Gathang (Birrbay, Guringay & Warrimay)

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Language Today

Gathang has come a long way since 2010 when A grammar and dictionary of Gathang: the language of the Birrbay, Guringay and Warrimay  was published and Muurrbay supported community classes in Taree, Forster and Port Macquarie. Now Gathang is used widely by the community and is taught in many TAFEs, schools and family groups throughout the region. Gathang has a big presence in people’s lives through speeches, naming, signage, song and art. 

Language Wins

Between 2015 and 2020, twenty-six people graduated with a Certificate III in Learning an Endangered Language (Gathang), marking a significant milestone in language revitalisation efforts. During this time, the formation of Djuyalgu Wakulda (Speak Together) provided crucial support for the Gathang Djukalma Dhanbaan (Growing Language Strong) project. This initiative, auspiced by Muurrbay and funded by the Aboriginal Languages Trust of NSW, is focused on designing and delivering two eight-week online community programs in Gathang, offering a clear pathway to further TAFE-based language education. In addition, the Gathang Garuwaga program has been implemented in Karuah and surrounding areas to support the use of Gathang in homes, particularly through the development of language kits in both print and digital formats. The availability of adult language courses continues to grow, with Gathang now taught in schools and within small family groups that meet regularly to practice and share the language. Elders and younger Gathang Language Champions are leading these efforts, with some studying the language at PhD level and playing key roles in guiding all aspects of its revitalisation.

Language Versus Dialect 

What is a ‘dialect’? People from two areas might speak slightly differently, but they understand each other; so they are talking different dialects of a language. 

It seems that ‘Gathang’ is a cover term for the three dialects Birrbay, Guringay and Warrimay.

Gathang Grows

Birrbay, Guringay and Warrimay people throughout the region are using language in many areas of life including:

  • Many organisations are learning Language and welcoming people to Country in Gathang.
  • Ngarralinyi radio is using language in broadcasting where possible.
  • People are using Gathang in welcomes and prayers in religious ceremonies, such as funerals.
  • Schools are using Gathang in signage, assemblies and Language classes.
  • People are using Gathang in writing songs, storytelling and in artworks.
  • Gathang is being used to name bush tucker gardens, buildings, accommodation/units, properties, and in business names.

Language features

Gathang is characterised by having:

  • Three vowels: i, a and u; and 13 consonants: b, d, dh~dj, g, m, n, nh ~ny (~yn), ng, r, rr, l, w, y.
  • Noun suffixes or tag endings add meaning including instrument, location, movement towards, movement from, cause etc.
  • Verbs have three tenses, past, present-habitual and future. Other suffixes convey different meanings, including ‘in order to’ do something, ‘want’ and ‘must’ do something, and ‘be’ something.
  • Free word order, although there is a tendency towards ‘Doer’ – ‘done to’ – ‘verb’.

History of research

Several individuals contributed to the recording of the Gathang language from the late 1880s onward. In 1887, Curr published the earliest word list, compiled by John Branch. Three years later, in 1900, Enright published both a description of the language and an accompanying word list. In 1929, the American linguist Gerhardt Laves worked with a group of speakers, including Charlie Briggs, Bill Dungie, Charlie Bugg, Jim Moy, Albert Lobban, Hannah Bugg, Susan Russell, Ted Lobban, and Mrs. Russell, to gather language data. Another effort came in 1961 when an unknown compiler collaborated with Jim Davies. During the 1960s, linguist Nils Holmer recorded Eddie Lobban and Fred Bugg, producing a grammar, word list, and some stories.

Later, following consultations with Gathang community groups, Muurrbay linguist Amanda Lissarrague analyzed these and other data sources, culminating in the publication of A Grammar and Dictionary of Gathang: The Language of the Birrbay, Guringay, and Warrimay in 2010. This comprehensive work, which used a standardized writing system, consolidated all the known information about the Gathang language at that time and has since become an essential reference for creating teaching and learning materials.

 

Welcome to/acknowledgement of country


Minyang nyura wubaliyn?

Nyura yiigu marala barraygu.

(Yii barraba barray.)

Yii Gathangguba barray.

Gathay nyiirun.

Welcome. What are you doing?
You have come here.
This is my country.
This is Gathang country.
Let us go together.

(Leave out “This is my Country” to do an acknowledgement of country.)

Hear the Gathang Welcome to Country:
https://www.muurrbay.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Welcome-to-Country.mp3

 

Here is more detail showing how the words are formed according to the rules of Gathang grammar.

 

Minyang nyura wuba-li-yn?

what       you.all do-ing-PRES

What are you doing?

 

Nyura      yii-gu      mara-la      barray-gu.

you.all here-to come-have country-to.

You have come here, to this country.

 

(Yii barraba barray.)

this my       country

This is my country.

 

Yii Gathang-guba barray.

this Gathang-‘s country

This is Gathang country.

 

Gathay nyiirun.

go-will we.all

Let us go together.

Some published texts

  • Branch, J 1887 “No 186: Port Macquarie” in EM Curr (ed.), The Australian Race. Melbourne: John Ferres, Government printer, 3:338-350.
  • Elkin, AP 1932 “Notes on the Social Organisation of the Worimi, A Kattang-Speaking People”. In Oceania, 2(3), 359-63.
  • Enright, WJ 1900 “The language, weapons and manufactures of the Aborigines of Port Stephens, NSW”. In Journal of the Royal Society of NSW, 34:103-18.
  • Enright, W J.1933. “Social Divisions of the Birripai”. In Mankind 1(5):102.
  • Holmer, N 1966, An attempt towards a comparative grammar of two Australian languages, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra.
  • Holmer, N. 1967. An attempt towards a comparative grammar of two Australian languages, Part 2 Indices and vocabularies of Kattang and Thangatti, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra.
  • Holmer, NM & Holmer, V, 1969, Stories from two native tribes of eastern Australia, Carl Bloms Boktryckeri, Lund.