Hear the pronunciation, spoken by Ananais Jawulba
Mimih spirits only live in the rock country, staying there always. When the wind picks up they run inside the rocks to hide, as their necks would break in the wind and they would die. When we make these carvings we represent that famous mimih story about the Wardbukkarra-wardbukkarra spirits. They are mimih beings but the Wardbukkarra, they sing songs and they dance. There are bones there at Dilebang; they are those of the mimih. The mimih are there in the rock country and they sing when they come out. They carry shovel-nosed spears. The spear points are made from stone and called ‘lawk’. This is the history story that has been handed down. There are also duwa moiety people who died there and their bones must not be interfered with or stolen. They must remain there forever, as they are Djang, a sacred place. And they are in yirridjdja moiety places too.
Mimih kuwardde kadjalni bonj. Kunkurra kamre kadjalngimen. Kakengemen kunkurra wardi mane karradjme yibengkan. Mimih name nawu yibengkan ngarriyime ‘Wardbukkarra-wardbukkarra’ name ngarrimarnbun. Nane nungan mimih bad nawu nungan wardbukkarra, nakka kadjalni, kadjalni bu kabirridjalwayini bedman la kabirriborrkke. Name Dilebang kumekke, name birridowerrinj namekke nakkan namekke, mimih. Mimih dorrengh bu kuwardde nungan kare kawayini, kabebme. Kakarrme njamed barrawu. Lawk kabirrikarrme mankorleken. Nane history nawu birrihkurrmehkurrmeng. Nungan duwa dowemeninj minj rayi mayi kunmurrng kadjirdmang. Nakka nungan kadjalyo bonj, Djang. Kaluk nungan kubolkyirridjdja kadjalyo ya.
– John Mawurndjul, with translation by Murray Garde
