Where’s Our Water? Worimi Version
Written for Hunter Water by Aboriginal Students from Newcastle High School
Hunter Water would like to respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and First Peoples of the land on which we operate, the Awabakal, Biripai, Darkinjung, Wonaruah and Worimi peoples. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. This artwork, ‘Mariin Kaling - All for Water’, celebrates our shared natural resource of water and Hunter Water’s vision to work together across communities to enhance a love of water and invite all to participate in custodianship of this precious and valuable resource. Hunter Water has collaborated with the Awabakal and Worimi communities to create a story that shares their value of our water with all children of the Lower Hunter.
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Hunter Water acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the nation of Worimi. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which our story is set. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past, present and emerging. Hunter Water is committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society. It was in this spirit that Hunter Water, in conjunction with The University of Newcastle and Newcastle High School Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, undertook to tell the story ‘Where’s Our Water?’ We would particularly like to acknowledge the work of the Aboriginal people who worked with these students to produce this book: Paul Myers, Belinda Wright, Saretta Fielding, Deirdre Heitmeyer, and John Lester. 3
A Hunter Water Corporation initiative Endorsed by Muloobinbah Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Inc. Facilitated by The University of Newcastle Story told by Aboriginal students of Newcastle High School Language provided by Gathang Language Resource Group Illustrations and book design by Studio Zed The moral rights of the contributors have been asserted All rights reserved ISBN – 978 0 6488105 13 Printed in Newcastle, Australia Š 2020
We are the students of Newcastle High We are the creators of this story This story is to all This story is like our handprint It’s our legacy To the children of the Hunter Follow this story word for word. - Newcastle High Students
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Where’s Our Water? Worimi Version Written for Hunter Water by Aboriginal students from Newcastle High School Artworks created by Saretta Fielding
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All the animals around the Hunter River have noticed that there is less bathu (water) to share around.
Gaaku (Kookaburra) is very nuuyal (curious) and wants to know why there is no bathu coming down the river to Newcastle. ila (river) to fi b nd he Gur So he journeys up t aa (Turtle) h e t r e y i s h n ob rw e ath h k u fl owing, and as
because she can arrangga (make sense) of everything and knows what is going on upstream. 7
“Where’s our bathu?” Gaaku asks Guraa. ll the industries and pe o Guraa replies that a ple a d t h n e a y , d u re using way o h t n a ’t ca b h c too mu re a b o u t it .
She knows that the only way to have enough bathu is for everyone to care for it. “If humans don’t begin to care we will all die!” she cries.
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As Gaaku and Guraa are talking a great gawul (sea eagle) lands in front of them. “How can I help?� he asks. Guraa gives Gawul a quest to find out where the bathu is going.
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As Gawul soars above the suburbs of Newcastle, he spies Ella and Timmy having great fun wasting bathu. They have been chasing their dog around the backyard with the hose and have walked off leaving the bathu running.
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This makes Gawul very upset and he flies back to Gaaku and Guraa. “If the young ones duumu-yang (waste) the bathu now, what will happen when they grow up?� he asks.
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On a log nearby, Wurran (Goanna) has been listening with interest to Gaaku, Guraa and Gawul. He begins to work out a plan in his mind to save the bathu. Wurran says to them, “We cannot be cross with the children because they don’t know what they are doing. They do not realise how precious bathu is.”
“We need to teach them to love bathu because if they don’t we will all suffer.” 13
“We need them ngarrangga (to learn) the stories about bathu and give them ways to save it. That way they can tell their friends and our future will look brighter. “We need to get all the animals yiigu mara wakulda (together) and tell them the plan.”
“That’s a great idea!” agree the cast of djiraa (crabs) scuttling nearby. “Let’s go and tell all the animals that we need them to come to a meeting to talk about bathu and educate humans to look after it better.”
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When all the animals have gathered, Guraa asks them how they can ngarramba (teach) Ella and Timmy how precious bathu is and that they cannot duumu-yang it. “I know!” says Gunggang (Frog). “I can tell them the story of Tiddalik the giant frog.”
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“He w at he kept for himse as so greedy th lf. all the bathu
“Baiame was so cross with him that he turned him into stone because he would not share the bathu with the other animals. “Tiddalik is out at Wollombi. We can show them a picture of Tiddalik and tell them that the earth will dry up and turn to rock if we don’t start to look after our bathu.” Gunggang has many stories belonging to the area, and she loved to share her stories with the other animals. It was exciting to think that they could share these stories with Ella and Timmy. 16
“But will they listen?” asks Gawul. “Because they need to listen if the plan of saving bathu is to work.”
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“Of course they will listen,” says Duunang (Eel), who can always be depended on to be the most optimistic creature of them all. “No, I truly believe the children will come to their senses and ngarrala (realisation) that they are using far too much bathu. If we let them know it is getting harder to find bathu to drink I know they will change their behaviour. I just know it.”
