First Nations Language Collection

Union Street, [Toowong], S.W.1. Dec. 28th, 1940.

[Mr. Sydney May], University of Queensland,

Dear Sir,

I have your letter of 23rd to hand, With regard to the list of place names enclosed therewith I fear that I can give little information. I can only suggest that the name [Cooloola] may have been derived from koólooloi, the cypress pine and [Coroibah] from kurúiba (kuroó-ee-ba) meaning place of grey forest opossums. [Goondoo] may be from gunda (goonda), the cabbage-palm.

As I am not personally acquinted with the localities I cannot say whether this is correct. Although all the places mentioned are within the Kabi territory I cannot recognise any of the other names as being of that language. Unfortunately many place names are so ancient that the blacks themselves have lost their meanings as well as their proper pronunciation, and white people have so progressively mis-spelled and mispronounced them that they are now entirely unintelligible.

The name [Teitsel] contains the letter S , showing that it is not an aboriginal word. The alteration of one letter, viz. S to Z makes a fairly common German surname.

I may mention that the fact,that some years ago, I had an inquiry of an old resident of the locality of the lakes as to the meaning of their names, shows that , locally , they are not known.

Your faithfully, [FJWatson]

23rd December, 1940.

Mr. F. J. Watson, Nyleta, Union Street, TOOWONG. S.W.1

Dear Sir,

I submit to you a list of names occurring between Caboolture and Gympie. Should you know anything of these I would value your explanation.

What does Thooree Wurra mean? Could it by any chance mean Scrubby Creek.

Yours faithfully,

Hon. Secretary.

Nyleta Union street, Toowong, S.W.1. December ,2nd, 1940.

Mr. Sydney May, Hon. Secretary, Q'ld Place Names Committee, University of Queensland

Dear Sir,

Re. the matter of a new name for the locality about Shorncliff. -- Since my conversation with you on the subject, I have recalled that the native (Kabi) name for the cabbage-tree (not the cabbage palm tree) is"Kawa" . This word itself might be suitable. In the same language, kirar-kawa and wirra-kawa each have the meaning of cabbage-tree creek.

Regarding Sandgate itself, I would mention that some years there was some newspaper discussion on the matter of the name of the Sandgate lagoons, when an old resident ^{a Mr. R.W. Southerden} stated that on the older Government maps the name was given as Einbunpin, but no meaning of the same was forthcoming. I think, however that this name is but a corruption of Yimbunban, meaning "place of reeds or rushes, from yimbun, a reed with an edible root, the botanical name of which is Typa Augustifolia. The name is likely to have been corrupted through E-in-bun-pin.

It may be mentioned that Yimbin has already been adopted as the name of a railway station.

Yours faithfully, F.J. Watson

P.S. The name above-mentioned seems to have been applied particularly to the first lagoon; the lagoons being known to early settlers as first, second and third lagoons. These lagoons are a little to the north of Sandgate Central/ FJW

Kall Kalaara Kilara Scrub ?? Milla Milla ?

25th November, 1940.

F.J. Watson, Esq., "Nyleta", Union Street, TOOWONG. S.W.1.

Dear Sir,

In reply to your letter of the 22nd instant, I have to thank you for your excellent advice. We investigated the three words, Yuraba, Burooba and Wanduma, all of which seem very suitable.

At my talk to the Constitutional Club last Thursday, I was asked to suggest a name for two or three homes (i) place on a hill, (ii) a place with two weeping figtrees (ficus benjamini), (iii) an explanation of "Lota". Furthermore, I have been asked to supply the aboriginal name for (i) Sandgate, (ii) Shorncliffe or the Cabbage Tree Creek end of Sandgate. You could give the actual name or suggest a euphonious name describing the locality. Originally called Shorncliffe, the adoption of this name for the Railway Station and State School has caused confusion of locality.

I would also like to know the aboriginal name for "bend in the river".

I will probably have the opportunity to call out and see you on Wednesday afternoon and discuss these matters.

Yours faithfully,

Hon. Secretary.

Nyleta, Union street, Toowong, S.W.1. Nov. 22nd, 1940.

