First Nations Language Collection

THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND GEORGE STREET BRISBANE

2nd May, 1951

No. :ARW

Dear Sir,

Messrs. Cummins & Campbell have written me that you could perhaps help. I have come to the conclusion that word ending with ulla, illa, ella, alla all refer to a large permanent stretch of water in a river bed that the blacks could rely on to hold out in a drought. For instance - Cunnamulla - there is a 15 mile reach in the Warrego R. very deep and never dry, Canna is some characteristic of the water or locality, others are -

Ulandilla - Ooline a species of Eucalyptus common only to that locality.

Womalilla - Womal a species of acacia not yet fully determined, growing there.

Sister M. Grace grew up in the locality and she said the acorns were cut and used to play checkers.

Chinchilla - there is a large deep lagoon about a mile from the town.

Dulbydilla - Dulby refers to the dark colour of the water due to staining by leaves.

I do not know Mulgallaa, Cunnamulla, Angellala, Muckadilla.

Then the following terminals - Boor inba, Duaringa, Bungainga, Cullin-a-ringa. "ringa" I think means "Waterhole" but is this correct? Lethbridge told me the meaning of Bungarin[torn] is not for polite company. Then there is Bindango, Martango [torn] Maranoa and Balonne.

Da, Ba, Gabba all mean "belonging to" or the place [torn] e.g. Woolloongabba - the place of the whiptail wallaby. Babin[torn] the place of lots of rain, Bundamba the place of stones (for ax[torn] and so on.

I would appreciate any information that you could give me on these words.

Thanking you.

Yours faithfully, Sydney May