Ayers Rock Aboriginal Language

The languages spoken by the Aboriginal people (Anangu) who live around and near to Uluru in the Northern Territory of Australia are called Pitjantjara and Yankunytjatjara, they are neighbouring dialects of the Western Desert Language.

In earlier times, before white contact, Pitjantjara was spoken in the west and Yankunytjatjara in the east of the region known as the Pitjantjatjara Lands in the North West of South Australia. Over time however there has been a general eastern movement of peoples, so that today many Pitjantjara speaking people are settled within the original Yankunytjatjara area.

Pitjantjara and Yankunytjatjara are similar enough that speakers can understand each other very well, there are some differences in common words and the forms of a few grammatical endings, and there is a different accent, but overall the languages are similar enough that the following list of common words can be used for both, where a specific word exists it is noted with a (p), or (y), denoting the Pitjantjara or Yankunytjatjara version.

Pronounciation of Pitjantjara and Yankunytjatjara Language.

In very simplistic terms use the following rules:

• Stress the first syllable, or the beginning of the word.
• The sounds underlined in a word are known as Retroflex sounds, because they are pronounced by curling the tongue back slightly in the mouth. For example anangu, which means person, or Aboriginal person, try saying it by rolling your tongue back when you say the n sound.
• The one exception the the Retroflex rule is with the letter "r", if you see an underlined r, as in uluru, you do not use retroflex, it is simply pronounced as a normal English r. A non underlined r such as in the word ngura, which means camp, or home, the "r" sounds is rolled.

Common Pitjantjara and Yankunytjatjara words.

Greeting
Hi, how are you?	Wai palya
yes, good	Uwa palya
People
person, Aboriginal	anangu
white person	walypala
man	wati
woman	kungka
baby	iti
tribal healer	ngangkari
Religion / Spiritual
ceremony, song	inma
Aboriginal law, dreaming	Tjukurpa (p) Wapar (y)
person's spirit	kurun
secret, sacred	miil-miilpa
rainbow serpent	wanampi
bad spirit, monster	mamu
Animals
kangaroo	malu
snake	liru
carpet snake	kuniya
goanna	tinka
emu	kalaya
sleepy lizard	Kalta
wombat	Watu
honey ant	Tjala
Tools
wooden bowl	piti
spear	kuluta (p) katji (y)
boomerang	kali
shelter	wiltja
spear thrower	miru
Landforms
ground, earth, land	manta
hill, mountain	puli
cave	kulpi
sand, sand hill	tali
waterhole	tjukula

Meeting Aboriginal People.

When visiting Central Australia, do not be afraid to approach and speak to Aboriginal people, in most cases you will find, like most people in this world, that they are quite receptive to this and friendly, they may are not used to it however so it may come as a surprise to them.

Beware that English is probably not their first language and that in general, most Aboriginal people are poor and have been subjected to generations neglect, racism and abuse by the wider white Australian community. They may have different social habits and beliefs, and by white standards many have noticeably lower levels or personal hygiene!.

Remember that they are in fact the first Australian's and in Central Australia, have been surviving in an extremely hostel environment for tens of thousands of years, without any of the basic tools we as a society cannot survive without.

2 of the tours offered by Travelwild visit and camp at Aboriginal Communities and will provide you with opportunities to meet and speak with Aboriginal People. The 5 day 4WD Ayers Rock Tour camps at Oak Valley Aboriginal Community and includes activies with the locals, and the Adelaide to Alice Springs Tour, the 10 Day 4WD Outback Tour, camps at Iga Warta Aboriginal Community in the Flinders Ranges, again it is this camp involves sitting around the campfire with the locals, listening to stories and participating in activities.

Source.

The above language information has been sourced from "A Learners Guide to Pitjantjara and Yankunytjatjara", published by Ida Press, P.O Box 2531, Alice Springs NT 0871, Ph: 08 8952 2688. This reference sourced the original guide by Cliff Goddard (ISBN 0 949659 05 3).

Ayers Rock Small Group 4WD Adventure Tours for Backpackers & Active People.

3 Day 4WD Ayers Rock Tour, Departs Daily from Alice Springs. $480 YHA/VIP Plus $55 Local Fee.

5 Day 4WD Ayers Rock Tour, Dapart 3 days a week from Alice. $720 YHA/VIP Plus $135 Local Fee

10 Day 4WD Outback Tour, Departs Every Monday from Adl. $1470 YHA/VIP Plus $120 Local.