Correspondence Between Sydney May And F.J Watson Concerning Aboriginal Place Names (ITM489477)

Grosvenor Street, Toowong, S.W.1. 28th February, 1940.

Dear Sir,

In replying to your letter of 27th inst. asking for aboriginal words meaning plenty of water, I have no knowledge of the western languages, but the word kung, or koong, a word meaning water, was used by the natives over a large part of S.E.Q'land including the Darling Downs and probably was in vogue at Roma. If the name is to be applied to a large extent of water the words koong gumai, meaning big water, may suit. These are Logan district words. Common Kabi (Wide Bay) words for plenty, much & many, are maiyan, murrin, and murra, differing so with locality or speaker. If the name is to apply to a place where the water is plentifully available I would suggest the name Kunģamuŕra (Koong(a)murra) as being the most euphonious. The intermediate letter a (to be barely accented) is inserted to liquify the sound of the compound word as is aboriginal custom.

I have some hesitation in suggesting a name for a western place because the adjectival syllables here given may have quite different meaning in the local dialect.

Surely two such common words might have been acquired locally from some old hand who has been in contact with the blacks about Roma.

Yours faithfully, FJWatson (F.J.Watson).

To/ Mr. Sydney May, Hon. Secretary, Place Names Committee, University of Queensland.

Kobbo-walla

Nyleta, Grosvenor Street, Toowong, S.W.1. 9th February, 1940.

Dear Mr. May,

I think you for Place Names Bulletin No. 8.

On one place name therein, the meaning of which appears to be doubtful, I may be able to show some light. A local resident once informed me that the name was supposed to mean, not "Where is the water" as given in the bulletin, but "Place from where water can be seen". In such case I have little doubt that the name should be Koonginya, from koong, water, and nya, to see; the letter i, as in English in, being merely a liquifying agent between consonants, as is common to abo. languages. These words are common to S.E. Queensland languages and could indicate "A view of water" and probably was applied to some place in the vicinity, certainly not the township, from where a general view of the local swamps, which, I believe, were much more extensive at one time than now, could be obtained. If I remember rightly, my informant as to the meaning given above was Mr. Heers, a local storekeeper.

Yours sincerely, F.J.Watson

11th January, 1940.

F. J. Watson, Esq., "Nylita", Grosvenor Street, TOOWONG. S.W.1.

Dear Sir,

In reply to your letter of the 20th December last, I appreciate the compliments of the season you wished me and extend the same to yourself.

I am sorry you had to wait so long for the explanation of "Bunda". Edwards, the Assistant Surveyor to Surveyor Thompson, associated freely with the blacks and actually became a blood brother. They called him "Bunda", the "Boss", which corresponds exactly to the meaning you gave of the word, and I appreciate your interest in the Bulletin and hope it will long continue.

Yours faithfully,

Hon. Secretary.

Nyleta, Grosvenor Street, Toowong, S.W.1. 20th, December, 1939.

Dear Mr. May,

I thank you for sending me Bulletin No.7 of Place names and their derivations which is of great interest to me, especially one item which has, incidentally, some bearing on the derivation of the place name Bundaberg. I was stationed for some years in the said town without definitely ascertaining the derivation of the name. Someone has said that it was named after a tribe of blacks of the name Bunda, but the fact that Bunda is a class name relative to the marital law of the Kabi tribe puts that out of court. The information that I gathered from various sources shows that although J.C.Thompson was the District Surveyor at the time that the first survey of the town was made, the actual survey was made by a surveyor named Gwynne asssited by an unlicensed surveyor named Edwards. Edwards, who was called Bunda by the blacks and who had a knowledge of their language, gave the names to the streets. Of the subsequent movements of Edwards I can only find that he went north and that he died at the Barron River near Cairns. The fact that Bunda Street, Cairns (as per Bulletin) was named Bunda after a surveyor named Edwards fits in with the story that Bundaberg was named from Edward's sobriquet. I would mention that the name, Bunda,

seems to have been bestowed by the aborigines on some white persons who had knowledge of their lore and who stood high in their estimation.

I believe that Mr. E. Armitage was, at on time, known to the blacks by this name.

While on the subject I might mention that during some newspaper discussion at Bundaberg on place names, some Old Resident informed that the name of Targo Street (Bundaberg) should be Durigo. The meaning of this word, more properly spelled Dhuri-go, is, the way to the (Wongarra) scrub. The reason for this name and meading is quite reasonable but would require a diagramatical explanation. This I could give if it is deemed worth while.

Wishing the P.N.C. and your self The Compliments of the Season, I am, Dear Mr. May, Yours sincerely, FJWatson F.J.Watson