First Nations Language Collection

COPY:

Unofficial.

Dear Mr. May,

While having little doubt that the name Tin Can was derived from tintchin, I have always had some doubt as to whether it was a word of the local abriginal language, for, according to some reliable authorities it was a Brisbane aboriginal's word. One of the mangroves in the Wide Bay District was locally called "pirri", the name being inspired from the fact that the aerial root of the tree looks something like fingers.

Of course, it may be an alternative name. Many trees in the Wide Bay district have the same names as they are known by the Brisbane aborigines, and again, there are more than one species of mangrove. No one seems to know who named the bay. It would be interesting to know if Andrew Petrie named it when on the Mary River expedition in 1842. He then had a couple of Brisbane natives with him, who apparently gave him the native names for some of the places he named at the time, as, for instance, Marouchidore (Muru-uchi-dya) after the Brisbane name of the black swan, for which the local word was kuluin. It is to be regretted that he left no diary regarding his expedition.

Yours faithfully (signed) F. J. Watson

Sept 11th 1940,

Dear Mr. May,

I am returning, to you the print of the Glass House Mountain and the sketch of a flying opossum, of both of which I now have copies.

Perhaps you would care to retain them in connection with my correspondence in re. the meanings of the aboriginals' names of the said mountain.

Yours faithfully FJWatson

There is, in the dialect of the locality, the word Woogero which means cool or chilly and, if in the creek there could have been a spring or seepage of cool water in hot weather, the blacks may possibly have used the term to describe it. Analgous to this matter there is a tributary of the Upper Mary River which is of this description which the Blacks called Walai which has, locally, the same meaning as woogero/and which the Whites have corrupted into Wall Eye Creek. As a translation of the place name, Woogaroo, the above is, of course, purely speculative. With regard to my translation of the name, Kulgun, I find that the range crossed by the blacks via the kulgun is the Teviot Range. I have set out in form annotations on the place name Moogera which I herewith enclose.

Trusting that the above observations may prove of interest and use to you,

I am Dear Mr. May, Yours faithfully, FJ Watson.

Margin note: Courier Mail