Barka – murrdie (Darling, black person)

~ Barkindji interpretations provided by Kevin Knight and Wayne Knight 

Murrdie—Barka
Black person—my darling.
 
Barka, Barka, murrdie Barkindji murrdie
My darling, my darling, black Barkindji person
 
Nga, kappa
I will follow.
 
Nhantarna. Nhantarna …
Again, again
 
… until makarra thutha palpa
Again, again … I (will) follow until it rains like ashes

Note: Our waterway—Barka, to us Barkindji people, is so much more than water and fish, much, much more than ebbs and flows, Barka is our spiritual heart. Barka came to us through Dreaming. She is sacred to us. I wrote this poem as my expression of my great love to that waterway, declaring my love and commitment to Barka and Barkindji people and culture forever.