Pages That Need Review
Correspondence Between Sydney May And F.J Watson Concerning Aboriginal Place Names (ITM489477)
102
[Numabulla]. SiadSaid to be a name of the [Mary River]. Other names given by various authorities are [Monoboola?], Morrobocoola, Yahboon and Cooron. I can trace no meaning to any of these words. I doubt if any of them apply to the river iteself;
They are more likely to be names of some places on the river.
As showning the absurdity of the application aboriginal words words,by whites, as names of places,the names Gudna and kooroomandan have been also given as names of the [Mary River]. The first is a word meaning dung and the latter is "kangaroo country".
Howah & Hinha --- Are evidently not native names,at least not as they are spelt and pronounced, for no S.E. Queensland native word or syllable commences with an aspirate.
[Toon]. Flat where where [James Davis] (Dha-ami pai, little kangaroo rat), runaway convict, was living when reclaimed from savagery. I think that this a miss-spelled word or an abbreviation of one for, as written it is the Kabi word for tail and also for the male organ of generation.
[Tiaro] (Letter i pronounced as i in wine-. Derived form the Kabi word "dauwa" meaning, as a verb "withered" and as a noun, "dead tree". This locality was at one time the territory of the Dauwaburra (Dead tree people), a division of the Kabi tribe. (see not on this place on an other sheet herwith).
[Noosa]. I have never heard definitely what is meant by this name. One definition, given by one who was very positive on the matter, was that a white man asked a native if he knew the meaning of the word and the native replied "Noo sir".
However, if a native word it is miss-spelled, for the sibilant S does not occur in S.E.Queensland native words.
I think the word is probably"nuthuru or as some of the blacks pronounced it"nguthuru " meaning,literally, a shadow but also a ghost i.e. the shadow of a man. The superstitious nature of the blacks caused them to name many mounts and headlands after some form of spirit.
[FJW]
103
[Booroobin], or [burubin], Ten miles from [Maleny].
Mr. [John Gregor] of [Maleny], whose wife was brought up at this place, once informed me that it is the local name of the scrub opossum which, however, was more generally known as kapolla.
[Kenilworth]
At the junction of [Ubi Creek] with the [Mary River].
The locality was originally known to the Blacks as Ubi Ubi. The station property was first taken up in 1855 by [R.J.Smith] who had a boiling-down plant at [Town Maree] (now [Redbank]). It is said that the name [Kenilworth] was suggested by Mrs. [Smith] who was reading [Sir Walter Scott]'s novel of that name at the time. In 1858 the blocks were transferred to Mr [C.F.Parkinson] and a Mr [Frazer], and later the runs were transferred to Mr. [Walter Gray], an [Ipswich] merchant whose excuters transferred the run to [Isaac Moore]. Other occupiers before 1890 were a Mr [Bergin], brother-in-law to [Moore] and a Mr.[P.Lillis].
[Coonamblah].
Should be Kunam bula, meaning, two pine trees or, literally, pine trees two. (Hoop pine trees) .
[Owanyilla].
Meaning unknown. This place was originally known as [Cooper`s Plain],and later, when a police station was established by reason of the depredations of the blacks on the grazing properties in the locality it was named [Owanyilla] but was more popularly known as the "Police Camp" With the coming of the railway and the establishement of a railway station the name [Owanyilla] became established and the other names completely dropped.
I think that possibly as the police would most likely have with them, at that time,N.S.W black troopers, the name may be of N.S.W. origin.
[FJW]
105
Regarding Toowomba.
I believe that on the north eastern portion of the [Darling downs] the Wakka language was spoken by the blacks, and so the words for "water sit down" would be"Koong nyenan".
I do not think that any translator got the meaning of the name from the blacks. One, [A.Meston], gives the interpretation as"toowoom" a native melon, and "ba", place of. Another has given us the translation as "Tarm" a yam and"ba" place of.
Both translations are, I think, guess work.
Other give the meaning " great in the future" (Could you imaginethat from an aboriginal?). The are some other absurdities not worth mentioning. Personally ,I am of opinion that,as the whites called the place "The Swamp" while the principal township was at [Drayton], or the Springs", the blacks, in whose vocabulary no silibant occurs and whose manner of speech and thick lips did not lend themmselves to the abrupt word endings of the labials B & P , in trying to pronounce the word Swamp would say Twamp-a and that many whites thought that they were saying a word of their own language. A similar case occured to me in the North Queensland when I asked a young black-fellow to give their word for "scrub" (jungle) he,of course,knew scarcely a word of English, and all I could get out of him was am imitation of my word "scrub" in the form of "Gub".