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Meanwhile, Ella and Timmy decide to go for a walk down to the river. They see all the animals having a meeting. The animals look up and some of them are frightened of Ella and Timmy. However, Gawul stops them from running away as he reminds them that the children can help them save the bathu.
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Guraa nudges Gunggang to wiya (tell) her story about Tiddalik. Soon the children are nuuyal (curious) about what happens when you use too much bathu. “Bathu nyiirunba (belongs to us) all.” says Gunggang at the end of her story. “And if we don’t love it and use it wisely the earth will become parched and dry, just like in the story of Tiddalik.”
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Ella and Timmy feel very gagiliyn naruwurr (sad and sorry) that they had been wasting bathu. Listening to Gunggang’s story about Tiddalik, and djurumi (seeing) the effect on the earth of communities that do not love and share bathu has made them want ngarrangga about what they can do to change things for the future.
“How can we help?” they both ask.
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Guraa tells them, “If you want to help us, you must gamba ngaanabiyn-gu (spread our message) to all your family and friends.” Gaaku pipes up, “You must take quicker showers because that bathu nyiirunba all.” Gawul says, “Stop using the hose in the yard chasing the dog, because bathu is precious.” The djiraa form a circle around Ella and Timmy and say in unison, “If we all do this together we can save our planet.” 22
Suddenly, it is time to go home. Ella and Timmy start to say goodbye to the animals, making a promise that they will try and use less bathu and tell others why they need to care for bathu as well. As they are leaving, Guraa calls out to them, “If we all change a little bit of our behaviour we can save a lot of bathu. All of us need to take responsibility to care for bathu all the time.�
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Minya nyura wubay bathugu? What can you do to love our water?
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Glossary
There is no right or wrong way to spell an Aboriginal word. There was no European form of written expression of Aboriginal language prior to 1788. Aboriginal language was oral; therefore interpretation of Aboriginal words can result in differing ways of spelling.
Baiame God, Creation Spirit
Duunang Eel
Gurrwa Sea
Barray Land
Gagiliyn naruwurr Feeling sad or sorry
Guyung-bathu Waterhole
Bathu Water
Gaaku Kookaburra
Ngarrala Realisation
Bila River
Gamba ngaanabiyn-gu Spread the message
Ngarra-liyn Listening intently
Djiraa Crab
Gawul Sea Eagle
Ngarramba To teach
Djurumi See
Gunggang Frog
Ngarrangga Make sense of things
Duumu-yang Waste
Guraa Turtle
Nyiirunba Belongs to us or belonging to community
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Wiya Speak/tell Wurran Goanna Yiigu mara wakulda Bring everyone together
Learning Dispositions Collaborate Wakulda waapanga Belonging Nyiirunba Creative Marrumal Hope and optimism Ngarral ginyaan Mindful or wise Ngarral Curiosity Nuuyal
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The Storytellers
Shikiah-Jayde Hipwell Wanaruah
Grace Antcliff Worimi
Zeke Lombardi Worimi
Penny Lombardi Worimi
Austin Griffin Kamillaroi
Amarni Boswell Ngunnawal
Ashah Lyle Worimi
Chase Muldoon-Baker Gamilaroi
Rikky Usher Worimi
Bailey Coe Wiradjuri
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Animal Attributes Curiosity Nuuyal
Belonging Nyiirunba
Hope and optimism Ngarral ginyaan
Collaborate Wakulda waapanga
Creative Marrumal
Learning Ngarrangga
Mindful Ngarral
Wise Ngarral
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Our thanks goes out to Belinda Wright, Carl Morgan, Deidre Heitmeyer, Jane Blakeney, Jasmin Fielding, John Hancock, John Lester Karen Keers, Karen Nobes, Kathryn Grushka, Kristy Ratcliffe, Miranda Lawry, Nathan Towney Paul Myers, Rochelle Dooley, Saretta Fielding, and Simone O’Callaghan
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Kristy Ratcliffe, Hunter Water’s Education Coordinator and Dr Kathryn Grushka, Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle, have worked closely in collaboration with the many contributors to this project to see the creation of “Where’s our Water?” realised. This book is a result of their passion for education, reconciliation and giving a voice to our region’s children to ensure a sustainable future for the Lower Hunter. The book and illustrations were designed by the students of Newcastle University’s Studio Zed within the School of Creative Industries, University of Newcastle. Thanks to Abbie Carragher, Courtney Birch, Daisy Smartt, Jessica Van Der Linden, and Puck van der Laan This book features artworks done by Wonaruah artist Saretta Fielding: ‘Biraban’ and ‘Mariin Kaling’
Local Aboriginal Land Council
STUDIO ZED 30
All the animals around the Hunter River have noticed that there is less water to share around. So Gaaku calls on his friends to come up with a plan to share the value of water with children and give them ways to save it. How will the animals help Ella and Timmy understand that water is precious and teach them to love our water?