Yuendumu School Values
As a bilingual school it is important that Warlpiri values are also upheld by the school and equally respected as with English.
It is very difficult to translate from Warlpiri to English and convey the extent of meaning of each word chosen as a Warlpiri value.
We have decided to illustrate the each value word with the definition and some example sentences from the Warlpiri dictionary, using the word in context. Teachers should be aware that when they use the word, the understanding may not be the particular one they are meaning to convey.
Pukurl-pukurlpa - Pride
Kuurlurla karlipa jana wangkami kuja-piya, “Pujurl-pukurlpa-jarrimi karlipa jana kurdu-kurduku kuja kalu warrki-jarrimi nurna-nyayirni.”
This is how we talk about this at school, “We feel proud of the children when they work hard.”
Yulkanjaku - Kindness
This comes from the root Warlpiri word, Yulkami.
To like, love, be fond of, be pleased with, care about, cherish
Kuurlurla, kurdu-kurdu yungulu-nyanu yulkami kaninjarni manu yarlungka, yungulu wardinyilki nyinami kurdu-kurdu-kari-kirli.
At school we want children to care for each other and be happy with the other children.
Jintangka - Together as One
This comes from the root Warlpiri word jinta meaning one.
Jintangka -literally, ‘in one’
Habitually used to mean – together, in one group, as one
Kuurlurla karlipa jintangka warrki-jarrimi, yapa manu kardiya, tija manu kurdu-kurdu.
At school we work together as one, yapa and white people, teachers and children.
Underpinning these three school values are two important concepts:
Jukurrpa
Has two meanings; dream, dreamtime and totem, law, custom.
Kuurlurla karlipa mardarni jirrama kuruwarri, kardiya-kurlangu jalangu-jalangu-warnu, manu yapa-kurlangu, jukurrpa-warnu. Kurdungku yungu-nyanu mardarni jukurrpa yungu pijirrdi wangkami manu jungarnirli purda-nyanyi Warlpiri yungulu tarnngangku mardarni ngalipa-nyangu jukurrpa, nguru manu kuruwarri waja-waja-maninja-wangu.
At school we have two sets of laws, white people’s law which is made these days and Aboriginal law which comes from the Dreaming. Children should hold on to their jukurrpa so they can speak Warlpiri strongly and understand properly, so they can always hold onto our Dreaming, the land, the law and the spirit, without losing it.
Warlalja
Belonging to self, own, private, personal belongings; kin, relatives, relations, family, family’s country.
Kuurlurla karlipa milya-pinyi manu marnngu-nyanyi kurdu-kurlangu warlalja manu jukurrpa. Pina-mani karlipa jana kurdu-kurdu purda-nyanjaku jarlu-patu warlalja nyanungu-nyanguku yungulu ngurrju mardarni nyiya-kanti-kanti warlalja-kurlangu.
At school we know and respect children’s family and Dreaming. We teach children to listen to their elders and look after everything belonging to them.