4.6.2 Kukatja

Location: Delta of Stuart Creek in Gregory Salt Sea and country to the east.
1. Names of the language and different spellings that have been used:
Gogada (Worms)
Gogoda (Tindale, Oates)
Gogodja (Peile)
Gogodja (Worms)
Gugadja (Capell, Berndt)
Gugudja (Capell)
Kokatja (Tindale)
Kukaja (McGregor)
Kukatja (Capell, Oates, Peile)
Maiulatara
Mulatara
Nambulatji (Tindale)
Nambulatji (Tindale)
According to Peile (p.c.) Nambulatji is a language similar to Warlpiri and Ngardi while Maiulatara and Mulatara are not Kukatja but more southerly dialects of the Western Desert language. He also notes that the term '"'Kukatja'"' is also applied to Western Luritja (NT).
2. Classification of the language:
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966): Wati
Identification codes:AIATSIS:A.68
Capell (1963):A.16
Oates (1975):56.10a
3. Dialects of the language:
Desert languages have an avoidance style as well as the everyday style.
No other information.
4. Present number and distribution of speakers:
Oates (1975): 300 speakers at Balgo Hills mission, Billiluna, Sturt Creek and Papunya.
5. People who have worked intensively to record the language:
Fr Ernst Worms (1936-37)
Fr Anthony Peile (1980-89)
Bernard Leforte (1985-86)
6. Practical spelling system:
A system has been established and used in the Luurnpa Catholic school. It is similar to the system in use for Pintupi, and the South Kimberley system except that tj is used instead of j.
7. Word lists:
Balgo Literacy Centre (n.d.)
Peile (n.d.d)
Worms (1950)
Fr Hilaire Valiquette at Balgo is preparing a dictionary based on Fr Peile's work.
8. Texts:
Recording of stories related to paintings done in the adult education centre at Balgo.
Moyle (1984)
Peile (n.d.g)
9. Grammar or sketch grammar:
Peile (n.d.e)
10. Language programmes:
A bilingual programme is currently being run in the school at Balgo.
11. Language learning material:
Balgo Adult Education Centre (Kutjungkarriya Nintirri).
Newsletter (a quarterly publication since 1981). New name: Willumana Balgo Newsletter.
12. Literature in the language:
The following is a list of literacy materials produced to November 1985. (No indication was given as to author.) Since then a lot has been produced and is in use in the school bilingual programme at Balgo. They are too numerous to include here.
Iantu ngalurnu kanu - Ian catches a lizard, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Karakurlu kalyu - Salt water, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Kawarlirri - Lost, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Kukatja reader [Includes vocabulary and grammar drills, and cassette.]
Kulila 1, 2, 3, 4.
Kurrku - The cave, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Latju - The witchetty grub, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Lingka kamu kanu - The snake and the lizard, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Marlulura nyangin mayaruku - Kangaroo looks for home, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Murtilya kamu puruku - The boy and the frog, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Murunypa Joseph - Greedy Joseph, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Ngaatjangkura Ben - Here is Ben, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Ngayukutju tjirlany - My lunch, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Ngilypi kamu yirna - The old man and the old woman, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Nyawultjirriya marlu - Counting kangaroos, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Nyawultjirriya - Counting book, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Pamarr tjarlu - The mountain, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Peter Marnmarlyarringu - Peter gets hurt, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Peter Yitjipungkupayi - Peter the bully, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Piwi - Dunbi the owl, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Raymondkura bike - Raymond's bike, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Taputjunku - The race, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Tjarlu lanyma - The big fight, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Victor marrka murtilya - Victor, the strong boy, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Wartilpayi - The hunter, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Wiltja - The shelter, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Yirraru Willie - Sad Willie, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Yumpalypa Adam - Lazy Adam, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
Yutjapilaku waraka - The hospital worker, Kimberley Educational Printing Service, Derby.
13. Material available:
(see section 5 (Bibliography) for annotations on the following works)
Balgo Literacy Centre (1987) Let's learn Kukatja (2 parts), Balgo.
Balgo Literacy Centre (n.d.) Kukatja yini yinala, Balgo.
Bindon, P. and A.R. Peile (1986) 'A note on plants used by the Kukatja to make fire', pp.499-502 in Records of the Western Australian Museum, Vol.12, no.4.
Burbidge, A.A., K.A. Johnson, P.J. Fuller and R.I. Southgate (1988) 'Aboriginal knowledge of the mammals of the Central Deserts of Australia', pp.9-39 in Australian Wildlife Research, Vol.15.
Cane, S.B. (1984) Desert camps: a case study of stone artefacts and Aboriginal behaviour in the Western Desert, PhD thesis, Australian National University, Canberra.
Cane, S.B. (1986) 'Bush tucker: intensified use of traditional resources on Aboriginal outstations', pp.90-98 in B.D. Foran and B.W. Walker, (eds) Science and technology for Aboriginal development, Alice Springs, N.T.
Hansen, K. (1984) 'Communicability of some Western Desert communilects', pp.1-112 in J. Hudson and N. Pym, (eds) Language survey, (Work Papers of SIL-AAB, B-11, SIL/AAB, Darwin.
Hansen, K. and L.E. Hansen (1975a) Core of Pintupi grammar, IAD, Alice Springs.
