calbunyas initiation
By Kaitlen Wellington
Published 19 June 2023
~ Gumea Dharawal interpretation provided by Jacob Morris and Adrian Webster
climbin djera
calbunya shows itself
stalkin on twigs and leaves
makin a point to get my attention
sayin gone go learn language now
come day
trek to bundanon
da old goodjie
learning new knowledge
from brotha boy
calbunya master of language
it taught us aye
da old people
in old days
how to gum
we gali for calbunya
boorais step to clapsticks
nurri
nurri
nurri
i and brotha boy connect bloodlines
his ngubu
and my baabaa coomie
a few generations back
are first cousins
carpenter line
dis aint no coincidence
i am meant to be ere
ancestors
yes dey guindin me
still morange though
and still unsure
i go out culburra beach
walkin my track
uh whats dat
der in da bush
calbunya
whip once
whip bulla
sayin yes you learn your language daught
bless i been askin to learn language
linkin up with sista girl has been the best thing
the journey has just begun
long way to go now but I cant back out
cause when ya told to do somethin
you do it
cause knowledge is power
and with power comes responsibility