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The following statement (in a Maar language and in English) is from the Eastern Maar—
‘watnanda koong meerreeng, tyama-ngan malayeetoo’
Ngatanwarr
Ngeerang meerreeng-an
Peepay meerreeng-an
Kakayee meerreeng-an
Wartee meerreeng-an
Maara-wanoong, laka. Wanga-kee-ngeeye
Meereeng-ngeeye, pareeyt, nganpeeyan, weeyn,
wooroot, poondeeya-teeyt
Meerreeng-ngeeye, nhakateeyt, woorroong,
leehnan, mooroop, keerray
Meerreeng-ngeeye, thookay-ngeeye, pareeyt
pareeyt ba waran waran-ngeeye,
wangeeyarr ba wangeet - ngeeye, maar ba
thanampool-ngeeye, Ngalam Meen-ngeeye,
mooroop-ngeeye
Meerreeng-ngeeye Maar, Maar meerreeng
Wamba-wanoong yaapteeyt-oo, leerpeeneeytngeeye, kooweekoowee-ngeeye
nhakapooreepooree-ngeeye, keeyan-ngeeye
Wamba-wanoong nhoonpee yaapteeyt-oo,
tyama-takoort meerreeng
Peetyawan weeyn Meerreeng, nhaka Meerreeng,
keeyan Meerreeng, nganto-pay ngootyoonayt
meerreeng
Kooweeya-wanoong takoort meerreeng-ee ba
watanoo Meerreng-ngeeye, yana-thalap-ee ba
wanga-kee Meerreeng laka
Ngeetoong keeyan-ngeen Meerreeng, Meerreeng
keeyan ngooteen
Together body and Country, we know long time
(We see all of you), greeting.
Mother my Country.
Father my Country.
Sister my Country.
Brother my Country.
We are the Maar speaking Peoples. Hear us.
Our Country is water, air, fire, trees, life.
Our Country is thought, language, heart, soul,
blood.
Our Country is our Children, our youth, our Elders,
our men and women, our Ancestors, our spirit.
Our Country is Maar, Maar is Country.
We bring to the light our songs, our stories, our
vision, our love.
We bring these things to the light so All can know
Country.
To care for Country. To think about Country. To
love Country. To protect Country.
We invite all that choose to live on or visit our
Country to slow down. To tread softly and listen to
Country speak.
If you love Country, Country will love you
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The following statement (in the Wadawurrung language and in English) is from the Wadawurrung—
Comugeen budjo thalikiyu kin bil bengordi
ngadak. Ngarrwabil, boron, guli, bagurrk.
Comugeen budjo bengadak ngarruk dja, ngubiyt,
weagoon gobata gupma wurring baap bengordi
nganak, djarrima murrupnhuk bengadak
Gobata Wadawurrung balug jumbuk dirdalbil
murrupnhuk bundjil monomeet beeko weagoon.
Mutjakak noogie wada durralully.
Wangarrak Wadawurrung balug bengadak mirriyu
birraleedja gobata kia ying, ngarrimilli, wahak,
karrung, kuya, nyanayit yanunit, djilenawurr, baap
willam bengordi ngadak
Nyurrinana ngal bengordi ngadak
Willam wurdiwarri Wadawurrung Balug dja
bengordi ngadak, bullarto nerrigirr baap
monomeeth worrowing warree, gelanyi bulboluk
Koaka dorla, Godomut, Koornoo, Jan Juc,
Mangowak
Willamo weeagoon monomeetwa yonbarra baap
wirrapiyn, buniya, tarka binyak ngal. Waweagoon
nerrigurro kit baap bullarto gurrin kia wahak,
karrung, yanikan werrity. Corroborree bullarto
waik ngitj balugwa bengordi ngadak
Beek budj kanamo ngitj.
Mirr wurru ngarra dja bengadak.
Mirritonton dja Wadawurrung balug, gobata beak
yerraak murrup yanimirriyu ngarrwauk bengordi
ngadak
We deeply respect our people of the past. Elders,
children, men, women. We deeply respect their
knowledge of country, water, life, their care of the
traditions and of each other, we stand with their
spirit.
Great spirit Bundjil told us to take care of the great
life within the land. To only take what you need
without selfishness.
Wadawurrung shared their knowledge of singing,
dance, trade, camps, fishing, hunting, paintings,
and homes with us to protect for our future
generations.
We all need to help.
Our Wadawurrung family group lived within the
great sea, with a large land of forested areas and
wonderful banks of the ocean, near many water
bodies.
Anglesea, Point Addis, Barwon Heads, Jan Juc,
Aireys Inlet.
These homes all provide ideal life to birds and fish,
eels. Reeds turned into our baskets.
Life in the forest gave resources like food and lots
of tools to use for trade, building, journeys.
If there was lots to trade,
We love this earth will all our feeling
We would name our country, by what we could
see.
Our country is remembered by Wadawurrung, our
proud spirit walks to tomorrow to teach others the
care of our earth. |