The following are two fair specimens: -
About the Birds-
Yul-yul, thumbal,
Kallaball, moonarebul
Nana nan molanin
Yongo birrit
This is repeated over and over.
Translation of the foregoing:-
Fly March-Fly, beetle;
Fly beetle, bat night
Parrot, little parrot
Wattle bird, Minah bird.
About the Whale-
Waton aa young naa,
Konterbul walonaa,
Young naa konterbul.
This is also repeated over and over. Translation:-
The whale has come,
And thrown up on land.
from The Booandik Tribe of South Australian Aborigines : A Sketch of Their Habits, Customs, Legends
Christina Smith 1880 http://archive.org/details/booandiktribeso00smitgoog
Nemo, here is another whale song, maybe you've encountered it before?
ReplyDelete“A sea coast woman (Augusta district) dreamed she was balancing herself upon the back of a whale in the water, and the following morning she improvised her dream. These dream songs are called by the South western people Koorannup songs."
Maangarla maangarla wandee bal,
Dowel gen, gen gen boordee boordee boording.
Dancing on the maamung (whale), balancing on my thigh,
One, one, one, going on balancing.
From Daisy Bates, Ed Isobel White, 1985.