Alyatywerenge
Kaytetye

Alyatywerenge
Kaytetye
drawings by Anna Pope, Julie Jones, Christine Bruderlin
Copyright in the collection ©1998 Institute for Aboriginal Development & Thangkenharenge Aboriginal Corporation. Copyright in individual stories remains with storytellers. Copyright of illustrations remains with individual artists. Bilingual Resources Development Unit, c/o Yuendumu School P.M.B. 87 via Alice Springs, N.T. 0872 Phone: (08) 8956 4045 FAX: (08) 8956 4033

Arlelke, atnake, atantherre amarleynengele kwerartepe alyatywerenge rntweyayne. Rntweyayne kwere-ee, nhartepe kwere arreyayne kwerrke warle.
Nhartepe alhwenge lke apmeyayne.

Alyelkeynengele ahernepe angeyayne, Kwere warle lke atantherre arreyayne, kwene, alhwenge warle.

Atnemele irretetyele kwere angketyele wethapenye rateyayne kwerepe athepe. Irtnpeweyayne lke kwere, angketyele.

Irtnpeweyayne kwere-ee iyntemaperte. Nhartepe kwere alhwenge theyepe Iwemaneyayne angketyepe. Kwerepenharte athelke iletnheyayne anwengere warle.

Nhartepe re akarreynengelepe akwerre warle lke arreyayne, aytnpewethelke. Aytnpeyayne-ee athepe twerarte iletnheyayne. Nhartepe repaperte lke kwerelarte inweyayne alyatywerengepe.

Arreyayne-ee alkaperte. Nhartepe akwerrepe aynelp-ayneyayne kwerartepe nterrngelepe, Alkaperte, nhartepe alpereyneyayne apmere warle take-take aytnpey-alpeyayne.

Nhartepe artnte warle lke arreyayne, iyewethe lke,
lyeyayne-ee akwerre warle. Nhartepe lkelhewe athathe, nhartepe kwere lkelhe lke pweyayne. Kngwere papertame awentyeyayne arletye aperte. Alkaperte.

Woollybutt grass seed 
Eragrostis eriopoda
In the old days the women would break off the woollybutt grass seeds. They would break off a lot of it, then put it into coolamons. Then they would dig a hole. Smoothing it they would scoop out the earth. Then they would put it down in the hole.
With yamsticks and their feet they would stamp on the grass llke that. They would thresh it with their feet and yamsticks. They would thresh it for a long time. Then they would take their feet out of the hole. Then they would throw the grass away. Then they would collect it and put it into a coolamon to yandy it. She would yandy it for a long time and throw out all the grass. Then the grass would be clean.
They would put it (into a coolamon), alright. Then the coolamon would be full of wheat, the grass seeds. Alright, then they would take it to camp and carefully yandy it (after getting back).
Then they would put it on a round stone to grind it. They would grind it for a long time into a coolamon. Until it became a cake, then when it was formed into a cake they would cook it. Only some of it they would eat raw.
Alright.