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p1	Whereabouts did you do your teacher training? Nick: Whereabouts did you do your teacher training?

p2	Kinyi Batchelor College Here at Batchelor College

p3	And how long did that take? Nick: And how long did that take?

p4	Four years. Four years

p5	And who else was there with you? Nick: And who else was there with you?

p6	Pendele, Pendele

p7	Wali, Wali,

p8	Helen McCarthy, Helen McCarthy,

p9	Suzanne Nurra, Susanne Nurra,

p10	Yembiying. Yembiying.

p11	Yembiying? Yembiying?

p12	Yembiying. Yembiying,

p13	Yembiying im ngadde wurrkama nimbi tye, ba himin get sick Yembiying was there working with us all, but she became sick.

p14	So she didn't finish her degree? Nick: So she didn't finish her degree?

p15	Na and Magaret Gilbert No, and Margaret Gilbert too.

p16	ye they were SAS, five, six, yeah they were SAS students, five, six of us.

p17	So you were all in the same year? Nick: So you were all in the same year?

p18	Yeah, in the same year. Yes in the same year

p19	Ok so that took you four years? Nick: Ok so that took you four years?

p20	Four years. Four years.

p21	Ngaddi tye three years marri langa Batchelor, dumbat that training. We went to Batchelor maybe for three years doing the training,

p22	And after that mela bin go through Deakin that last year. and after that we wdid it through Deakin for the last year.

p23	Nganggi ninggi. Nick: Can you say it in Ngan'gi?

p24	Ba! ngaddi tye wuni kana Melbourne, Whoops! yeah after that we went to Melbourne,

p25	Angganmerr same time, what that word na? at the same time with Miriam, for ... what's that word now?

p26	Tyen word? Nick: What word?

p27	mmm graduate ngirrim nyinda Geelong nide ngaddi tye. um, 'graduate' - we got to go to Geelong.

p28	E yerryaga hat ngani watypala gimi warrim fi ngun when they graduate yerr nyinda nganni fi tye, e yerr And you know those kinds of hat white fellas wear when the graduate, well we got to wear those, and that thing,

p29	ngani cloak gimin yerrkerre. like a big gown.

p30	Yubu napa. It was really good.

p31	Ngayi minde derrigidi ngemi tye ngani tye Melbourne, I didn't like going to Melbourne,

p32	awa watypala mityity bakuty wurru. because there's just too many white people.

p33	Like dede nyinnin wudupunngi ferrferr dengini ngayi. The place gave me the shivers then.

p34	But detyengi use to ngim kana ngaganimbirr tyerrakul watypala. But today I am used to talking to white people.

p35	Angganmerr ta like, Angganmerr was like

p36	she was a role model. she was a role model.

p37	And today And today

p38	pufuy yenim deme yin napa deti ngayim nyin dangingirr fimityatit yenim. she continues to teach us how all those things should be done.

p39	Ngayi ngaganim wurrkama still kuwul nide helpim ngimbirr ngaganim awapurrpurrk. I still work at the school helping the children.

p40	Yedityerrmusye wakay wannawam waty. The old men have all passed away.

p41	Kuri start wirrim awayaga yedinganggu awayoung girl, They've started drinking now, the young men and the young girls,

p42	young girl? how do you say 'young girls' again?

p43	Apuderri! Nick: Apuderri

p44	Apuderri!, werrim waty nimbi kuwul minde wurrkama yubu werrim baty. Apuderri! when they finish school they don't have good jobs.

p45	Kuri wanning kukuduk yeyi yerryaga yerrwulek, So then they get into drinking grog, and that other bad stuff,

p46	ganja ngunu? you know 'ganja'?

p47	Yerryin ngan ngagurr, That stuff was … for us,

p48	ngagurr ngaddi wirrir kuwul minde ngerrmebaty tye yerr nyinnin minmi. back when we were going to school, we never had to deal with that stuff.

p49	Culture learn ngirrim, We learned about our culture,

p50	ye culture, culture learn ngirrim. yeah culture, culture was what we learned.

p51	Awayedityerrmusye guniguni wakay wannawam waty, ba wannam waty? wannawam waty? All the old men and women have now passed away, ... 'past away?'

p52	Wannam waty. Passed away?

p53	Wannam waty. Passed away.

p54	And did you really enjoy being a school teacher? What did you like about teaching, that period of your life when you were a teacher? Nick: And did you really enjoy being a school teacher? What did you like about teaching, that period of your life when you were a teacher?

p55	Detyengi nginyinggin awayaga, Today I see them all,

p56	teachim ngimewirr ngagadi. all the ones that I have taught.

p57	Yedinganggu wurrkama yubu kana werrim baty. Young boys who now have good jobs,

p58	E apuderri nyinnin, and young girls too,

p59	awayeyi family werri kana wirrim. some now with their own families.

