Australian Legendary Tales: Folk-Lore of the Noongahburrahs As Told to the Piccaninnies | Annotated Tale

COMPLETE! Entered into SurLaLune Database in August 2018 with all known ATU Classifications.



Glossary

Bahloo: moon.

Beeargah: hawk.

Beeleer: black cockatoo.

Beereeun: prickly lizard.

Bibbee: woodpecker, bird.

Bibbil: shiny-leaved box-tree.

Bilber: a large kind of rat.

Billai or Billay: crimson-wing parrot.

Bindeah: a prickle or small thorn.

Bingah wingul: needle bush, a tall thorny shrub.

Birrahgnooloo: woman's name, meaning "face like a tomahawk handle."

Birrahlee: baby.

Birrableegul: children.

Boobootella: the big bunch of feathers at the back of an emu.

Boolooral: an owl.

Boomerang: a curved weapon used in hunting and in warfare by the blacks; called  Burren by the Narran blacks.

Bootoolgah: blue-grey crane.

Borah: a large gathering of blacks where the boys are initiated into the mysteries which make them young men.

Bou-gou-doo-gahdah: the rain bird. Like the bower or mocking bird.

Bouyou: legs.

Bowrah or Bohrah: kangaroo.

Bralgahs: native companion, bird.

Bubberah: boomerang that returns.

Buckandee: native cat.

Buggoo: flying squirrel.

Bulgahnunnoo: bark-backed.

Bumble: a fruit-bearing tree, sometimes called wild orange and sometimes wild pomegranate tree. Capparis.

Bunbundoolooey: brown flock pigeon.

Bunnyyarl: flies.

Burreenjin: magpie, lark, or peewee

Budtha: rosewood-tree, also girl's name.

Byamee: man's name, meaning "big man."

Comebee: bag made of kangaroo skins.

Comeboo: stone tomahawk.

Cookooburrah: laughing jackass.

Coorigil: name of place, meaning sign of bees.

Corrobboree: black fellows' dance.

Cunnembeillee: woman's name, meaning pig-weed root.

Curree guin guin: butcher-bird.

Daen: black fellows.

Dardurr: bark, humpy or shed.

Dayah minyah: carpet snake.

Dayoorl: large flat stone for grinding grass seed upon.

Deegeenboyah: soldier-bird.

Decreeree: willy wagtail.

Dheal: the sacred tree of the Noongahburrahs, only used for putting on the graves of the dead.

Dinewan: emu.

Dingo: native dog.

Doonburr: a grass seed.

Doongara: lightning.

Dummerh: pigeons.

Dungle: water hole.

Dunnia: wattle.

Durrie: bread made from grass seed.

Eär moonan: long sharp teeth.

Euloo marah: large tree grubs. Edible.

Euloo wirree: rainbow.

Galah or Gilah: a French grey and rose-coloured cockatoo.

Gayandy: borah devil.

Gidgereegah: a species of small parrot.

Girrahween: place of flowers.

Gooeea: warriors.

Googarh: iguana.

Googoolguyyah: turn into trees.

Googoorewon: place of trees.

Goolahbah: grey-leaved box-tree.

Goolahgool: water-holding tree.

Goolahwilleel: top-knot pigeon.

Gooloo: magpie.

Goomade: red stamp.

Goomai: water rat.

Goomblegubbon: bastard or plainturkey.

Goomillah: young girl's dress, consisting of waist strings made of opossum's sinews with strands of woven oppossum's hair, hanging about a foot square in front.

Goonur: kangaroo rat.

Goug gour gahgah: laughing-jackass. Literal meaning, "Take a stick."

Grooee: handsome foliaged tree bearing a plum-like fruit, tart and bitter, but much liked by the blacks.

Gubberah: magical stones of Wirreenum. Clear crystallised quatty.

Guddah: red lizard.

Guiebet: a thorny creeper bearing masses of a lovely myrtle-like flower and an edible fruit somewhat resembling passion fruit.

Guinary: light eagle hawk.

Guineboo: robin redbreast.

Gurraymy: borah devil.

Gwai: red.

Gwaibillah: star. Mars.

Kurreah: an alligator.

Mahthi: dog.

Maimah: stones.

Maira: paddy melon.

May or Mayr: wind.

Mayrah: spring wind.

Meainei: girls.

Midjee: a species of acacia.

Millair: species of kangaroo rat.

Moodai: opossum.

Moogaray: hailstones.

Mooninguggahgul: mosquito-calling bird.

Moonoon: emu spear.

Mooregoo: motoke.

Mooroonumildah: having no eyes.

Morilla or Moorillah: pebbly ridges.

Mubboo: beefwood-tree.

Mullyan: eagle hawk.

Mullyangah: the morning star.

Murgah muggui: big grey spider.

Murrawondah: climbing rat.

Narahdarn: bat.

Noongahburrah: tribe of blacks on the Narran.

Nullah nullah: a club or heavy-headed weapon.

Nurroo gay gay: dreadful pain.

Nyunnoo or Nunnoo: a grass humpy.

Ooboon: blue-tongued lizard.

Oolah: red prickly lizard.

Oongnairwah: black diver.

Ouyan: curlew.

Piggiebillah: ant-eater. One of the Echidna, a marsupial.

Quarrian: a kind of parrot.

Quatha: quandong; a red fruit like a round red plum.

U e hu: rain, only so called in song.

Waligoo: to hide. A game like hide-and-seek.

Wahroogah: children.

Wahn: crow.

Wayambeh: turtle.

Waywah: worn by men, consisting of a waistband made of opossum's sinews with bunches of strips of paddymelon skins hanging from it.

Weedall: bower or mocking-bird.

Weeownbeen: a small bird. Something like a redbreast, only with longer tail and not so red a breast.

Widya nurrah: a wooden battleaxe shaped weapon.

Willgoo willgoo: pointed stick with feathers on top.

Wirree: small piece of bark, canoe-shaped.

Wirreenun: priest or doctor.

Womba: mad.

Wondah: spirit or ghost.

Wurranunnah: wild bees.

Wurrawilberoo: whirlwind with a devil in it; also clouds of Magellan.

Wurranunnah: bee.

Wurrunnah: man's name, meaning standing.

Yaraan: white gum-tree.

Yhi: the sun.

Yuckay: oh, dear!

 

 

Bibliographic Information

Tale Title: Glossary
Tale Author/Editor: Parker, K. Langloh
Book Title: Australian Legendary Tales: Folk-Lore of the Noongahburrahs As Told to the Piccaninnies
Book Author/Editor: Parker, K. Langloh
Publisher: David Nutt
Publication City: London
Year of Publication: 1896
Country of Origin: Australia
Classification: Glossary








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