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[Page 91]                                                                           282

Aboriginal Place names and other Words with their meanings, peculiar
                     to the Richmond & Tweed River Districts
                                                                    by T. Rankin
                                                                    District Surveyor

  In accordance with the Surveyor Generals request I have the honour to transmit lists shown hereunder of Native place names & other words with their meanings.
  There is very great difficulty in obtaining the correct meaning of Native names of places as probably the dialects differ even in quite adjacent localities. Some of the Native words and their meanings will serve to check the meanings given to place names.
I collected most of these names and words from Mr Francis Mcquilty of Blakebrook near Lismore, who has more knowledge of the Blacks and their language and customs than any other man in the district.
He can converse easily and fluently with the natives in the neighbourhood of Lismore and says that the same language with slight variation is spoken on the Tweed and extends inland from the seaboard of the Richmond & Tweed districts for about 150 Miles, but the language spoken by the Natives on the Clarence seaboard and inland is quite distinct from that of the Richmond.
  The letter 'U' is frequently used, but it is not pronounced as in 'tune' or as in 'fun', but usually as it would be if the double 'o' in 'moon' were sounded very short.
  When the 'U' comes before or after the double 'r' it is sounded as in lung. The construction and spelling of the words as given in the list indicates as nearly as possible the accentuation. I think the opportunity should not be lost of obtaining further information of this interesting
and Euphonious language from Mr McQuilty, who can also supply many particulars of the strange customs and laws of the various tribes.
  This information has been delayed as I could not at once find any one sufficiently acquainted with the subject to give the required information and when I heard of McQuilty I got as much from him as I could during the time at his disposal, and then deferred sending the list on until I had again seen him.

Balluna

Where the River enters the Sea

Aboriginal name for Ballina

Jiguay Cry of the bird. Aboriginal name for Jiggi.....
Banyam

Sleeping Lizard - aboriginal name
for what is now called [Blackmede]?

Kaniba A Swan
Belongil Casino Keerrong Flying Fox
Bōogoolum Grass Tree ridge Kyogle Native Companion
Bōorabeo Native Bear Mooball Lake
Booyong Ironwood Tree Mummulgun Green Pigeon
Bullawhay Flame Tree Aboriginal name for B[indecipherable?] Newrybar Climbing Vine
Bungabee March Fly Nimbin Little Rocky Peak
Bungawalbin Swamp with bulbous rooted reeds growing on the... Nimboon A Little Rocky Peak
Bungaurihl A bubous root used for food Numira Place where Reeds for Dilly Bags grow
Bunna-burra White Beach tree Numulgi Scrub Turkey
Camira Reeds for Dilly bags Sulaama Billigen

Juan & Julia Rocks, Aboriginal
names for..

Canaiba Big Fig trees Teranya Frogs
Condong Blue fig Terranora Small river or Estuary
Coolmangar Water gums. Aboriginal names for Goolagnangar.... Tintenbar Junction of Creeks
Coraki a Plain or Forest Turkey Tucki Tucki Root of Edible form
Cudgen Red clay Tuckombil Saltwater Creek
Durangbil Brunswick River, Aboriginal name... Tuckurimba A Junction of two Creeks, Aboriginal name for Lismore....
Goonellabah Native Coral Tree Tuntalbin

Scrub Pheasant or Dilly Bag
Aboriginal name for [indecipherable?]

Turrumgā Place of the Dingoes capture    
Tyeelbin Stinging Tree Aboriginal name for Tevon    
Unamgar not Known    
Uralba a hollow or basin    
Whian Whian Trees with large roots or spurs    
Wooroowoolgan Lagoons with water fowl    
Wollumbin Hi[corner of page missing]    

 

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