p60	But dede kinyi, But this country here,

p61	Nauiyu Nambiyu ngan ngannim wapup, this Nauiyu Nambiyu where we live,

p62	minde dede ngagurr, awa Malak Malak nem. it's not actually our country, it belongs to the Malak Malak people.

p63	Yubu derrgidi ngerim kinyi, nganam fital kinyi kuwul ngagadi wirrir tye, It is good here, I like it. I grew up here, went to school here,

p64	membirr yedi ngeben derridu membirr ngarim fimetyat. I found a husband here and had children here.

p65	Membirr ngayi derrigidi werrim dede kinyi. My kids all like this place.

p66	Ngarimbirr tyatyarrpu 'Ba, ngumbuda wul nime kana!'. 'Aya, kinda ngimbi nime'. I ask them 'How about we go back now?'. 'No, let's stay here!'.

p67	Kinyi wurru yanam fital' wirringngindi membirr ngayi ninggi falmi fagarri ngerim baty. 'This is where you grew up' my kids say to me, the two daughters I have.

p68	Angganmerr yipe wirrike ta. Angganmerr is their aunty.

p69	And do you have um sort of fears about your childrens future? What do you see Nick: And do you have um sort of fears about your childrens future? What do you see ...

p70	Well membirr ngayi ye Well my daughter,

p71	for them in ten years time? Nick: ... for them in ten years time?

p72	Membirr ngayi wuryeyi wurdedetyi, My eldest daughter,

p73	kuri kana yening kukuduk. she now drinks alcohol

p74	E yerryaga yerrwulek gantya yenim fifi, and she smokes that other bad stuff - ganja,

p75	yedi bengin derridu, and she partnered up with a guy,

p76	minde fekiderri warrinne tye wa nyinnin wamipurr. but wasn't with him for long.

p77	Cause nem deme nyin deti deme baty tye yedi, kuri ngini, gantya ngini. Because he was also into the same stuff, alcohol and ganja.

p78	Kawu ngayi wadedetyi dangim fityat, Max, My eldest grandson is Max,

p79	E wurwetimuy Mariah, nyin Wubunytyi nem membirr. and a girl Mariah,they're Wubunytyi's children.

p80	And ngayi nginyinggin kawu ngayi wanam fital nyinnin, I see my grandson,

p81	ngaganinne tyarrakul, and I say to him,

p82	Yani kuwul ngan watypala tityim wirrmimbi ngini, yubu depi minde kuri or 'You go to school, let the white men teach you, keep a clear head, and as for alcohol

p83	or yerrnyinnin yerrwulek ngini think yimi yani ngimne. or that other bad stuff, don't think about it', I say to him.

p84	Do you think your kids and your grandkids will be able to hang on to Ngan'gi and still speak it? Nick: Do you think your kids and your grandkids will be able to hang on to Ngan'gi and still speak it?

p85	Ngaganimbirr tyarrakul Ngan'gi la dedenggurr, I speak to them in Ngan'gi around home,

p86

and, and,

p87	ep minmi ne? but maybe not eh?

p88	Detyeri wannim they understand. They have a passive understanding.

p89	And at the And at the,

p90	I can say at the school? Can I talk about the school?

p91	At the school lot of the kids they speak Kriol, At the school lot of the kids speak Kriol,

p92	ye mix English, Ngan'gi they understand. mixed with English, and Ngan'gi they understand.

p93	But what I'm saying is that we need more help from parents, guardian, elders, But what I'm saying is that we need more help from parents, guardian, elders,

p94	that sent their kids to St Francis. We need help. that sent their kids to St Francis. We need help.

p95	Ngayi napa, Wali, Angganmerr, Pilawuk, There is myself, Wali, Angganmerr, and Pilwawuk.

p96	e yeyi Rambo yenim, peyi wurrkama ngannim wurrkama Shotgun. Sometimes Rambo comes up and works up here with us and also William.

p97	Ngarrimbirr fimityatit membirr, membirr ngagurr ka. And we teach the children, your children.

p98	A membirr nayin nime too, kawu ngayi wannim wirrir peyi afutyu ngayi, And our kids too, and my maternal and paternal grandkids,

p99	deme ngani nyinnin kuguk. we still have to teach them.

p100	Deme nyin nimbi minde ngimbimi nime ngini ngamban nime nyin wulek kana. If we don't live our culture, then it will be bad for us.

p101	We gotta lose everything, We will loose everything,

p102	our culture, our culture,

p103	our lifestyle. and our lifestyle.

p104	So marri we need more indigenous teachers, young people, So probably we need more indigenous teachers, young people,

p105	to train up and become teachers, ya. to train up and become teachers, you know.

p106	So you got a few new ones in the school now? So you've got a few new ones in the school now?

p107	Yeah we got about what?, marri five? Yeah we've got about what?, maybe five?

