Wangkangurru Children’s songs
Learn the following songs!
Kardapu, thingkarla
Heads and shoulders
Kalti-kalti
Twinkle, Twinkle
Mathapurda Jimmy-nha parma-nga
Old man Jimmy on the farm
Wirarri-ruku thikaka…
I returned to Birdsville…
Kardapu, thingkarla (Heads and Shoulders)
Kard.a.pu, thing.karl.a, pan.tya, thid.na;
Head, shoulders, knees, feet;
Pan.tya, thid.na, pan.tya, thid.na;
Knees, feet, knees, feet;
Kard.a.pu, thing.karl.a, pan.tya, thid.na;
Head, shoulders, knees, feet;
Mily.ki, ya.rri, mid.lha, marn.a!
Eyes, ears, nose, mouth!
Kalti-kalti (Twinkle, twinkle)
Kal.ti-kal.ti mu.nya.nya kard.ipirl.a;
Twinkle, twinkle little star;
Wa.ra un.pa, mi.nha pid.la?
Who are you, what’s your name?
Ya.ra.pa-ru wad.lhu-nga;
Up above the earth so high;
Ka.rra.wa.ra-wi.li kad.la.rra-nga.
Like an eagle in the sky.
Kal.ti-kal.ti mu.nya.nya kard.i.pirl.a;
Twinkle, twinkle little star;
Wa.ra un.pa, mi.nha pid.la?
Who are you, what’s your name?
Mathapurda Jimmy-nha parma-nga (Old man Jimmy on the Farm)
Ma.tha.purd.a Jimmy-nha parm.a-nga;
Old man Jimmy on the farm;
E, i, e, i, o
E, i, e, i, o
Jimmy-ku.nha mad.la parm.a-nga;
Jimmy's dog on the farm;
E, i, e, i, o
E, i, e, i, o
Yab.mirn.da nha.ra.rda, yab.mirn.da nhayi;
Growling here, growling there;
Nha.rard.a, nhayi;
Here, there;
Ma.tha.purd.a Jimmy-nha parm.a-nga;
Old man Jimmy on the farm;
E, i, e, i,o
E, i, e, i,o
The other verses follow the same pattern, substituting the words in bold above with the following words:
Wirarri-ruku thikaka… (I returned to Birdsville…)
Sung to the tune of ‘On the first day of Christmas…’
The first line of the song is repeated and the next animal gets added to the song in descending order until you eventually have all twelve animals.
Hint: the Wangkangurru words for 1-5 are added together to get larger numbers!
"Wi.ra.rri-ru.ku thi.ka.ka, a.ma ngu.nhi.ka…"
"When I returned to Birdsville, mum gave to me..."
Ngu.yu mi.ki.payi thaly.pu-nga,
One magpie in a bean tree,
Par.ku.lu ki.lang.ki.la,
Two galahs,
Kul.pa.ri mad.la-ya.pa,
Three dingoes,
Par.ku.lu-par.ku.lu wa.rru.ka.thi,
Four emus,
Ma.ra wad.nang.ka.ni,
Five pythons,
Par.ku.lu-kul.pa.ri-ngu.yu wa.karl.a!
Six crows!
Par.ku.lu-par.ku.lu-kul.pa.ri karl.a.thu.ra,
Seven bush turkeys,
Par.ku.lu-par.ku.lu-par.ku.lu-par.ku.lu ya.tya.pa.ra,
Eight finches,
Par.ku.lu-par.ku.lu-ma.ra ngam.pu.rru,
Nine yellowbelly,
Ma.ra-ma.ra kung.ka.di.rri,
Ten yabbies,
Ma.ra-ma.ra-ngu.yu pi.ya.rri,
Eleven ants,
Ma.ra-ma.ra-par.ku.lu kung.a.rra.
Twelve kangaroos.
