Page 38 - Tropic Magazine Issue 35

TROPIC • SPECIAL FEATURE

First names

INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE
Tropic visits some local
landmarks and discovers their
traditional names.

Barron Falls | Din Din
Din Din is an area of high cultural
significance for the Djabugay People.
It’s at the centre of a dreamtime story 2
about Buda-dji the carpet snake who
carved out the Barron River and the Devil’s Thumb | Manjal Jimalji Babinda Boulders | Bunna Binda
creeks that join onto it. A significant cultural site for the Eastern The story told by the Wanyurr Majay of
Kuku Yalanji people that tells the story of the Yindinji people serves as a warning
Stoney Creek | Garndal Garndal fire creation. not to enter the swirling waters of the
Another creek the carpet snake Buda-dji dangerous Devil’s Pool section of
carved out. Kuranda | Ngunbay Babinda Creek. They say the spirit of
Meaning ‘place of the platypus’ in Oolana, who threw herself in over a
Green Island | Wunyami Buluwai country. forbidden love, continues to haunt
Wunyami means ‘place of the spirits’. the water.
It was traditionally an initiation site for Walsh’s Pyramid | Djarragun
young Gunggandji men. Port Douglas | Jabulkanji | Diju
Djarragun in Yindinji language refers to
a scrubhen mound, which is the shape of The Kuku Yalanji people call the area
Jabulkanji, while their southern
a pyramid. The birds’ eggs – large in size neighbours the Yirrganydji people call
– were a very valued food source.
it Diju.
Double Island | Wangal Dungay
Where the spirit of the carpet snake These names should be common
knowledge among locals in Far
Buda-dji rests.
North Queensland. It’s up to all
levels of government to improve
Fitzroy Island | Kooborah signage and update websites to
The Gunggandji story tells about the ensure traditional place names are
water level rising, cutting it off from front and centre.
1 the mainland.

38 • Tropic • Issue 35