Guwuwi Badala
Unless your group is traveling with a New South Wales Parks Ranger, when visiting the National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuary; do not at any time help yourself to the bush food that are in abundance. The original inhabitants had survived thousands of years and held all the knowledge of what could be considered eatable in the sacred surroundings of where we walk today.
Although there are many roots, bulbs and berries which are edible, there are certain preparations many will have to go through before being deemed fit for human consumption. Many fruits and berries rely on a certain time of the year and favorable season before they might be harvested.
Guwuwi badala translates as;
'Come here let's eat' - Lets Eat
bada (Eat) la (Let's) bada-la
guwuwi badala: come here lets eat.
Other examples:
nanga (sleep) nangala (let's sleep)
Ngalawayu-mullabu: translates men sitting .
Ngalawayu-dyingun, ngalawayu-wingun: both relate to making room for women to sit.
Ngalawayu-ngarra: translates to sit and listen.
Ngalawayu-yura badala-bangun: sit people eat together.
Our knowledge of native edible plants and what foods our ancestors consumed is limited due to the continents early destruction of Indigenous culture. Before the invasion of lands our people were known to run as fast as Mariyung Emus and Badagarang young kangaroos and be amongst the most healthy of the human race, consisting of a garden of foods and medicines too rival the Gods of the entire planet and universe.
Yanu byala gagu.
Goodbye talk soon.