Mr. Sydney May, Hon. Secretary, Q'ld, Place Names Committee, University of Queensland

Dear Sir,

I have letter of yesterday with description of West Nundah to hand. With regard to the trees mentioned, the native names of those not yet embodied in place names are not such as would help to make a euphonious place name except perhaps Yúrabá, meaning "place of spotted gum trees". With regard to the hilly nature of the place the word Búrubá (Buroóbá) meaning" place of hills" might be suggested,; the name , however, implies plurality and would not suit if for one hill only. Burunga, sometimes pronounced búruná (buroóná) means"hilly" , but this would be too much like the existing place name, _Baroona , which possibly has the same origin. Bári-ngá, which may also be pronounced "Báriná" means "at or on the top". Nya-gilli, (the ultimate vowel as ee in english bee), meaning "See a long way". Nya-kuĺla-kuĺla, meaning"see there and there, i.e. everywhere". Perhaps the most suitable name would be Wańduma, meaning "Rising or climbing upward". This word is common to the the local and two adjacent languages and a place of this description was actually so-named by the blacks but does not appear on any official map. Care should be taken to note whether any of these names are already in use.

Yours faithfully, FJ Watson P.S. Please note the accentuation of syllables. FJW.

Union Street, Toowong, 15th Nov. 1940.

Dear Mr. May,

I note that ,in today's Telegraph, it was stated that at a meeting of West Nundah resident's , that you had suggested the word Inala , meaning"Home of rest" as a new name for West Nundah.

As I had given you this word and its meaning , I would point out that the said meaning is incorrect. As a matter of fact , the aborigine , having no permanent place of abode , had no equivalent of the word home. Inala , or more correctly , nyinala , is the future tense of the Yugumbir very nyina , meaning to lie or recline , and was used by the aborigines to denote rest time ,i.e. the coming of night. To give it the meaning of "Home of rest" would not accord with aboriginal plilology.

Yours faithfully.

F.J. Watson

Nyleta, Union Street, off Mogill Road. Toowong , S.W.1.

Nov. 9th, 1940.

Mr. Sydnay May , Hon. Secretary , Q'land Place Names Committee , University of Queensland ,

Dear Sir,

With reference to your letter of 8th inst. asking for an aboriginal word , reminiscent of the setting Sun , suitable for the name of a boat , I cannot think of any one word that would be applicable , and phrases representing such would be too long to be euphonious. At Wide Bay the blacks actually used the words Tirum karin (Teeroom kareen),literally , Sun go in). At Brisbane , Bigi yanna , (Beegee yan-na) , and at the Logan River,Nyunga-yani ( Nyunga yan-ee) each meaning "Sun gone" would be applicable.

A simple and euphonious Yugumbir (Logan River) ^word which may meet the case is Nyinala. This word really indicates that night has come and,literally, means "rest time"

This would certainly be suitable if the boat is to be used for pleasure purposes. The word may,if wished, be quite correctly be written and pronounced Inala , although the earlier generation of blacks would have used the sound of Spanish n as the initial sound. In pronunciation the first vowel a is long as in In-ah-la.

Yours faithfully,

F.J. Watson

COPY.

"Nyleta" Union Street, Off Mogill Road, TOOWONG. S.W.1.

November 9th, 1940.

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

Dear Sir,

With reference to your letter of 8th inst. asking for an aboriginal word, reminiscent of the setting Sun, suitable for the name of a boat, I cannot think of any one word that would be applicable, and phrases representing such would be too long to be euphonious. At Wide Bay the blacks actually used the words Tirum karin (Teeroom kareen), literally, Sun go in). At Brisbane, Bigi yanna (Beegee yan-na), and at the Logan River, Nyunga-yani (Nyunga yan-ee) each meaning "Sun gone" would be applicable.

A simple and euphonious Yugumbir (Logan River) word which may meet the case is Nyinala. This word really indicates that night has come and, literally, means "rest time".

This would certainly be suitable if the boat is to be used for pleasure purposes. The word may, if wished, be quite correctly written and pronounced Inala, although the earlier generation of blacks would have used the sound of Spanish n as the initial sound. In pronounciation the first vowel 'a' is long as in In-ah-la.

Yours faithfully,

(Signed) F.J. WATSON

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8th November, 1940.

Mr. F.J. Watson, Grosvenor Street, TOOWONG, S.W.1.

Dear Sir,

I have received an enquiry asking me to suggest a name reminiscent of the setting sun or the sun setting in the West as a possible name for a boat. Could you advise me of any aboriginal word not too long, simple in pronunciation and euphonious which would apply to the above meaning.

An early reply would be appreciated.

Yours Faithfully,

Hon. Secretary.

Sept 11th 1940,

Dear Mr. May,

I am returning, to you the print of the Glass House Mountain and the sketch of a flying opossum, of both of which I now have copies.

Perhaps you would care to retain them in connection with my correspondence in re. the meanings of the aboriginals' names of the said mountain.

Yours faithfully FJWatson