Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954), Saturday 4 November 1899, page 2


ABORIGINAL NAMES.

An Interesting Inquiry.

IN response to a request from the secretary of the Anthropological Society of Australasia, Sydney, Sub-Inspector Travers has collected some interesting information relative to the meanings, so far as can be ascertained with any degree of certainty, of a number of the native names of places in the Far Western

district.

The following names of aboriginal origin, with the English meaning, comprise the list:—Wonaminta, plenty boomerang ; Nun-dora, breaking bushes ; Poolamacca, mother (or good living) ; Wilkirena, little toe ; Quinyambi, excreta ; Coroperena, straight bone ; Perena, bone ; Torrowangee and Pungee, creek ; Tintee, hill ; Mootwingee, grass ; Perindee, lightning ; Curandoo, thun-

er ; Mockera, rain ; Minda, cloud ; Mundi Mundi, water, water ; (by one authority said to mean "a lot of black women") ; Toonga, a grave ; Gnalta, sour ; Noonthorangee, roots of yams ; Euriowie, waterhole ; Yarrangee, opossum ; Gumbugga, sweetheart ; Boonthno, wool ; Umberumberka, a rat hole ; Purna-moota, acacia tree growing in a grassy flat ; Buckalow, little lake ; Nanna, a well named after an old aboriginal.

There are at least a score of other names which it is very desirable to know something about ; and the MINER will be very glad of the assistance of any of its readers in the matter. For example, what of Willyama, Willyong (the old name for the Round Hill Creek), Yalcowina, Yandama, Thackaringa (pronounced Tackaringa by the natives), Mutooroo, Taltingan, and others ?