Ngurlu (Seed) and Ngalikirri (Grinding Stone) - 2009, 2018
2009 Milpirri - Jurntu
Ngurlu (Seed) and Ngalikirri (Grinding Stone)
Dance Story
They gather the seeds and put them in the parraju (coolomon). Then they grind them up and make mangarri (bread/damper/paste) and cook it on the fire. They eat the mangarri and get sick and vomit it all up.
There is a big mob of ngurlu everywhere, you can see that now.
Belonging to Skin Groups
Jupurrula, Jakamarra, Napurrurla and Nakamarra (Red Group)
2018 Milpirri - Jurntu
Ngurlu (Seed) and Ngalikirri (Grinding Stone)
Dance Story
Taking the seed. Jakamarra steals the seeds. He is accused but says nothing except "I did not steal them". He takes the seeds and puts them everywhere, all over the place. You can see that seed everywhere.
Place
Yawarrka
Belonging to Skin Groups
Jupurrula, Jakamarra, Napurrurla and Nakamarra (Red Group)
Youth Dance
In Milpirri 2018, the red group's theme of Justice was drawn from the Ngurlu (seed) songs where the restorative process of justice is represented by the grinding stone.
The grinding stone winnows the bad seed from the good, righting wrongs, and shaping and restoring balance.
If we do wrong by the law, justice will be done. It may hurt us, but justice can make a wrong thing right, and make a bad thing good.
Words of the Ngurlu (Seed) and Ngalikirri (Grinding Stone) song
Transcription of song sung in Milpirri 2009.
Ngurlu ngka yurnkarli karlirla,
ngurlu ngka yurnkarli karlirla Ngurlujapa karna kani,
ngurlujapa karna kani
Carrying seeds with a coolamon in a large green country.
Going with a coolamon to the green country
Mangurlula japarna yiripirli yirlana,
mangurlula japarna yiripirli yirlana Purlijirri purlijirri yirlana,
purlijirri purlijirri yirlana
To make damper trace and gather seeds.
Put damper into fire to cook.
Source - Milpirri at Lajamanu as an intercultural locus of Warlpiri discourses with others. A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of The Australian National University September 2015 Yukihiro Doi.