Tali-Tali
Warlpiri
Reading Level Four

Tali-Tali
Yimi yirrarnu
Maxine Spencer Nungarrayirli
Yartiwaji ngurrju-manu
Bethune Carmichael Jampjinparlu
© Bilingual Resource Development Unit,
Yuendumu
Second Edition 2008
ISBN 978-1-921350-74-0
j/n 08-42

Napangardirli karla warrirni wariyiki tali-taliki ngurrju-maninjaku, nyurruwiyirli kuja kalarlu kurdu ngurrju-manu manyungka. 

Napangardirli manu Napurrurlarlu kalu-jana milki yirrarni nyiya-piya watiya pajirninjaku.

Japangardirli manu Japanangkarlu kapala wariyi pajirni.

Napangardirli kajana jirrnganja milki-yirrarni wariyi kurdu-kurdu kuja kalalu nyurruwiyi warurnu jirrirdi-kirlirli.

Kurdu-kurdurlurlu wariyi warurnu warru-kirdi-kirdi jurruku ngurrju-maninjaku.

Wariyi-jangkarlu ngurrju-manu yapa-piya palka waku-jarra-kurlu manu wirliya-jarra-kurlu.

Jupurrurlarlu-nyanu jalpingki ngurrju-manu tali-tali wita-pardu.

Nyampu wariyi-jangkarlu ngurrju-manu yapa-piya, jurru-kurlu, wirliya-jarra-kurlu waku-jarra kurlu.

Napurrurlarlu manu Nungarrayirli kapala mardani ngurrju-maninja-warnu tali-tali-jarra.

English Translation – Dolls
3. Napangardi is looking for wariyi bushes (Cassia). She wants to make dolls for playing with, the way they used to long ago.
4. Napangardi and Napurrurla are showing them which kind of bushes to pick.
5. Japangardi and Japanangka are picking the wariyi branches.
6. Napangardi is showing the children how they used to wind the string around the wariyi in the old days.
7. The children are tying the string around the wariyi branches in a circle to make the head.
8. From the wariyi bush they have made a body like a person’s, with two arms and two legs.
9. Jupurrurla has made a little doll by himself.
10. Here, from wariyi bush, they have made a person with a head, two legs and two arms.
11. Napurrurla and Nungarrayi are holding the dolls they have made.