2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages: Word of the Week - Week Four.

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that the following post contains images and reference to a deceased person.

As part of State Library's commitment to the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages, we will be promoting a 'word of the week' from one of the 125+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and dialects from across Queensland.

State Library's IYIL2019 Word of the Week: Week 4.

This week's "word of the Week" is from the Thaynakwith language of Western Cape York, thankupi means 'black wattle'.

Thancoupie. 30298 Juno Gemes Photographs.

It also refers to Thancoupie (also known as Thankupi and Thanakupi), the master potter from Napranum who passed away in 2011. The above image is from the State Library collection and shows Thancoupie in her studio at North Sydney in 1981.

Thanakupi’s guide to language and culture: a Thaynakwith Dictionary.In 2007, Thancoupie published a cultural guide to her people and the Thaynakwith languages - in the text, she speaks of her family and her desire to record her language and culture for future generations.

The book is in the State Library collections and is a valuable reference tool; being one of the few sources for Thaynakwith language.

The "Word of the Week" has been suggested by Nancy Wapau, IKC Coordinator, Napranum.

State Library of Queensland invites you to celebrate the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages as we raise awareness of the rich diversity of Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages.

Join the conversation as we post a new word for each week!

Week Four 22-28 January 2019.

#IY2019 #IYIL #IY2019WordoftheWeek

Desmond Crump

Indigenous Languages Coordinator, State Library of Queensland

State Library of Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages Webpages

State Library of Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages Map

UN IY2019 Links

UN International Year of Indigenous Languages webpages

UN International Year of Indigenous Languages Resources

References

This week's "Word of the Week" has been suggested by Nancy Wapau, IKC Coordinator, Napranum.

Source: Thanakupi, G. F. (2007) Thanakupi’s guide to language and culture: a Thaynakwith Dictionary. Q 305.899 THA

Image: Aboriginal potter Thancoupie in her pottery workshop in North Sydney, NSW, 1981. Collection Reference 30298 Juno Gemes Photographs.

Further Reading

Other materials in the State Library collections relating to Thaynakwith include the following:

Heeres, J. (1899) The part borne by the Dutch in the discovery of Australia 1606-1765. RBQ 919.4041 HEE Online version available via One Search.

Hercus, L. and Sutton, P. (1986) This is what happened: historical narratives by Aborigines.  J 994.0049915 thi

Sutton, P. (ed) (1974) Languages of Cape York: papers presented to the Linguistic Symposium, Part B, held in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies Biennial General Meeting, May,1974.  G 499.15 1976

Tindale, N. B. (1974) Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits and proper names. Q 994.0049915 tin