education?  Hiding something belonging to only you balanda? So that our children won’t become a Prime Minister?

5250 Ga napurr dhu yaka, djamarrkuli napurruŋ dhu yaka ŋula nhä lawyer-thirri mala, wo nhuma ga dharrpan napurruŋ. Ga ŋuli bäyŋu, dhuwali yäku mak ŋula nhä ŋuli ‘equality in education’ warrpam’ŋur communityŋur whether it be Yolŋuŋur, yolŋu community centres, schoolŋur mala, wo balandaŋur, napurru djälthirri service napurruŋgu education, equally yan, rrambaŋi manda dhu, yaka dhu ga napurruŋ yolŋu djamarrkuli marrtji ŋuthan gol, barrku sitting mala.

So we will, our kids will never turn out to be anything like lawyers, or are you hiding something from us? If not, then what’s this you call ‘equality in education’ in all communities, whether it be in the Yolŋu communities, Yolŋu community centre schools, or balanda school, we want a service, an education, equally, they should be the same, our kids won’t grow properly in schools, sitting way over there.

5338 Dhiyaŋ bala technology mala, dharrwa mirithirri, ŋunha ga internetŋur dhuwal,  broadband, warrpam’ services mala, if ŋunhiyi mala available ga ŋorra, balandaw schoolŋur, balandaw djamarrkuliw’, nhä ga gumurr-dälthirr? Why can’t it be at Yolŋu communities and homeland schools napurruŋ or Yolŋu schoolsŋu, Aboriginal education centresŋu mala?

These days there are many different technologies, like internet, broadband, all the services, if those things are available for balanda in schools, for balanda children, what is so hard?  Why can’t it be at Yolŋu communities and homeland schools or in Yolŋu schools, in Aboriginal education centres?

5406 If services ŋunha balandawal ga easy gurrupan system, internet märram, then nhä ga lacking Yolŋu communityŋurdja? That’s the question ŋarraku, ga my understanding ŋarra ga ŋäŋ’thun bitjan, I need equality in education djamarrkuliw whether it be Yolŋu or balanda. Thankyou 5440.

If services are easy to give to balanda kids, like the internet system, then what is lacking in the Yolŋu communities? That’s my question. My point is that I need equality for all children in education whether they be Yolŋu or balanda. Thankyou 5440.