Kungarakany
Gungarakany, Gungarakanj, Kungarakany, Gungarakayn, Cunerakan, Gundrakan, Gunerakan, Kangarraga, Kangarranga, Kumerakainj, Kungarakan, Ungnakan, Warnunger, Gungaraganj, Gungaragany, Koongurruku, Kungarakan, Koongurrunkuñ
The journey for the Living and Breathing Kungarakany language project has taken many turns along the course of the project, engaging with a range of Kungarakany family from Elders to children, ensuring intergenerational participation in producing resources that all participants can be proud of.
The project was initiated on a request from Dr Jowunguh Helen Bishop to the Centre for Australian Languages and Linguistics at Batchelor Institute to honour the work undertaken by her mother Koormundum Ida Bishop. Koormundum worked tirelessly over 30 years on a promise to her mother that she would document the Kungarakany language and produce the invaluable resource Nguñ Koongurrukuñ – Speaking Koongurrukuñ. Koormundum was diligent in her work and the project has been very fortunate to have access to tape recordings she made with Elders that greatly assisted with pronunciation, parts of speech and making print and digital resources.
The improved access to digital technologies has also allowed us to produce resources that include old recordings and visual and audio resources that assist with pronunciation and speaking Kungarakany. These audio-visual resources can be access through the Kungarakan Education and Culture Association and the Centre for Australian Language and Linguistics at Batchelor Institute.
Although Kungarakany has not been a first language for over 30 years, Kungarakany family working intergenerationally on the project humbly shared the language and knowledge that has been retained and revived over the years. Retrieval or archival resources, texts, linguists notes and audio recordings breathed ancestral knowledge from country into new generations.
The project team produces an extensive range of resources making a significant contribution to Living and Breathing Kungarakany.
The Team
The Living and Breathing Kungarakany acknowledges those who have worked on this language before us and left us their Kungarakany language legacy and those that committed to seeing this project to completion; we are grateful for their commitment and support, and we warmly extend our thanks to all who have contributed.
Mooradoop Kathy Mills
Project Advisor
Mooradoop Kathy Mills was a leading light at the beginning of the project, giving guidance and advice on how to proceed with the proposed outcomes. In October 2018 Aunty Kathy launched the first set of Kungarakany language resources at Batchelor Institute.
Kuwarpay Trudy Avlonitis
Cultural Advisor
Kuwarpay Trudy Avlonitis who has been the backbone of this project. Kuwarpay was our cultural advisor and guided us through negotiations for content, engaging participants, locating resources and administrative requirements. Towards the end of the project the ever-shy Kuwarpay took the risk and engaged in recording Kungarakany sounds and sentences to accompany text resources.
Dadawaldt Mia Stanford
Project Officer
Dadawaldt Mia Stanford became the Project Officer about 6 months into the project, paralleling her teaching commitments with language resource development. While teaching, studying and parenting she engaged with the project, complete outcomes for teaching, undertaking fieldwork and assisted in developing the new resources. Her resilience and commitment to the language and culture of her people bode well for the future growth of Kungarakany language revival.
Mawgawerr Brendan Monck
Advisor
Mawgawerr Brendan Monck contribute to strengthening the word lists, advising on plants and animals, country, seasons, and his knowledge of expression of Kungarakany. Mawgawerr supported Dadawldt as she uncovered Kungarakany language and guided the fieldwork.
Kena Mudjin Edwyn (Ted) Stanton
Elder
Kena Mudjin Edwyn (Ted) Stanton, an Elder of the Kungarakany people and gave support and guidance to Dadawldt as the Project Officer and assisted in the fieldwork components of the project.
Jowunguh Helen Bishop
Project Initiator
Jowunguh Helen Bishop requested the project in honour of her mother Koormundum language work. Before we had secured funding Jowunguh assisted in locating and providing Kungarakany language documentation and did the first drafts for the poster series, before handing the project work over to her niece Dadawldt.
Charlee Horni
Linguist
Charlee Horni has been a wonderful asset to this project. Charlee initially volunteered her time and later undertook the complex linguistic work required to complete this project. As a young linguist, Charlee completed the majority of the linguistic work, compiling a dictionary with the updated orthography, recording with Kungarakany team members, editing audio and video and anything else that was thrown her way including development of this Learner’s Guide. The project team is indebted to Charlee for her commitment and dedication to the project work.
Maree Klesch
Project Manager
Maree Klesch the Project Manager carried the project in partnership with the Kungarakan Culture and Education association guided by family Elders.
Paola Fisher and Nicoletta Romeo were linguists work for Batchelor Institute who volunteered their time to assist and advise on developing the revised Kungarakany orthography for which we are grateful.
Sarah Martin and Maurice O’Riordan undertook the design work for the wide range of resources developed during the project
Our gratitude Larrakia artist Jason Lee who did much of the artwork for the Kungarakany Activity book.
There are many photographers to acknowledge, and they have been acknowledged individually in each of the published resources.
Project Outcomes and Resources
Posters
Kungarakany language posters are available for you to download and use for language learning. The posters can be printed as A4, however they are designed as large A1 or A2 size. If you would like copies of the large size posters, you and email batchelorpress@batchelor.edu.au and request that the copies are printed and posted. There is also the option to have the posters laminated. This is not a free service and there will be costs for printing, laminating and postage.
Books and Kungarakany Language Readers
The Kungarakany natural history posters are available for you to download for use in your Kungarakany language learning. If you would like to purchase high quality copies of any of the books below, you can contact the Kungarakan Culture and Education Association at info@kungarakan.org.au.
