This is the story of Wantaali, the Porcupine, as told by Jack Johnson in 1971, and narrated by Andrew Sloane. Jack was a right-through speaker of Paakantyi, the language of the Aboriginal people of far western New South Wales. He is Andrew's great-great-great-uncle. The drawings are by Amanda King. The full script:
Wantaali palkarana ngiingkayika. -- Porcupines live among the roots.
Piipuru thayiyika. -- They eat ants.
Tharlanyangka mingkari ngipayika, -- They put their tongue in the hole,
ngantamaru tharlanyana piipuru-umpala, -- and pull it back, with ants on it,
thuna kungkarungka -- then swallow them.
Porcupine was once a man long ago.
Kaantinya ... -- Long ago ...
He didn't have any friends because he didn't like anyone else.
Nguri-mathirathu -- He got fat.
The people hated Wantaali. He never went hunting or helped with anything. He said nasty things.
Ngurta nhintatya, ngapa nguri. -- You are skinny, I am fat.
Wantaali had many enemies who wanted to spear him.
Wathityu. -
ELP Language
Paakantyi
Resource Types
Video
Media Image
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URL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpC3Fc0k5qo