p108	Right. So there was a big gap between when you and Louise and Agnes and that group finished, Right. So there was a big gap between when you and Louise and Agnes and that group finished,

p109	in the school, what ten years ago?, in the school, what ten years ago?,

p110	Yeah ten years ago. Yeah ten years ago.

p111	and there's a new batch now. Was there anyone in between there or and theres a new batch now. Was there anyone in between there or

p112	Nothing only watypala mityity. No, just whitefella teachers.

p113	So there must be a big difference in the sort of atmosphere in the school when there's indigenous teachers there, local, local people was teaching. So there must be a big difference in the sort of atmosphere in the school when there's indigenous teachers there, local, local people were teaching.

p114	Awapurrpurrk deti wirringindi 'Ya ngamban nime puty!' The children say to me 'Take us out bush!.

p115	Apirri gimi miyi yanniwirr dudu mipurrpurrk gagu agarrtyinytyi yarrgantyiwirr. 'Take us out like you used to and show us how to get bushtucker and fishing'.

p116	Yerrdeme nayin pagu. 'Give us our way!'.

p117	Yerrngandini nganggidi nimbi puty mipurrpurrk nganggidi ngambaniwirr dudu nganggadi. Before we use to go out and teach them about busk tucker.

p118	Ah forget, Kikirrin im come. Oh, I forgot, Kikirrin use to also help out too.

p119	So it's hard now yeah, So it's hard now, you know,

p120	cause we don't get much help from people around us. because we don't get much help from people around us.

p121	And when there's And when there's

p122	I mean in the community. I mean in the community.

p123	and when there's just whitefella teachers in the school, they can't teach culture can they? and when there's just whitefella teachers in the school, they can't teach culture can they?

p124	Nothing! Nothing!

p125	they just, that's not possible. they just, that's not possible.

p126	Ngan'gi ngini deti dictionary yaga ngunu? For language, you know the dictionary?

p127	Marrfurra ninggi dangingirr fime, the one that Patricia made,

p128	well start ngirringgu dictionary nyinnin Pilawuk. well we made a start with that, me and Pilawuk.

p129	Ngayi ngaganim wurrkama la school like I only work at the school,

p130	three days like on a Tuesday, Wednesday, and on a Friday we do culture. three days like on a Tuesday, Wednesday, and it's on a Friday that we do culture.

p131	So what sort of things they do on a Friday? So what sort of things do they do on a Friday?

p132	We take them out, We take them out,

p133	Ngan'gi ninggi? In Ngan'gi?

p134	Ba, ngarrganytyiwirr awayedi minda nana ngagurr ngarranewirr tyerrakul Oh yeah! We take them out. The difficulty can be with the ones we aren't allowed to talk to,

p135	yedinganggu. the boys.

p136	Ngarriny apirri last week ngariny tyarrpu wulmen ngayi ngatya ngayi Shotgun William. So last week I asked my old man, my uncle Shotgun William,

p137	E mem Yu' dengini nem wulek wulek too yenim. and he agreed to come, even though he's pretty unwell.

p138	But tyepe yirrini tye pagu, ngarrinytyiwirr tye bus werri, ngayi Wali awapurrpurrk. But still he came along, and we took them out, me, Wali and the kids.

p139	Awamityity peyi deti wurschool teacher wawatypala. There was also a white school teacher, and some whitefellas.

p140	Ngirrimbirr ngannim, We say to them,'

p141	Nagurr yannim wunu pagu dede nagurr nimbi kinyi dede ngagurr nide When you come from your place and come to our place,

p142	tityim yirrimbirr yannim membirr ngagurr reading, maths, English ani yin ka. you teach our kids reading, and maths, and English, and stuff like that'.

p143	Ngagurr ngirrimbirr ngagurr kana ngarrindirr fimityatit ngini deme ngagurr, 'But now', we say to them, 'we will teach you about our culture,

p144	pi kekik deme ani yin ka, bush tucker. like welcoming you to the place and all about bush tucker'.

p145	I mean how to survive in the bush. I mean how to survive in the bush.

p146	It's good for white people to know, ye, deme ani yinnin. It's good for white people to know, you know, things like that.

p147	Well a lot of the things we're doing now at the school, like it's different. But lot of the things we're doing now at the school, like it's different.

p148	It's hard for the kids. It's hard for the kids.

p149	So the curriculum has changed, has it? Nick: So the curriculum has changed, has it?

p150	Ye, the curriculum im change, like every year. Yeah, the curriculum changes, like every year.

p151	Mmm. But, Mmm. But,

p152	Is it hard for you to keep up with those changes? Is it hard for you to keep up with those changes?

p153	Ye, cause I don't do program n stuff like that, cause I'm a TA. Yeah, because I don't do programming and stuff like that, because I'm a TA.

p154	I just help with disciplining them and talking to them if they're naughty ones. I just help with disciplining them and talking to them if they're being naughty.

p155	Wakay? Are we done?

p156	Wakay. We're done!