Moyle, R.(1984) 'Jumping to conclusions', pp.51-58 in J.C. Kassler and J. Stubbington, (eds) Problems and solutions: occasional essays in musicology presented to Alice M. Moyle, Hale and Iremonger, Sydney.
Nekes, H. and E.A. Worms (1953) 'Australian languages', Micro-Bibliotheca Anthropos, Vol.10 (microfilm).
Peile, A.R. (1965c) [Letter to AIAS], Beagle Bay Mission, 27 June 1965.
Peile, A.R. (1970) Linguistic routine report, April 1970.
Peile, A.R. (1971a) Linguistic routine report, April 1971.
Peile, A.R. (1971b) Linguistic routine report, August 1971.
Peile, A.R. (1971c) [Transcription of AIAS audiotapes A2246a and A2247a], Balgo Hills.
Peile, A.R. (1972a) Linguistic routine report, January 1972.
Peile, A.R. (1972b) Linguistic routine report, February 1972.
Peile, A.R. (1972c) Linguistic routine report, May 1972.
Peile, A.R. (1972d) Linguistic routine report, November 1972.
Peile, A.R. (1976a) Bible. N.T. - Luke II, 1, 3-20. Gugadja. Wuru-wuru, translated by A.R. Peile, Bible Society in Australia, Canberra.
Peile, A.R. (1976c) Gugadja ethnobotany appendix [from ethnobotany workshop, 15-16 May 1976, AIAS], ts.
Peile, A.R. (1976d) [Prayers in Gugadja], Balgo Mission, WA.
Peile, A.R. (1977a) Some comments on ethno-herpetology [among the Gugadja], Balgo, WA.
Peile, A.R. (1977b) Submission to the Australian bishops on Aboriginal religion and catechetics, Balgo Mission, via Halls Creek.
Peile, A.R. (1978a) Aboriginal philosophy and catechetics, Balgo Mission, via Halls Creek, WA.
Peile, A.R. (1978b) 'Gugadja Aborigines and frogs' pp.9-14 in Herpetofauna, Vol.10, no.1.
Peile, A.R. (1979a) 'Australian desert Aborigines and Moloch horridus', pp.73-77 in Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society 14.
Peile, A.R. (1979b) 'Colours that cure [the use of ochre in traditional Aboriginal medicine]', pp.214-217 in Hemisphere, Vol.23, no.4.
Peile, A.R. (1980) 'Preliminary notes on the ethno-botany of the Gugadja Aborigines at Balgo, Western Australia', pp.59-64 in Western Australian Herbarium research: notes, Vol.3.
Peile, A.R. (1981) Australien: Kaninchen als Buschmedizin, ts, Balgo Mission, via Halls Creek.
Peile, A.R. (1985) 'Le concept du vent, du souffle, et de l'ame chez les Aborigenes dans le desert de l'Australie', pp.75-83 in Bulletin d'Ethnomedecine 33.
Peile, A.R. (1990) 'Modernization of Gugadja: an Australian Aboriginal language', pp.229- 237 in I. Fodor and C.Hagège, (eds) Language Reform: History and Future, Vol.5, Helmut Buske Verlag, Hamburg.
Peile, A.R. (n.d.a) 1,000 word vocabulary, ts.
Peile, A.R. (n.d.c) Kukatja picture vocabulary, ts.
Peile, A.R. (n.d.d) Phonology and grammar statement, draft form, ts.
Peile, A.R. (n.d.e) The medicinal use of smoke and vapour by the Gugadja, Balgo Mission, via Halls Creek, WA, MS.
Peile, A.R. (n.d.f) Transcriptions of audiotapes: Gugadja, some Wonggadjunga, MS.
Peile, A.R. (n.d.g) Wakalkuwana, Balgo Mission, WA.
Peile, A.R. (forthcoming) Body and soul - an Australian Aboriginal view, Hesperian Press, Perth.
Petri, H. (1969) 'Research in the Kimberley region 1969, focusing on Australian Aboriginal ritual and mythology', pp.2-3 in Anthropology News, Vol.6, no.9.
Platt, J.T. (1967) 'The Kukata-Kukatja distinction', pp.61-64 in Oceania, Vol.38.
Tindale, N.B. (1932) Journal of an expedition to Mt Leibig, Central Australia, to do anthropological research, August 1932, MS.
Tindale, N.B. (1952-54) Field journal of Norman B.Tindale: 18th expedition under the auspices of Board for Anthropological Research, University of Adelaide and the University of California at Los Angeles, 1952-1954 (ts and MS).
Western Australia, Chief Secretary's Department (1934) Native tribes and boundaries of their districts. (File 384/34).
Wiminydji and A.R. Peile (1978) A desert Aborigine's view of health and nutrition, pp.497-453 in Journal of Anthropological Research, Vol.34, no.4.
Worms, E.A. (1950) 'Feuer und feuerzeuger in Sage und Brauch der Nordwest Australier', pp.145-164, Anthropos, Vol.48.
Worms, E.A. (1953) 'H. Nekes and E.A. Worms' Australian languages', pp.956-970 in Anthropos, Vol.48.
Worms, E.A. (1958) Language of the Gogadja tribe (south and south east of Gregory Salt Lake), ts.
Worms, E.A. (1959b) Zeitschrift fur Missionswissenschaft und Religionsmissionschaft, 'Der Australische Seelenbegriff', pp.296-309 in Vol.43, no.4.

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