Clan words
It has been stated on numerous occasions by our elder people, that the names of the people can be heard as - Gul men of the clan, or Gal which determines the women of the clan. The same rhetoric is now occurring written amongst every new edition concerning the Sydney Basin History.
"It should be noted that the Federal Government have used the language of the Darug yura to describe every prison in Sydney after the people of the Sydney Basin: Names such as Panang, Darug boy's home, Parramatta, Mullawa prisons were first used to detain Sydney's original populations. Gunya Dwelling or Gunyah are inscribed on numerous residents homes and street signs throughout the greater Western Sydney, all this language can be researched and referred to adding weight to the language of the Darug yura"
Senior Darug elder Guwan Kenneth WEBB Boorooberongal
Most clan names begin with the first name of the man who named the clan and territory boundaries and the songlines of the particular country. Boundaries are of a German concept of tribalism. Original Indigenous of the Darug/Iyura never followed such ideals pre-dating the invasion of 1788, the Darug clans of the Sydney were accepting of numerous cultures throughout the Song-lines of our iyura. Numerous clansman visited the Baramadagal Yulang learning and discovering the truth of what took place amongst country and the 38 clans of the Darug nations.
Eg: Bidjia may have been the name of the elder, so when relating to his wife and family he may have named his clan Bidjiagal, Boorooberon became Boorooberongal, Wallumedea becomes Wallumedeagal, The person Gadi become the recorded member of the Gadigal etc.
Terms used by the Original Yura of the Sydney Darug Basin include:
Babana, bulunga, wungarra, gilygan, burulyung, dyin. Walla, wallum, bunna-bunna. Gili, nanga-nanga-mai, nanga-mi. Naa-la, Guwi-la, Yan, yan-la, yannadah, yerung
The examples above are just a handful of the terms used by the remaining descendants of the Original inhabitants of Sydney.
The name Wallumedeagal also refers to wet lands and high rain fall. Wallum was a man who could summon rain. His other names are Bunna-bunna,
Gumberri Goomberry Nura: Clan of the Darug-gul from Burramattagal ( Where the ells lay)
Iyura, Yura, Eora, Eeoora: Interprets as people of a certain area.
Gubragal. The Gobragal Clan were of the Darug from the Liverpool area.
Boorooberongul 'The people where the Red Kangaroo belongs'
Greeting - Warami, wellamabami: It's good to see you, wherever you come from.
Basic words- Nura: Country. Badu: Water. Bada: Food. Walan, Bunnabunna: Rain
Moon Yannadah.
Birrung: Stars, Duwiga: Falling Star.
Guyun: Sun,
Mural, Butu, Yarragal: red, black, yellow
Names of the totems - Mulgo, Mulgoa: Black Swan, Yurangai: Black Duck, Wirambi: Flying fox, Wuban-Burumin: Possum. Wuban-marli is another name for the Possum
Mariyong - Mariyung the word for female emu is also related to Maugrai, the male emu which are both interelated through moiety and traditional rites.
The word for possum which begins with G........ has been uploaded and referenced by non-indigenous academics refusing to listen, that some of our words are sacred and best left for song and ceremony. As a Balagayman darug dullai mullabu yellamundie, i am working from the advise of our core group of elders and their paradigm of speech.
Names of family - Grandfather: Gumang, Uncle: Guwan: Father: Biyanga, Young Son: Babana, Grandmother: Dyinguranang: Mother: Wiyanga,
Sister: Durumin, Relatives: Mudyin, Boy: Wungarra, Girl: Gilygan.
'Warami gumang, yanu wiyanga'