[FJW]
106
[FJW]
[Tiaro].
This place was rendered somewhat historical by the fact that it was the limit of the [Andrew Petrie], [H. S. russell], [Jolliffe] and [Wrottesley] expedition to the [Wide Bay] (Mary) River in 1842 and near the limit of navigation of the river for the boat in which they made the expedition.
It was also notable for the reason that here the runaway convict, [James Davis], who lived with the blacks for seventeen years was reclaimed from savagery by the members of the said expedition. In the year following the expedition,[Joliffe], aforesaid brought live stock to this place for a [Mr Eales] of the [Hunger River], N.S.W., and a sheep and cattle station was established. But owing to the depredations of the blacks [Eales] abandoned the station. The blacks murdered some hut keepers and chased the sheep up into [Bopple Mountain].
One employee who was besieged by the blacks afterwards selected land on the [Mary river] below [Tiaro]. His name was [Habler] and was well known to the writer when an old man.
Several attempts/were made to settle on the pastures at this place but all were unsuccessful until the station fell into the hands of [John Eaton] who made a sucdess of it until it was cut up by surveyors and a township was formed. [Eaton]'s success was, no doubt,due to the fact that a Police Station was established nearby at [Owanyilla], mentioned elsewhere. The town ship, for a time, came into some prominence after [the?] break out of the [Gympie] goldfield owing to it being on the route to that place from [Maryborough]. After the advent of the/railway it relapsed into an unimportant little township.
[FJW]
107
With regards to your list of "Other pleples opinions".
Re. Ick-kay-bin. Your informant has evidently connected this word with"pikkibin". Pikki, in the yagarabul language and pibin in the Kabi tongue is the common palm (archonto-phoenix cunninghamii). Pikki has been corrupted into pikkibin by white people (vide [Tom Petrie]'s Reminiscences). Pikkibin may, however, mean place of palmtrees.
Re. Teebropilly, meaning pleny grubs.
I cannot say anything regarding this the blacks had different names for the various species of grubs but I have never heard this name.
Mutdapilly as meaning red clay is certainly wrong. I doubt if there is any red clay in the locality, and all over S.E. Q'land from the [Burnett] to the Border the word for red clay or red paint is kutchin or an abbreviation of that word in the form of ka-u-in which word is ,I believe, what Kin Kin, where all the soil is red and where nearby is [Kutchin Creek], is named from.
Re.Kulgun I can quote four reliable authorities to show that the word means a track or path. By the way, in the printed form which I filled in I mention that I had forgotten the name of one of my informants whose people had lived near the place [Kulgon] for/many years. His name is [Adolph Podlich] which if convenient you my write in the form for me.
I have never heard the word kulgun applied to an old woman I think your informant must have had at the back of his mind the woman's weapon kalfurru or yamstick.
Re Kalbar. The dead tree theory may be right. In the Yugumbir language the word galba appears in the name Tabragalba, which should be Taberigalba. Taberi ,or dhaberi, is a nulla or club, [John Allen], an aborigine, has given the translation of galba as relics. The origin of this place name is said to have come from the fact that a wonderful taberi that had been long lost was eventually found there. Another story is that an immense petrifaction in shape like a huge nulla existed there.
In that case the matter of a number of isolated dead trees may have given rise to the idea of petrifaction and, in consequence ,the application of the word Kalbar or galba thereto.
[FJW]
108
Grosvenar St. [Toowong], May 5th 1939
Dear Mr [May],
I am sorry that I happened to be away when you called at the [Dayboro?] Depot. When you telephoned, the girl came downstairs to tell me but I was out at the time and arrived back about 5 minutes after you left. I received your letter yesterday evening. Also the list of place names.
Many of the place names are familiar but I am afraid I can give the meanings of only a few of the native names. I know several in the vicinity of [Maryborough] which you have not mentioned and can give them if you wish.
Without any direct info aboriginal authority it is not easy to translate many names owing to them being misspelled & mispronounced.
So far as the present generation of blacks are concerned I have found them to be thoroughly unreliable in translations. Unfortunately, the blacks of the time of early settlement are practically now all dead, and many of the translation by present day white men are fanciful & silly.
However, I can give you a few meanings and a [litle?] of history, but I shall have to
[left margin] look up a number of notes & records so that I may be a few days before I can send anything, good wishes Yoursfaithfully [FJWatson]
109
Grosvenor St [Toowong] S.W.1 28 April 1939.
