Eunice Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu Me and my sisters

Dhuwala ŋanapurru bitja yapamanydjiwurru. Ŋarra ga ŋarraku yapamirriŋu. Yäku malamarr, ŋurruŋur Gaymala, ga ŋarranydja yäku Eunice Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu ga ŋarraku yutjiwala youngest one yapamirriŋu yäku Margaret Yunupiŋu Munuŋgurr.

(This is our picture of us sisters. Me and my sisters. The eldest one, first born called Gaymala, and me, my name is Eunice Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu, and my little youngest sister called Margaret Yunupiŋu Munuŋgurr.)

‘That’s what my sisters used to do – hunting djäma (activity). Every morning after breakfast, we used to go out to get oysters from the swamp [called] ŋirriwan, namura, from the root of the mangroves. We used to go early every morning when the tides go way out.

‘We sisters are like stars. We don’t want to lose each other. And that’s why we are called stars. Because we are one. We share our love with our kids and bring them together. We are not separate. This is how family life goes on in Yolŋu way, Yolŋu culture, in Yolŋu attitude, Yolŋu everything. ‘

This text is based on the edited translation of a statement by Eunice Djerrkŋu Yunupiŋu at Yirrkala.