Word Up

Natalie Davey is a Bunuba/Walmajarri woman and radio broadcaster from Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia. This week Natalie is sharing the Walmajarri word for paternal grandfather — kirlaki.

This is our last week with Gary Williams, joining us all the way from the Mid North Coast of NSW in Gumbaynggirr Country. Today, Gary will share his word for brother-in-law and how this word is passed on to his family. 

This week Uncle Gary Williams shares the Gumbaynngirr names for the pardalote, a tiny native bird also known as a peep wren.

Uncle Gary Williams shares different ways to say 'yes' in Gumbaynggirr language.

Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-operative CEO, Uncle Gary Williams continues to share his knowledge for Word Up.

On Word Up this week, we return to the Pilbara region in Western Australia.

Over the last couple of weeks Pinikurra Elder Susanne Hay-Hughes has been sharing her language.

Pinikurra Elder Susanne Hay-Hughes shares some greeting words from her language — Thalanyji.

Pinikura Elder Susanne Hay-Hughes, from the Pilbara region in Western Australia shares a Thalanyji term that means "we're all together'.

Pinikura Elder Susanne Hay-Hughes, from the Pilbara region in Western Australia shares some of her language, Thalanyji.

Head to Yankunytjatjara Country to catch up with Karina Lester and her daughter Larissa. There they’ll share the Yankunytjatjara name for a lovely bird: the magpie. 

Head to Yankunytjatjara Country to catch up with Karina Lester and her daughter Larissa. 

For Word Up, Yankunytjatjara speakers Karina Lester and her daughter Larissa take you back to north west of South Australia to share the word for dog — tjutju.

Yankunytjatjara speakers Karina Lester and her daughter Larissa share a word that describes a precious commodity on their Country — water.

Meet Karina Lester and her daughter Larissa from Yankunytjatjara Country. Karina is Co-Manager & Senior Aboriginal Language Worker at The University of Adelaide’s Mobile Language Team and Larissa has her own language series online. They share the Yankunytjatjara word for meat, and explain the first language words they learnt.

Jane Edwards shares the Nyigina word for 'country'. 

The Kimberley region of Western Australia is the only place in the country where boab trees grow. Here, they are prolific. Our language legend Jane Edwards has been sharing Nyigina from her home in Derby in the west Kimberley region. Today, she shares the Nyigina word for the boab tree. 

Jane Edwards is in Derby in the west Kimberley sharing some of her language: Nyigina.  Last week, she shared the Nyigina word for a great-grandmother. This week, she’s focusing on a different family member.

Meet Jane Edwards in Derby in the west Kimberly. She’s our language legend this month. Today, Jane shares a Nyigina word that can describe someone’s daughter.  It’s also the word for a great-grandmother – who becomes a daughter to her great-grandchildren.

Kalkatungu is the language of the Mt Isa area, and Will Blackley has been working with a team to revitalise it. For his final time on Word Up, Will shares the Kalkatungu words he uses when there’s a storm brewing. 

Will Blackley live in the Mount Isa area on Kalkatungu Country.  But his life started on Palm Island.  He describes how he got to know his language when he wasn’t on Country, and shares the Kalakatungu word for kangaroo.

Will Blackley shares the Kalkatungu word for ‘fire’ and explains how the pronunciation of the language has shifted over time.

Will Blackley is part of a team of people working to revitalise Kalkatungu language in north-west Queensland. He's also our language legend on Word Up this month. Will shares the Kalkatungu name of a familiar constellation.

This month, Christine Anu has been sharing some of her maternal grandfather’s language – Kala Kawa Ya.  For her final time on Word Up, Christine shares a word she learned recently after her Uncle Michael Jenson Warusam-Waigana heard her on the radio. 

Christine Anu has been sharing some of her maternal grandfather’s language, Kala Kawa Ya. She's explained the significance of the 'waku' (a woven mat), and shared a word that means to roll out. This week, Christine shares a word that means to fold or roll up.