Ngarluma in the Pilbara

Added by ABC Mother Tongue

As part of NAIDOC Week celebrations in 2017 with the theme Our Languages Matter, ABC North West have learnt some Ngarluma language.

Joseph Dunstan, presenter from ABC North West radio travelled to meet Lorice Douglas at the Wangka Maya Language Centre in Port Hedland.

While there are over 30 different Indigenous languages in the Pilbara, Ngarluma is used by many people in Port Hedland, Karratha and surrounding districts.

Here are some Ngarluma phrases:

Wanyjila nyinkutharndu yurlga? (Where is your head?)

Wanyjila nyinkutharndu jirdamarra? (Where are your eyes?)

Wanyjila nyinkutharndu thaya? (Where’s your mouth?)

Wanthala nyinkutharndu mulha? (Where’s your nose?)

Wanyjila nyinkutharndu gurlga? (Where is your ear?)

Wanyjila nyinkutharndu ngumba? (Where’s your face?)

Ngayi nhaguru nyindaguru thunthugalyi!

I’ll see you all tomorrow!

Produced by Susan Standen

This video was originally contributed to the ABC Open Mother Tongue project, which invited Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to share a story about their mother tongue.

More Information
  • Language:Ngarluma, English
  • Location:Port Hedland, WA, Australia
  • Duration:00:06:19
  • Producer or Facilitator:ABC Mother Tongue
  • Camera:ABC Mother Tongue
  • Music & Musician:-
  • English Subtitles:No
  • Genre:Looking After Language
  • Year Completed:2019
  • Director:ABC Mother Tongue
  • Editor:ABC Mother Tongue
  • Sound Recordist:ABC Mother Tongue
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