Joorndam - Bush Onions

Joorndany gerlirri-biny nginji-ngarri warlarren, dana joon'goo nginji joondaj. Ngagenyel gooral jood wanemanyande-nga diyena, wanyagen-nga ngenaniyin-ngarri. Jood wanemanyende-yarre-yoo bariyiny, jang yirramande-yoo na.

Bush onions used to grow near the white gum along the western side, they were heaped up there. My mother used to put it there for me when I was a little girl. She used to put them there for me and my brother and we used to eat it then.

Gerd nginanyande-yarri-yoo. Jang yirramande. Thereg nginiyanyande warany, wala-walarr nginiyidjande. Walarr nginiyidjande, gerrij. Belalg naw belalg. Belalg nginimanyande, warany.

She used to cook it in the coals for us. We used to eat it. She would cover them with sand and keep turning them. She would keep turning them, finished. Pull them out then. She used to clean them then.

Wala, bandarra-yoorroong nginiyanyande. Biyoorr biyoorr biyoorr nginimanyande, biyoorr-biyoorr. Belalg la im dam lilmim-ni dany joorndany. Biyoorr-biyoorr nginiyidjande.

Turn them, put them on a calico tarp. She used to rub and rub them between her hands to clean them. Clean off all the skin from the bush onions. She rubbed them between her hands to get rid of the skins.

Waranyja gerrij. Jang naw yirramande. Danya mayinya waya lawa-lawagbiny, jang.

Alright finished. We ate them then. The edible part is white like that to eat.

FK: Men'gawoon-ma? It is good?

Oo, men'gawoony, men'gawoony. Mm, men'gawoony. Waranyja?

Oh good, good. Mm, good. OK?

Mabel Juli in conversation with Frances Kofod April 2021

Transcription and translation by Frances Kofod