Dear Mr [May],
I am sorry I missed you on Monday when you called at the [Dayboro Assocs] premises. I have had a bad attack of lumbago, I was at work on Tuesday (Anzac Day) and home again on Wednesday. Wednesday afternoon I received your note, but I was not there [sure?] I would be at work on Thursday. However, I got to work on Thrusday about 9:30. I was sorry that you did not appear on that day, but, presumably that was because you had received no reply from me. However, I hope to have the opportunity of meeting you soon. I wonder if you have come across any information re. Widgee. or Widgee Widgee. as it used to be called, I have just called to mind the words "Widhe Widhe" meaning "laughing" (the spelling of the native words are is given as nearly as I could pronounce them). but do not know that they have any application to the place
Yours Faithfully [FJWatson]
110
Crohamhurst, [Beerwah], 18th April, 1939.
My dear Mr. [Watson],
On receipt of your letter of 8th instant, I copied or rather traced your drawing with notes and sent it to Mr. [Cahill], and last Sunday he motored up to see me. He was here since 1885, I believe, and he, too, is positive that no such collapse took place but every one remembers a landslide from the lower part. It would therefore be very inadvisable to state this as a positive fact, though you might say that some people had observed something of the sort. Mr. [Cahill] also states that the name [Beerwah] is not right; it should be Berriway or Berriwur. It has been stated to be the same as Burwah, but this is quite wrong.
Also you want to be sure to state that the name was given by [Cook] to [Crook Neck] because of its resemblance to a Glass House or factory and that the name "[Glass House Mountains]" came later. The legend about the mountain glittering in the sun like glass is a fable. The names are said to mean mother, father and the various children. Beerwah is the father, Tibrowackem is the mother, and Conowrin is said to mean ejected, and this is of great interest because I head many years ago that the blacks said that the mountains used to throw firesticks at one another which would certainly show that the blacks must have seen them in eruption and this would mean that the intelligent human race were as old as the time when these mountains were active. About 5,000,000 years! and this would be a remark of value though old [Aunt Kitty] of the Methodist Church would not like to hear it. I am returning the print but I do not think that such a thing as a time table picture would prove much as they were notoriously careless as you will see if you examine pictures of old Brisbane which are mostly terribly out in drawing as I could show you conclusively from those in the Oxley collection and also those at Newstead Artists like publicans make the most extreme use of their licence.
[left margin] Judging from Mr. [Jone]'s first letter, he first learned this from Mr. [Grigor] after his receipt of my first letter to him. (sgd.) F.J.W.
111
-2-
Further, I think you will agree on consideration that had such a mass of rock fallen it would be be concealed by decay or vegetation in so short a time, especially as the region is not very prolific in vegetational growth, being mostly of a stunted and heathy nature.
With kindest regards and wishing you success with your interesting and important work.
Yours sincerely,
(sgd.) [INIGO JONES].
112
Grosvenor Street, [Toowong], S. W. 1. 13th April, 1939.
Dear Mr. [May],
Under separate cover I am sending in 30 completed forms which I trust may be of service to you. My delay in sending them is due to the fact that I have been trying to get confirmation of my statement that the top of [Mt. Conowrin], (Kunna waruin) collapsed during the 1893 deluge. I have written to Mr. [Inigo Jones] on the matter but, although he was at [Crohamhurst] at the time, not far from the Mountain, he seems to have heard nothing of the matter and his inquiry of Mr. [J. Grigor] brought no result. I am, however, sure of the fact, and to obtain proof thereof I have been trying to get a picture of the mountain which was executed before 1893. So far I have come across such a picture only in an old Railway timetable which , however, verifies my statement. I can find no information regarding Widgee except that it is the name of a mountain and of a cattle station.and that the station was, in 1875, occupied by [Tooth and Cran] and in 1897 by [Geo. Broadbent & co]. The only Kabi words [that?] I know that in any way sound like the name are "wetya" meaning "wild dog" and"witdhi" meaning"fear". As many mountains were the subjects of superstition to the natives the latter words may have some place;; but that is mere deduction and I would like to hear some other opinion. I will be pleased to hear your lecture on 20th instant if I get the opportunity.
Yours faithfully, [FJWatson] ([F.J.Watson])
P.S. As it may interest you I am enclosing a rough brushed sketch of [Crook-neck] as it appeared before the collapse of the pinnacle.[FJW]