2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages: Word of the Week - Week Thirty.
By Administrator | 23 July 2019
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.
This week’s word is djali , from the Giabal language of the Darling Downs, particularly the area around Pittsworth, Millmeran and Allora extending south towards Warwick. This word was also used in the neighbouring language of Geynyan and is the generic word for 'tree'. This week's word coincides with National Tree Day which is held on 28 July.
National Tree Day was founded in 1996 and has grown to be Australia's largest community tree planting and nature protection event. Schools, councils and community groups can host tree-planting events as part of the day's activities.
Giabal is also known as Giabul, Gomaingguru (literally 'men of the Condamine') and Paiamba. According to Tindale (1974), the Giabal seem to be the people who spoke Paiamba when met by Ridley at Yandilla in October 1855. Ridley recorded this encounter in his notebook (image above).
In terms of language resources, there is only minimal linguistic work undertaken on Giabal and neighbouring languages. Linguistically, it is uncertain if it relates to the Bandjalang chain of languages to the south or to the Waka Waka languages to the north. Recent work by Wafer and Lissarague (2008) indicates a stronger link towards the Waka Waka language chain.
Further linguistic work includes Sharpe, Holmer and the Condamine Alliance who compiled a series of fact-sheets on the languages along the Condamine River. The State Library collections has some items relating to Giabal including the Ridley Notebook.
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 Thirty 23-29 July 2019.
#IYIL2019 #IYIL #IY2019WordoftheWeek #SLQIndigenousLanguages
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
The word of the week has been sourced from the following historical item in the State Library collections.
Source: Harriet Barlow Manuscript, ca 1865 OM91-69
Image:
Planting a tree for Arbor Day at Ban Ban Springs School, 1920. Negative number: 184179
Further Reading
Other materials in the State Library collections relating to Barunggam and neighbouring languages include the following:
Barlow, H. (1873) The Aboriginal dialects of Queensland. Online version available via One Search.
Condamine Alliance (2013) Languages of the Condamine: Schools Activity Guide. P 499.9915 LAN
Curr, E. M. (1887) The Australian Race: its origins, languages, customs, place of landing in Australia and the routes by which it spread itself over that continent. RBF 572.994 cur
Feehely, D. (1997) The fire people 1830s-1930s: a history of the Burra, the Aboriginal people of the Eastern Darling Downs. Q 305.89915 fee
Harriet Barlow Manuscript, ca 1865 OM91-69
Holmer, N. (1983) Linguistic Survey of South-Eastern Queensland. J 499.15 HOL
Kerkhove, R. ( 2012) The Great Bunya Gathering: Early Accounts. P 392.0994 KER
Kite, S. and Wurm, S. (2004) The Duungidjawu language of southeast Queensland: grammar, texts and vocabulary: Pacific Linguistics 553. J 499.15 KIT
L R Schwennesen Papers M 292
Parsons, D. (2003) Waringh Waringh: a history of Aboriginal people in the Warwick area and their land. J 305.89915099433 PAR
Ridley Notebook, 1855. OM79-32/17
Meston, A. (undated) Archibald Meston Papers 1860-1960. OM64-17
“Report laid before the Moreton Bay Aborigines’ Friends Society, of a journey along the Condamine, Barwan and Namoi Rivers, by William Ridley, Missionary”. Sydney Morning Herald, 14 December 1855.
Tindale, N. B. (1974) Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits and proper names. Q 994.0049915 tin
Wafer, J. and Lissarrague, A. (2008) A handbook of Aboriginal languages of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. J 499.15 WAF
Websites
National Tree Day website.
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