Greetings and Acknowledgements
Click here to go go the relevant sections:
General greetings
Gulbiyaay (welcome)
Welcome to
country/Acknowledgement of country
General greetings
Two greetings posters have bright child-friendly borders by Gamilaraay artist Talieah Donnelly.
Traditionally Yaama was a question word (to create Yes-No questions), and in modern times it is also used as a
greeting.
Download the pdf of this poster here: Yaama_Jan2023.pdf
The meaning of Yaluu is 'again', and in modern times this is used as a farewell.
Download the pdf of this poster here: Yaluu.pdf
Our greetings poster has pictures by Gamilaraay student Cheyenne Aldridge and handprints from Winanga-Li Early Learning
Centre children. It can be printed in A3.
Download it here: Yaama_05AUG2022.pdf
Our greetings song has vocals by Gamilaraay singer Loren Ryan and with photos of Winanga-Li Early Learning Centre children and
staff.
- It includes some respectful ways to greet adults, i.e. walgan (aunty), garruu (uncle), as well as maliyaa (friends).
- It also has the different pronouns used in greetings and answers according to the number of people, i.e. nginda (you -one person), ngindaali (you - two people), ngindaay (you - three or more), ngaya (I), ngali (we - two people), ngiyani (we - three or more).
Gaba nginda? Gaba ngaya.
Download a pdf of the poster: Gaba-nginda-Gaba-ngaya.pdf
Here is a video from the staff and children at Winanga-Li:
Gaba ngindaay? Gaba ngiyani.
Download a pdf here: Gaba-ngindaay-Gaba-ngiyani.pdf
Download a pdf without photo :Gaba-ngindaay-Gaba-ngiyani_blank.pdf
Ngaandi ngaya? (Who am I?)
Here are two workheets which can be used as 'getting to know you' activities at different levels.
Both ngaya (I) and ngay (my) are used in these worksheets. Ngaya is used instead of ngay in certain situations where something is regarded
as being part of the whole, e.g. name/person, body part/person, person/family land.
Download the pdf here: Ngaandi-ngaya_13JAN23.pdf
This second worksheet is more advanced. It starts with a quote to show the importance of these phrases. It refers to people who have
passed away, so please use as appropriate.
The worksheet uses verb tense suffixes, as well as the different forms of the place suffix -Dhi.
Download the pdf here: Who-am-I_08AUG22.pdf
Gulbiyaay (welcome)
Welcome to our school - Gulbiyaay dhirrabaa-ga ngiyaningu!
Welcome to our room - Gulbiyaay ngana-ga ngiyaningu!
Download the posters here: Gulbiyaay-posters.pdf
Welcome to country or Acknowledgement of country
An acknowledgement or welcome would usually start with a general greeting, and could include your name and country.
For the main body of the welcome or acknowledgement, here are some Gamilaraay options to mix and match according to the situation:
- Basic version
Words: Acknowledgement_Basic_21SEPT22.pdf
Sound (by Gindjurra):
- Acknowledging Baiame
Words: Acknowledgement_Baayaami_21SEPT22.pdf
- Acknowledging Elders
Words: Acknowledgement_Elders-past-present-future_21SEPT22.pdf
Sound (by Gindjurra):
- Acknowledging land, sovereignty
Words: Acknowledgement_land-21SEPT22.pdf
A more detailed discussion, including Yuwaalaraay options, is here: 2021-05-compilation_welcome_acknowledgement.docx
Here is an example of a beautiful acknowledgement by proud young Ngemba man Keaton Walters in 2020 (basic version):
